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.

Although leading 2-1 after 55 minutes with goals from Jay Hester and Tom Wrynne, VEC conceded four goals from Verona FC’s four chances thereafter and sadly exited the FAI Junior Cup at the Round 2 stage in Terenure.

We wish Verona FC every success as they progress to the next round.

While VEC 1sts recorded our third win on the trot in the David Blood Memorial Tournament in Terenure with a resounding 4-0 win over Roc Celtic, VEC 2nds went a step further on the adjoining pitch – thumping 7 goals without reply past a hapless Sandford St. Mary’s side. They now move on to play Beech Park FC on Saturday with a chance of reaching the semi-final, while the 1sts travel to Bray hoping to continue the winning run.

Gav Murphy (3) scores the only goal of the game in the 3rd minute against Harding IF FC on a dreadful pitch in Ringsend Park on Wednesday evening, as VEC ran out 1-0 winners in the David Blood Memorial Tournament.

VEC now have 6 points from the first two games.

See more pics. here.

Pat Meghen scores VEC’s 7th goal from the penalty spot against Rialto FC in the first match of the Pre-Season Tournament. With the visitors battling hard in the first half, it was only 1-0 at half time after Tom Wrynne had opened the scoring in the 15th minute. However, in a fifteen minute spell soon into the second half, VEC hit the net on five occasions through Joey Byrne, Jay Hester (twice), Antoine Daubigny and Jordan Howard, with Rialto pulling one back, before Pat’s penalty in the 75th minute, making it 7-1 to the home team.

Tom Wrynne’s 70th minute goal was enough for VEC to once again see off the challenge of Tallaght Utd. with a 1-0 win in the Richard Knight Cup Final in Frank Cooke Park, thus recording a cup double win, following the previous week’s 1-0 win over the same opposition in the Challenge Cup.

What Kev said ……..  *They said …*

Unfortunately, our second team were unable to emulate that cup win, losing 2-0 after conceding two late goals to a strong Coolock Village side in the MMI Cup Final in Home Farm on the same evening, despite a brave effort.

VEC easily dispensed with Lourdes Celtic in the Richard Knight Cup Semi-Final with a 4-0 scoreline on a wet evening in Pearse College. James McGauran opening the scoring in just the 4th minute, with Seamus Staunton adding a second after 25 minutes. Then in the 2nd half, Joey Byrne scored in the 60th minute, before Pat Meghen made it 4-0 just 10 minutes later.

VEC will now meet Tallaght Utd. again next Wednesday 25th May – this time in the Richard Knight Cup Final – in Frank Cooke Park, hoping to emulate the recent 1-0 over the same opposition in the Challenge Cup Final.

On that same evening, VEC 2nds will meet Coolock Village FC in the MMI Cup Final in Home Farm, Whitehall.

This is the moment in the 25th minute when Séamus Staunton scored the only goal of the game, as VEC dispatched Tallaght Utd. to win the Challenge Cup in Home Farm on a 1-0 scoreline. Squad

Captain Séamus Staunton receives the Cup from UCFL Chairman Barney Blood.

Dan Smyth receives the man-of-the-match award.