Conor Lewis beat 2 defenders down the right and sent a bullet of a shot to the roof of the net, just 15 seconds into this Shield game in VEC against Harding FC 2nds. We then missed a penalty in the 26th minute, and paid for it, as the visitors equalised mid-way through the 2nd half. However, we won the penalty shoot-out 5-4 to gain an extra point in this round-robin Shield competition.

3 magnificent saves in the penalty shoot-out in Albert College by VEC Keeper Colin Power ensured that VEC FC progressed to the quarter-finals of the Richard Knight Cup, after the teams had finished level at 1-1 after 90 mins. and after extra-time.

Pat Meghen’s penalty in the 4th minute had us leading up to the 38th minute when Shelbourne AFC equalised. While we had the better chances thereafter, there were no further goals. However, we eventually advanced – winning the shoot-out 6-5. More details & 2 saves here.

VEC recorded a well-deserved league win against Glasnaion FC on a bumpy Johnstown Park pitch to go 7 points clear at the top of Division 1, with just 3 games remaining. The only goal of the first-half was scored in the 12th minute by that man Paddy Cook (his 10th in the last 7 games), but we exerted our supremacy in the second-half, when firstly skipper Shane O’Connor’s bullet header from a Jeff De Castro corner kick rattled the net in the 54th minute; followed by a Pat Meghen strike 10 minutes later after a home team defensive howler. Then Joey Byrne put the game beyond Glasnaion’s reach with a lovely near-post shot (pic.) in the 70th minute, before manager Keith Moloney emptied the bench as VEC coasted to victory. The only ‘blemish’ from our point of view, was conceding a goal with literally the last kick of the game. See League Table

This was VEC’s 5th goal and Neill Love’s first of the season when this spectacular overhead kick hit the back of the net in the 75th minute. The real drama commenced straight from the kick off when Pat Meghen pounced on a Coolock Village FC defensive howler to open the scoring within the first 10 seconds, in what must be a record in VEC and possibly the League! [Too quick even for the cameraman to capture it].
8 minutes later, we were 2-0 up when Ronan Murphy scored his first of the season and then further goals from Conor Lewis and Paddy Cook in the 57th and 65th minutes sealed this comprehensive win for VEC in Terenure, and puts us 5 points clear at the top of the Division 1 league table.

VEC players will be disappointed to have squandered our 33rd minute lead with just 14 minutes remaining, but Larkview’s 2nd half performance rightly earned them a point in this top of the table clash.

With the only goal of the game, Joey Byrne (out of shot) fires VEC into the lead in the 62nd minute, returning us to the top of the Division 1 table.
But it was an inspiring performance from man-of-the-match – goalkeeper Colin Power – with a number of outstanding saves, that ensured we took all 3 points. Solid performances from his defenders also greatly contributed to this deserved win. See League Table.

Wishing all the players and everyone associated with VEC Football Club a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. Le gach dea-ghuí i gcomhair na Nollaig agus na hAthbhliana.

We look forward to the resumption of football on 11th January 2025.

Classic hat-tricks from Pat Meghen (between the 50th & 65th minutes) followed by Paddy Cook (between the 73rd & 85th minutes) were the order of the day in our last league match before the Christmas break in Walkinstown. The home team started well and went ahead half way through the first half, only for Antoine Daubigny to level matters 5 minutes before the break. Then came the second-half with some excellent VEC performances resulting in the ‘Pat-trick’ & the ‘Paddy-trick’, deservedly putting us back up to 2nd place in the league table. A great team effort overall.

With the second of his two goals today, Pat Meghen became only the 12th VEC player to reach the 100 mark in our 50-year history [see goal here]. That was in the 33rd minute to put us 3-1 ahead, having scored his first and our second goal 10 minutes earlier.

A dreadful start saw us down 0-1 in the 2nd minute, but Antoine Dubigny’s superb 13th minute strike levelled matters at that point. Unfortunately we conceded one on the stroke of half-time and again in the 55th minute, making it 3-3. With a severely depleted squad on the day, the lack of reinforcements for tired bodies was the making of our downfall, as the visitors’ pressure in the final 10 minutes paid off and they scored the winner near the end. Goals Scored Overall

With a well-executed high press two minutes after the re-start, Paddy Cook won the ball back after aggressively closing down Dublin Hospitals FC’s goalkeeper’s space, cutting off his passing lanes and forcing him into the mistake that lead to the only goal of this cup match. This was a closely contested game, with the sides scoreless at the break: however, Paddy’s opportunist goal – his first of the season – ensured that we advanced to the 3rd Round of the FAI Junior Cup – away to St. Francis FC.