Guinness Leinster League 2000/2001
Division 3 Saturday Match Reports
Gannon's hat-trick helps Maynooth Town to a four-goal win
30/09/00 Elm Rovers 1 Maynooth Town 5
Maynooth Town made their trip to Ashtown very worthwhile with this facile win over a fancied Elm Rovers side. Putting on a magnificent display of precision football and with Eamonn Fagan giving perhaps his best performance of his long career, the Town's men were always in control and never looked in danger of defeat.
Both sides started well and the home side showed that they would be a force to be reckoned with by taking the game to Maynooth at every given opportunity. However, Eamonn Fagan took control at midfield for Maynooth and with Stephen Hallinan lending good support it was no surprise that the visitors took control.
The Elm defence soon wilted and in the ninth minute Stephen Hallinan found Stephen Gannon on the edge of the penalty area and who then slotted the ball under the keeper for the opener. Town took over after this with Robbie Morris lending good support with incisive runs from his left back position. Town extended their lead in the 15th minute when Johnny Thompson was fouled about 30 yards from the Elm goal.
From the resultant free Stephen Gannon chipped the ball over the wall giving the keeper no chance to put the Town two up. Town continued to play inspired football and were well on top at half-time. Town received a set back in the 57th minute when Elm were awarded a penalty which Gary Cogavin in the Town goal had no chance of saving.
This inspired Elm to raise their game for a spell but Eamonn Fagan soon regained control for Maynooth and in the 65th minute when a precise pass by Trevor McMahon found Stephen Gannon lurking on the edge of the penalty area and Gannon completed his hat-trick. Elm fell apart after this and Trevor McMahon and Colm Carroll scored goals to complete the rout.
Maynooth: Gary Cogavin, Danny Byrne, Derek Dolan, Sean Ralph, Robbie Morris, Colm Carroll, Eamonn Fagan, Aidan Walsh, Stephen Hallinan, Johnny Thompson, Stephen Gannon
Sub: Trevor McMahon
Walsh packs League points in Clonee
25/11/00 Kepak 1 Maynooth Town 2
Aidan Walsh got the winner for Maynooth Town in a tense struggle at Clonee last Saturday afternoon. The victory, which by no means looked certain despite the Townies playing with a stiff breeze in their favour, has them in the number two spot at the top of the division. The gutsy Kepak side made the visitors work hard on the sticky pitch, even when they gained a measure of dominance towards the end of the match.
Maynooth captain Sean Ralphwon the toss but opted to play against the breeze and up the hill, in the first half. And not surprisingly, the home side led at the interval despite being forced to shoot from far out. It was worrying however, for the Townies when the strong Clonee men proceeded to dominate the exchanges in the early minutes of the second half.
Sean Ralph, with a brilliant strike some 20 minutes into the half put Maynooth Town back on level terms. And after that, it was the goalkeeper who kept the home side at bay in a keenly fought exchange. The Kepak keeper "made save after save" recalled Maynooth Town manager, Mick Dempsey.
"His fielding was perfect and he never dropped the ball once". There was little he could have done about Ralph's shot, which he took after beating two defenders. Trevor McMahon forced the Kepak keeper to concede a corner kick in the first half, a period in which Chris Arthurs let fly from 25 metres but sent the ball the wrong side of the post.
However, there was little the net minder could do when Walsh got a touch of the ball, crossed in by Mickey Noone with about 75 minutes played. Noone, who had come into the game moments before Ralph's goal, beat three defenders before getting the cross which Walsh finished at the far post.
The Clonee men came close to equalising with less than ten minutes elft but the Maynooth Town goalkeeper, Gary Cogavin deflected the ball out for a corner kick. Best for the Maynooth men who have now six wins out of eight, were Derek Dolan and Aidan Walsh, while Sean Ralph was prominent in the second half.
Maynooth: Gary Cogavin, Padraic Flood, Danny Byrne, Derek Dolan, Sean Ralph, Trevor McMahon, Colm Carroll, Eamonn Fagan, Aidan Walsh, Stephen Hallinan, Chris Arthurs
Sub: Mickey Noone for Hallinan (60 mins)