SIXY STUFF FROM LIBBOS BOYS IN BLUE
LFL Saturday Premier Division
Liberties FC 6-0 SDFA
Despite several absentees the Libbos lads in their light blue kit put on a six star show last Saturday in the Phoenix ‘Wind bowl’ Park! This was no mean feat…although the Libbos were on a run of form since before Christmas and SDFA are bottom of the table their results to date show there’s little between sides in the division! After all, SDFA beat Rialto 1-0 before Christmas and have only been beaten 1-0 by Galty and 3-2 by Mourne for example!
With several names missing, a lot failing late ‘fitness tests’ this morning including Shane Brown, Craig Farrell and Mark Boland, tough weather conditions and an awful bobbly patchy pitch this had all the hallmarks of a banana skin!
But the Libbos went after the visiting side from the first minute and barely let up! With wind in their favour they pressed high and gave SDFA little opportunity to get out of their half and it didn’t take many minutes for the chances to come….
Attempting to fill the small but magical boots of Browner was the returning Robbie Bowes…not only did he fill them but he put a bit of polish on them and it was Bowesy at the heart of all the most dangerous moments in the first half with strike partner Mick Horgan! Within minutes Bowesy was put clean through by another returnee, Robbie O’Grady in CM, but with the keeper spreading himself Bowesy couldn’t beat him and the chance was gone! He didn’t have long to reflect on that miss though as he put the Libbos 1-0 up moments later with a neat side foot finish at the near post!
With the squad already small the last thing needed was an injury and hearts were in mouths when Horgan burst the offside trap but went down having turned his ankle on the bobbly pitch after being narrowly beaten to the ball by the onrushing keeper!
Lengthy treatment was enough to get him back on the pitch, although hobbling, and even with that he and Bowesy were more than a handful for the defence with chances coming….but chances going…. And the Libbos really should have had a hatful that first half! A combination of poor finishing, wrong decisions and lacking a little luck were the reasons, Mick in particular unlucky when clipping the bar!
At the back we were untroubled, in midfield everything was being broken up but frustrations were creeping in across the side! SDFA were chopping and changing formations and personnel regularly which certainly added confusion and made it difficult for the Libbos to really get a grip on the game! Thankfully a second did arrive towards half time… Bowesy turning brilliantly and playing in Keith Butler who broke and showed the strikers how to finish with his left foot! 2-0 Half Time and work for Hughie and Killian to do!
Having the wind against us certainly seemed to help us oddly and although at times it was laboured there were moments of genuine quality; none more so than goal number 3 a few minutes into the 2nd half which killed the game and settled the lads. Conor Farrell was at the very heart of it! Having been unlucky to see his shot in the first half blocked after a neat 1-2 with O’Grady, Farrell picked up a loose ball from a good tackle in the midfield and exchanged passes with Bowes before another clever 1-2 with Horgan put him through and despite being clipped from behind there was enough on the shot to beat the keeper…
Horgan then sprung to life finally getting the goal he deserved with a clinical finish for the 4th before sweeping home a glorious Bowesy cross first time for 5!! SDFA Had some tricky players and at times caused problems but the defence including Anthony Duggan in his 14th different pair of socks this season (!!), Barry Dwyer, Joey Farrell (who was superb at right back and turning into a key player for us) as well as the solid Conor McNally, Robbie Magee and substitute Graham Quinn were excellent and handled everything; comfortably securing what is our very first clean sheet of the season!!
There was still time for 1 more… A rare moment as Barry Dwyer, who moved into midfield in the latter stages, closed down the CB, blocked the clearance and broke through on goal before finishing with consummate ease…. He certainly has kept that talent quiet but it was hugely deserved in another good performance!
So the performance could have been better and the lads all know it but the result is impressive with the Libbos now having just 1 defeat in the last 7!
Man Of The Match? A couple of obvious candidates and although the strikers get the headlines it was the excellent, fast improving and slightly less obvious Joey Farrell that sneaks the award!
Well done the seniors!
