F.C. CARLOW 1 TRALEE DYNAMOS 1

Dynamos completed their A Championship cup campaign away to F.C. Carlow today. F.C. Carlow opened the scoring through Grzegorz Sykula in the 14th minute with Joe Hurley replying for Dynamos in the 37th minute. F.C. Carlow now advance to the semi final where they will meet Sporting Fingal at home next Sunday. Dynamos will be happy with the 3 games they played in this competition winning at home to Limerick, 2 draws on the road against Cobh & F.C. Carlow.

Brian Fitzgerald, Tralee Dynamos outstanding defender who played his 21st game today, and his last for a while as he heads to the States in the next couple of weeks. Brian gave his typical towering centre back play until his dismissal in the 80th minute for a second booking. Brian by his own high standards will be dissapointed with his actions for the second booking. Brian has been an outstanding player for Dynamos in their League of Ireland adventure and hopefully it won't be long before we see him back in the colours of the Dynamos. 

The day started the worst possible way for injured ravaged Dynamos when Adrian Quirke declared himself unavailable due to injury minutes before kick off.

Dynamos started with James Sugrue setting up Eddie Duggan who's cross was turned away for a corner in the 4th minute. The resultant corner was headed across goal invitingly by Fitzgerald only to be cleared by Davey Walker. F.C. Carlow's first attack also resulted in a corner only for Fitzgerald to head clear. A few minutes later Chris Kerins played Eddie Duggan through on goal only to denied space on goal by centre back Adam Byrne.

F.C. Carlow opened the scoring on the 13th minute a throw 20 yards from goal on the right hand side taken by the impressive Alan Wren went across the 18 yards box towards Grzegorz Sykula who allowed the ball cross his body, then turning to hit a looping volley over Birdsall who was 3/4 yards off his line and into the net to give F.C. Carlow the lead. Despite this Birdsall went on to have a solid game for Dynamos over his 1st game of the 2010 season.

The heavy rain and an easterly wind across the pitch made conditions tough for player & spectator alike. These conditions surely contributed partly to the reason why the 10 plus booking in this game issused by the referee. On another day the referee might have deemed that earlier actions may well have changed the course of the game a example of this was in the 19th minute after James Sugrue won the ball and passed it Neale Phelan seemed to have kicked out at the Dynamos man in range of the referee, with no action taken which incensed the travelling support. One would have thought that Phelan's actions warranted a possible red card, or at least a yellow alas his actions went unpunished. 

23 minute of play gone with the only shot on target resulting in the opener for F.C. Carlow, Dynamos attacked again and were rewarded with another corner. Sugrue's cross was met at the back post by Fitzgerald to head back across goal towards Eddie Duggan who's goalward header hit the side netting. The first booking of this game went to Grzegorz Sykula for a tackle on Brian Fitzgerald.

F.C. Carlow almost doubled their lead in the 30th minute from an Alan Wren corner headed goalwards by Grzegorz Sykula only to be cleared off the line by Dynamos man of the match Lixnaw native Kevin McCarthy. In fact McCarthy has been one of the finds of the season for Dynamos with his composure on the ball and a very high percentage of pass completion one would anticipate his future developments will lead him to being one of the finest young prospects in the League of Ireland.

A minute later Dynamos on a quick counter attack with Chris Kerins who passed the ball out to Peter McCarthy who in turned played a dangerous ball into the box with attackers ready to pounce on the opportunity only for the referee to stop play because of the assistant's flag. The referee consulted his assistant and returned and yellow carded a stunned Sugrue.  A couple of minutes later and for two seperate tackles Darragh Walsh F.C. Carlow and Eddie Duggan entered the referee's book.

Dynamos scored their equaliser after Chris Kerins was unfairly challenged by Davey Walker who was next to go into the referee's book. A free kick just outside the F.C. Carlow box was taken by Joe Hurley. Hurley struck a sweet free kick with his trusted left foot towards goal with good pace at first it looked like Gavin Dowling in the F.C. Carlow would deal with the shot only for the ball to slip from his grasp and over the line to give Dynamos the goal that they badly needed.

Birdsall in the Dynamos goal did well in the 39th & 40th minutes saving from both James Dermody and Alan Wren. This was F.C. Carlow best spell in the game so far and in the 43rd minuted Adam Byrne setup Grzegorz Sykula who's defence splitting pass found Robbie Farrell bearing down on goal only to be halted by the assistant's flag in a hairline offside. 

Half time and the scores level 1-1 a scoreline that was a fair reflection of the first 45 minutes.

The players were greeted back onto the pitch with further heavy showers and within a minute Damien Diggins was yellow carded for a tackle he can have no complaints about. F.C. Carlow had the first corner of the second half which was easily cleared by Peter McCarthy. A minute later another Alan Wren throw reaches Grzegorz Sykula who's shot was off target. F.C. Carlow were applying the pressure at this stage with Robbie Farrell setting up Sykula who's shot was comfortably dealt with by Birdsall. 

Sugrue & Fitzgerald had both clearances from the 3 consecutive corners F.C. Carlow forced in the 57th minute. Dynamos made their only substitution of the game in the 58th minute when Jeffrey Roche replaced the tiring Damien Diggins.  Sykula caused futher problems for Dynamos with his glancing header just going past the far post. Joe Hurley & Darragh Walsh entered the referee's book both for unsporting behaviour as conditions made play difficult for both sets of players.

F.C. Carlow high line was almost exploited by the Dynamos in the 71st minute with a Brian Fitzgeald pass over the top for Chris Kerins to run onto and shoot which was dealt with by Dowling in the F.C. Carlow goal. Another similar move was flagged for offside on Duggan. Chris Kerins gained possesion on the ball in the 78th minute 30 yards from goal over the far side of the pitch and surprised everyone with an outstanding strike that just went wide of the goal. Disaster strikes for Dynamos in the 80th minute with the sending off of Fitzgerald. Dynamos final effort came from good link up play by Jeffrey Roche who passed to Peter McCarthy who finds James Sugrue who's shot on target was saved by Dowling. 

F.C. Carlow comfortably held out in the end and will be satified in the knowledge that they will meet Sporting Fingal in the semi final of the Cup next Sunday. We wish F.C. Carlow the best of luck in this game and we look forward to renewing our rivalry later on in the season with 3 meetings between the sides resulting in a win a piece and today's draw. 

Dynamos now look forward to playing Waterford United in the R.S.C. on Tuesday 11th of May. Tolka Rovers will visit Cahermoneen in the F.A.I. Ford Senior Cup the following Sunday (16th) at 2.30p.m. Plenty to look forward to over the next couple of weeks.

Dynamos: Robert Birdsall, Theo Diggins, Brian Fitzgerald, Kevin McCarthy, Damien Locke, Peter McCarthy, James Sugrue, Chris Kerins, Joe Hurley, Eddie Duggan, Damien Diggins. Subs: Jeffrey Roche for Damien Diggins, Derek O'Shea, Sean O'Reilly, Adrian Quirke.

F.C. Carlow: Gavin Dowling, Alan Wren, Adam Byrne, Davey Walker, James Dermody, Darragh Walsh, Robbie Farrell, Neale Fhelan, Brian Quigley, Grzegorz Sykula, Craig Hore. Subs: Shane Clarke for Neale Phelan, Fran Hore, James Coleman, Damen Byrne, Stephen Duncan

Front LtoR: Joe Hurley, Peter McCarthy, Chris Kerins, James Sugrue, Eddie Duggan.
Back Row LtoR: Damien Diggins, Brian Fitzgerald, Robert Birdsall, Theo Diggins, Damien Locke, Kevin McCarthy.

Dynamos goal! Joe Hurley strikes the ball towards goal.

Chris Kerins gets some treatment as referee Jim Wynne speaks to F.C. Carlow player Craig Hore

Adrain Quirke passes on some advice to Damien Locke.

Half time entertainment! Jeffrey Roche entertained despite the weather.

An early loss for Dynamos: Adrian Quirke who got injured before kick off.

Dynamos captain James Sugrue also in picture Refereee Jim Wynne.