VEC recorded a well-deserved league win 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 his 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 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, 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.

Goals from Tshepo Monsho in the 18th, 60th and 76th minute put VEC well on the way to three league points against Shelbourne SSC in Terenure on 31st August. Read full match report.

Then, just 4 days later, again in Terenure, Pat Meghen got in on the act with his own hat-trick, as VEC overcame Blackforge 2nds to claim 3 further points. Read full match report.

Not Head, Heart & Hands! More like the definition of working hard and getting it done, which is – “Be Humble; Stay Hungry; Always Hustle” – or was it just VEC’s 3 H’s: Houlihan, Hester & Howard who scored our 3 goals against Coolock Village today to move us to mid-table in the Premier Division. Well done Alonso, Jay & Jordan!