TM Ireland - Trophymanager Ireland

Week 2 - 09/02/10 - 15/02/10

Game of the week - The B Sharps - Cavan Celtic

My own Cavan Celtic had taken the B Sharps UETA Cup place last season with a late surge, so the B Sharps were out to show who should really have gotten through. They were still undefeated, collecting five points from their opening three games. Meanwhile, Cavan had lost two of our first three games, and it looked like things had turned into a crisis just 7 minutes into this game. Just seconds into the game, David O'Callaghan had setup José Antrago but the Salvadoran striker's shot was saved.

Nevertheless it was a sign of things to come and although Peter O'Byrne was booked for a challenge on Vladimir Pištek a minute later, it again showed that the B Sharps were really up for this game. And just three minutes in they converted that intensity into a goal. Cian Colhoune setup his central midfield partner Alex O'Carroll who headed home. There was a little bit of controversy, as Pištek was still struggling through that tackle a minute earlier and clearly wasn't focused as he let O'Carroll get in behind him.

Roared on by most of the 45000 home crowd, The B'Sharps were all over their opponents. Conway had to throw himself at the ball to stop O'Callaghan causing more trouble, while Telkiyski had to head clear a James O'Keeffe long ball. This was all inside the first five minutes. Cavan couldn't handle O'Callaghan and after he was brought down, he blasted home the resulting free kick and the B Sharps were two up after just 7 minutes. Cavan were all over the shop and it looked like things could end very badly.

But then the B Sharps did the unthinkable and let Cavan back into the game. It looked like they became less enthusiastic about attacking and got men back to hold onto their lead. And it seemed like Cavan's on-form striker Niklas Svenningsen was the most likely player to take advantage. The Danish forward has had a bad two seasons before this one, but he's been on form of late and seconds after the second B Shhe almost converted a Luke McKee long ball but the shot went wide. 5 minutes later, he and McKee combined again, this time with better results. From midfield, McKee made a great pass into the box, beating James Boland and putting the ball into the path of N. Svenningsen. On the first bounce, N. Svenningsen controlled the ball with his chest, brought it to his feet, turned away from Boland's challenge, then leapt into the air for a spectacular bicycle kick! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! What an acrobatic effort from N. Svenningsen! Niall Cullen could do nothing but watch!

A moment of magic from the just turned 23 year old, and suddenly the Cavan section began to realise why I spent 615m on him 5 seasons ago. Its hard to think how Cavan could have got back into this game without a moment of magic.

Soon after, Boland looked out of touch again as Evan Byrne came close with a header after a cross by José Terán. Another Terán cross, this time from a corner, led to another chance as McKee (who seemed more like a striker than a right back so far) forced a great save from the Irish National Team Keeper Cullen. The game had completely changed and it was an incredible 20 minutes. Suddenly, things weren't working for O'Callaghan, as a poor corner went nowhere, and a minute later it was third time lucky in terms of chances created by José Terán who was causing all kinds of trouble for B Sharps left back Hugo Giménez. This time Terán chipped the ball in towards Svenningsen who fired first time past Cullen. Another fine finish and Cavan were back on level terms after looking dead
and buried ten minutes before. Surely, the B Sharps regretted not continuing to pile forward and trying to finish off the game while Cavan were on the ropes!

After that it was end to end with both teams really going for it. Hugo Giménez, James O'Keeffe and James Boland continued to struggle to contain the likes of Terán, Serafino De Novellins, Byrne and Svenningsen and thus it was Cavan who took home the spoils completing a memorable comeback in the 82nd minute. De Novellis hurled a long ball up the pitch. Andy O'Carroll tracked Evan Byrne back but Byrne's strength won out. The long-serving OM C took the ball down and fired home from point-blank range.

The B Sharps controlled the game a little more and had more possession, but failed to break down the Cavan defence after the first 7 minutes, while Cavan continued to hit them on the counter attack and with 15 shots to 8, deserved to take home the three points on this occasion.

Manager of the week - Clayton Love (Stan Franciscans)

Stan got off to the worst possible start in the LoI, having been on the wrong end of thrashings from both Romero and Le Sharks. He has since won the next four games, including the three during this week, which allowed him to rise from 17th to 5th. In two of the games, Stan had less shots than his opponents, but his forwards were efficent in front of goal, and Michael McDermott produced some excellent performances as Stan defeated Greenpark Celtic 1-0, Askeaton 2-1 and Elland Rovers 2-1.

New 423.9m signing Ahmad Sahraoui made an instant impact scoring the opening goal against Askeaton and with 483.5m defender Chill English also arriving at the Kurt Russell Arena recently, Clayton is making all the right moves as Stan Franciscans look to push on from an 8th place finish last season.

Also, honorary mentions for Le Sharks and Kilkenny City managers, both of whom got 9 points out of 9 this week.

Player of the week - Andy glynn (Askeaton)

Glynn with a small g's week started by annihilating Crusaders almost on his own with two goals and two assists in a 6-0 thrashing of Crusaders. Their left back Dylan Concannon is still having nightmares. Next up was Romero FC, and although glynn didn't score he was man of the match, setting up the 2nd goal from a corner. Askeaton lost the third game against Stan Franciscans, but again glynn inspired Askeaton, claiming one back for his team after Stan had taking a two-goal lead and creating three other chances for an equaliser which his teammates failed to convert.

In the league Glynn created 10 chances, resulting in three goals, and scored all three goal attempts
during the week for his club.

Ireland's best ever player also claimed an assist in the NT's 5-2 win over Singapore, although he was far from one of Ireland's best performers.

U21 Player of the week - Peter Smith (Buggleskelly Swifts)

Peter Smith has had a good start to the season, and he continued that form in an otherwise poor week for Buggleskelly. He set up Josh Ryan against Maloneys Cajones for his second assist of the season and created lots of other chances. The right sided midfielder also had three shots on target. The overall story is one of the impact of routine, with few youngsters really setting the LoI on fire this season.

Signing of the week- Franzen Ziegler (Le Sharks)

I'm sure I wasn't the only one wondering what Le Sharks was up to selling Basilio Giardina, but as usual he has an ace up his sleeve. He has raised the bar again with his latest acquisition. Quick, an excellent passer, lethal left foot and not afraid to track back and do the donkey work when required; Ziegler's 850m signing will hit the brown note with LoI right backs up and down the country. That said, I reckon Giardina is a greater OM L; better attacking skills, younger and more experienced, so the real benefit for Le Sharks comes with the 600m cost saving. Will Le Sharks' gamble pay off? Time will tell.

Ziegler was just one of a few big signings this week in the LoI this as various teams look to take things to another level!

Cavan Celtic update:

The story of the week is greatest result in Cavan history as we thrashed two-time Dutch Champions Remtygers 4-1. Niklas Svenningsen and Evan Byrne scored braces in this game which really put Cavan on the map in Europe!!! Svenningsen is finally fulfilling his potential with 7 goals in 8 games in all competitions.Meanwhile inconsistency reigned in the LoI. Apart from the great win away to the B Sharps, We got a nice 3-1 win at home to FC Rage but a potentially perfect week was ruined by Kilkenny who scraped a 1-0 win in a tight game with a last minute free kick by Cian Healy.

In the transfer market we sold Bulgarian left back Zlatko Telkiyski for a paltry 157m and promoted Ignacio Carlos Aimar to the first team, although he still has over two years bloom left. Telkiyski had played 106 games for Cavan B Team and 143 games for the senior team since joining as a pre-bloom late bloomer for just 43.1m 8 seasons ago. His last season was quite injury prone as he played just 24 league games, but had a nice 5.33 average rating. But with Aimar and James Walsh coming through the youth team ranks, it was time to cash in.