By Jay Mwamba

Undefeated in the Second Division before last Sunday, Shamrock ended this part of the season on an inauspicious note after succumbing 4-3 to short handed New York Fury at the Verrazano Sports Complex.

The Rocks’ first defeat of the season on a soggy and icy day proved costly as they surrendered first place to CD Iberia, 4-1 winners over FC Japan.

Shamrock [6-1-2, 20] now go into the three-month Cosmopolitan Soccer League winter break two points behind Iberia.

Fury’s victory was down to pure heart. Fielding just ten men and down to nine after an injury in the dying  minutes, they overcame an early Paddy Geraghty goal [10th] to lead 3-2 at the interval.

Eric Anton replied twice for Fury and after Geraghty [30th] had tied the game at 2-2, Kevin Lehman quickly restored the home side’s lead.

“We lost concentration defensively and I’m not happy about it,” Shamrock coach Robbie Walsh said later.

His lads struggled to raise their game on resumption despite playing with an extra man. When they finally drew level, off a Karl Hughes penalty, Lehman [75th] popped up to bag the winner.

“Fury played an amazing game. We played the entire game with 10 men,” the victors’ Kevin Clifford enthused. “Jay Soto did an outstanding job anchoring the out-manned defense for 90 minutes and [holding] on the last 20 minutes while we were down to nine.”

Fury [5-1-2, 17] will start the spring in fourth place, five points off the pace.

TOP CD
Gusmani Sanneh, Andrew “Ace” Rodriguez and Steve Nyarady were among the scorers at Icahn Stadium where Iberia’s 4-1 drubbing of Japan enabled them to knock Shamrock out of first place.

Yuya Hamada bagged Japan’s consolation.

The Spaniards improved to 7-0-1 [22].

SUPER SANNEH
Sanneh’s goal for Iberia’s first XI brought his afternoon tally to five after bagging four earlier in the reserve’s 6-1 triumph.

Devin Roche and Manuel Lago were the other scorers.

SWEET KANDIA
Kandia held off Central Park Rangers Reds 3-2 at Evander Childs High School, thanks to a late own goal.

Chaderton Allen, with a speculative 30-yard strike, and David Taylor got the other goals.

“Yes, it was a game we were lucky to win as we were very lacking in midfield,” Kandia boss Colin Hemmings admitted.

CPR’s reserves won 2-1.

SUM TOTAL
Hoboken were four minutes away from a precious victory when Pythagoras Samos forced a 2-2 tie at rain swept Overpeck County Park.

Stuart Bainbridge [63rd] and Sean Kelly [73rd] connected for Hoboken.

HALL OF FAME
Kerry Hall notched a hat trick in the Hoboken reserves’ 5-0 romp. Alex Marti and Rich Ashworth also tallied.

RARE WIN
Elsewhere in Division Two, there was a 1-0 win for FC Bulgaria over Ukrainians, thanks to Rumen Kerekov [20th].  The result lifted Koko Veltchev’s men [1-6-2, 5] clear of the relegation zone.

No such luck for Bulgaria’s reserves who slipped 3-2 despite Assen Penev’s brace.

Lukasz Prawdzik, Lukasz Hetnar and Chris Norelli connected for Ukrainians’ second unit.

BRAVE BHOYS
Nine-man Lansdowne Bhoys overcame the odds at the Metropolitan Oval    to pip Central Park Rangers 2-1 and end a three-match winless streak.

The First Division tussle came to a head in the second half after the Boys’ Tommy Smyth was sent off.

Kwesi Mills shot CPR ahead moments later but Aidan Morton quickly drew the Bhoys level.

CPR dominated play but fell behind when Conor Hunter slotted home from close range [80th].  Lansdowne then weathered some late pressure after David Dunican was dismissed [82nd] to secure the points.

“The guys have been playing well, today they found their scoring boots,” said Paul Doherty, whose side [3-4-2, 11] ends the year third in the East.

Said CPR manager Yuval Lion: “We controlled most of the possession. It was a hard fought game. Lansdowne play with a lot of heart, they’re a tough team.”

McGEENEY BRACE
Kevin McGeeney connected twice after Jason Kennedy’s ice-breaker in the table-topping Lansdowne reserves’ 3-0 romp over CPR’s seconds.

“They were a decent side,” Aiden Corr lauded CPR.
Lansdowne improved to 6-1-2 [20] atop the First Division [East] Reserve standings.

KICKERS HELD
Robbie Keller’s early strike [20th] was later undone by a Manhattan Kickers own goal [70th] in a 1-all tie with First Division rivals Brooklyn Italians at John Dewey HS.

“Again we had our opportunities but we were unable to capitalize,” rued Kicker manager Mike Fitzgerald.

Randy Steketee, David James and Goreleigh Willis sent Brooklyn’s reserves reeling to a 3-1 defeat.

CELTIC WARRIORS
And in a match in which both sides deserve kudos for their enthusiasm, New York Croatia’s reserves, all seven of them, succumbed 6-1 to Manhattan Celtics who suited up just nine players.

Pedro Borges banged in four goals for Celtics while Herve Diese and Cory Johnson accounted for the others.

“It was an unbalanced game, but we’ll take the much needed three points,” said John Tanios.

GOTTSCHEE EXPLOSION
A second half deluge propelled BW Gottschee to a 5-1 romp over ailing Metro Div. One outfit VV Nieuw Amsterdam on Randalls Island.

“Gottschee pretty much controlled the entire game and missed several scoring opportunities in the first half,” said John Krische.

Indeed, they led just 1-0 at the interval on Kevin Vasquez’s effort [30th] but got four on resumption.

Vasquez again [50th], Giorgio Ferrara [60th, 65th] and Johnathan Mejia [80th] scripted the win.

“This [winter] break couldn’t get here fast enough,” said VVNA’s C.P. de Vera. “We’re not playing well or having fun and it’s showing badly in our performances.”

PARTIZANI FALL
Also in Metro One action, Pirro Cece and Eros Canaj scored in FC Partizani’s 5-2 loss to hosts Team Aviator.

HOME ROUT
Casa Galicia proved no match for Metro Div. Two leaders Homenetmen who run off 8-0 winners on Randalls Island.

Tigran Nikoghosyan led the charge with four goals [6th, 13th, 54th, 80th]; while Vardan Tigranyan [70th], Carlos  Andrade [59th], Anthony  Cardenia [65th] and Simon Bardizbanian [89th pen.] all added one apiece.

The Armenians [7-2-1, 22] lead Gotham Argo, who blanked SC Eintracht 2-0, on goal difference.

GAVIN BLITZ
Gavin Dick was a five-goal hero in Barnstonworth Rovers’ 7-0 demolition of NYPD at Flushing Meadow Field.

David Bernfeld and Thomas Obaseki accounted for the other two.

Over-30
Stelios Stylianou’s 83rd minute penalty proved a charm in New York Greek-American/Atlas’ 2-1 decision over BW Gottschee at Cardoza High School.

This was after Milton Ospina [43rd] had canceled out Klitos Papadopoulos’ opener for the Greeks in the Over-30 Div. One fixture.

STALEMATE
Hosts Brooklyn Italians were twice pegged back in a 2-all draw with Barnstonworth Premier at John Dewey HS.

Jake Soussan had a goal and the assist on Sammy Daoud’s effort, while Nedgy Nazon and Marlon Johnson replied for Premier.

BOB PIPPED
SC Eintracht topped Barnstonworth Old Boys 2-1 at the Metro Oval, thanks to Crisan Horia [35th] and Bundy Doczy [65th].

“Eintracht controlled most of the game, but was stifled by excellent goal keeping from the BOB keeper,” Tom Stumpf noted.

RTG OUTGUNNED
Brooklyn Gunners were expecting a fierce clash with RTG on Randalls Island. What transpired was a rout.

“We beat them 5-1 with a highlight reel goal from Ben Elman [bicycle kick], Gunners’ Geoffrey “Pops” Colon reported. “Other tallies came from Ross Greenberg [ex-RTG], Tony Hamaoui, Jason Blackwell [ex-RTG] and Craig Holland.”

RTG grabbed a late face-saver and had another stopped by goalie Alexis Narvaez [the Pride of Paraguay] before, an ex-RTG man himself playing in defense, cleared away.

“We look forward to the Spring season and the possibility of promotion after our first season in the Cosmopolitan League,” Colon said.

ALBION ROCKED
Shamrock were also 5-1 winners on Randalls against Albion SC.

Mario Angelucci hit a hat trick after Randall Friedman [20th] and Benny Ljuja [25th] had put Shamrock 2-0 up.

“We played well and took our chances. This performance gives us a lot of hope for the spring,” said Eoin Sweeney.

CPR POINT
Kevin Fink’s early strike yielded a meager point for the Central Park Rangers after a 1-all tie with Pele.

CPR were thwarted several times by the Pele shot-stopper in a sometimes testy affair.

“In the end, 1-1 was a slight disappointment, but [we] put in a commendable effort and continue to build a solid platform for a title assault in the spring,” said Manohar Venkataraman.