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St. Mary’s (Sandyford) FC v VEC FC

After conceding a goal after just 45 seconds, where our goalkeeper Sergei was obviously ‘blinded’ by the low sun, Tshepo Mansho got our equalizer in the 26th minute, only for the home team to regain the lead 4 minutes later from the penalty spot. Then disaster struck again after just 55 seconds of the second half, as we conceded a third. Although we pressed hard to get back into it, a clever lob in the 85th minute by their no. 16 ensured their win, despite Joey Byrne’s consolation goal at the end.

St. Francis FC v VEC FC

It can be particularly frustrating, when referees’ decisions seem arbitrary or biased. We know that they rely on their positioning to make calls, but if their view is obstructed, they might not see an infraction clearly. We can only assume that that was the case in the 55th minute of this important cup match because the referee was the only one in the ground who didn’t see that the home team player was clearly offside when our opponents took the lead. To compound matters, he yellow-carded our centre-half for his complaint at the decision, and gave him a second yellow 25 minutes later for an inelegant tackle on the edge of the box.

That sending off took the sting out of, what was, an evenly contested game up to then, as the home team scored their 2nd and 3rd goals in the final 10 minutes.

Glasnaion FC v VEC FC

Rob Newe atoned for an early chance, when, in the 14th minute, he deftly flicked the ball to the net for his first goal of the season and VEC’s first in this cup match. Unfortunately, the lead only lasted 10 minutes before the home team equalised to leave the teams level at the break. Then, 3 minutes after the re-start, a defensive error allowed Glasnaoin’s Andy Hedderman to put them ahead.

There was plenty of drama to follow, when firstly Colin Power made it 2-2 in the 90th minute with a sweet strike from 20yds – his first goal for the Club – and just as the game looked like going into extra time, the home team scored from a corner kick with virtually the last kick of the game, sadly knocking us out of this season’s Challenge Cup.

Malahide Utd 2nds v VEC FC

Playing in his first game of the season, and playing with a broken thumb sustained in the first half, Conor Lewis (no. 11) equalised in the 60th minute and then put us 2-1 up two minutes later with 2 well-executed goals. The home team had taken the lead just 9 minutes into this league game when a left wing cross/shot went in off the far post.

Joey Byrne’s 80th minute goal made it 3-1, but a Malahide penalty in the 90+2 minute made for a nervy ending, but we held out for the win. [click on pic. to enlarge]