This great save by Richie Hannify in the dying minutes ensured that VEC came away from Albert College with a share of the spoils in the Premier Division match against Shelbourne AFC. There were two volleyed goals – firstly by the home team in the 35th minute and then by VEC through Séamus Staunton 30 minutes later, as the match finished 1-1.

Meanwhile 2 goals in the final 5 minutes gave VEC 2nds a dramatic 3-2 win against Stedfast Utd. in Division 2 in Terenure on the same day. Conor Daly’s penalty put VEC in the lead, only for the opposition to score 2 in the 2nd half, before the dramatic late goals from Colm McSharry and Alonso Houlihan secured a great win for VEC.

Skipper Séamus Staunton’s wonderful 12th minute strike, followed 8 minutes later by an o.g. gave VEC a 2-goal lead against Harding IF FC on the Ringsend Astro in the Premier Division on Saturday. The home team pulled one back on the half-hour mark and equalized in the 66th minute, as VEC dropped off somewhat, but still created some good chances. And then … Harding made it 3-2 with a ‘worldie’ goal in the 80th minute, which gave keeper Richie Hannify no chance!

On a bitterly cold day in Brickfields on Saturday, Dan Smyth showed great bravery and sure handling throughout, and kept another ‘clean sheet’ – this time against Rialto FC in this Premier Division match, after it was switched from the VEC grounds.

The only goal of the game came from a beautiful 60th minute volley from striker Aidan Hyland, who latched on to a perfect Antoine Daubigny cross – securing the 3 points for VEC against a battling Rialto side.

VEC captain Séamus Staunton slots away the only goal of the game after VEC were awarded a penalty in the 55th minute, in the Premier Division match against Shelbourne AFC in Terenure.

Click on image to enlarge.

This was Jefferson De Castro’s shot hitting the back of the net in the 9th minute, drawing VEC level after the referee had bizarrely awarded AGP a penalty in the 3rd minute, which they converted. The visitors then went ahead again 2 minutes later. But that man Jefferson, who was having a magnificent game down the VEC right, equalized again for VEC in the 40th minute with a thunderous left foot shot and then 4 minutes later Jim McGauran put us in the lead for the first time in the match. Unfortunately, with the award of another penalty to AGP early in the second half, they made it 3-3 and both teams finished with a premier division point apiece! More pics.

This was a great goal from Aidan Hyland after just 10 minutes against Fairview Celtic in the Challenge Cup match in the Dublin Port Stadium on Saturday. However, shortly after half-time VEC lost centre-back Neal Breslin for a ‘last man’ tackle, compounded by the home team equalizing, and then going ahead in the 78th minute. Their lead was short-lived, as Aidan scored his second goal a minute later and brought the game to extra-time. Joey Byrne then scored for VEC before Fairview equalized once again, bringing the game to a penalty shoot-out, where we missed one, and they scored their 5, knocking us out of the Cup!

It was not a good day for VEC, as our 2nds were knocked out of the MMI Cup by Stedfast Utd.

With the VEC grounds declared unplayable, this Division 2 game was switched to  Stannaway Park, where Gildas Oliver (seen here) scored the opening goal in the 37th minute. Lourdes Celtic equalized just 5 minutes into the 2nd half, although whether the ball actually crossed the goal-line after re-bounding off the post, is debatable! In any event, the introduction of Frankie Nolan and Liam Marshall on the hour mark, resulted in the former crossing for the latter to score a deserved winning goal for VEC FC 2nds in the 80th minute. More pics. here

We thought that we had taken the lead in the 40th minute, only for the officials to bizarrely rule this ‘goal’ offside. The sun may have been in the assistant’s eyes, but surely the referee (perfectly positioned) could see that this was a legitimate goal! To compound matters, Malahide Utd. scored in the 65th minute to win 1-0.

With no match scheduled next weekend, we will re-group on 5th November.