Balloonagh land shock KO on Dynamos
GREYHOUND BAR KO CUP Balloonagh FC 5 Tralee Dynamos 2 THE Greyhound Bar Cup is always a competition that throws up shock results and this was demonstrated in emphatic fashion on Sunday with Division 2 side Balloonagh FC sending the mighty Tralee Dynamos crashing out of the blue ribbon trophy of Kerry soccer in a memorable Tralee derby.
The multi national side that has a strong east European flavour including 8 Polish players are unbeated in the Kerry League but they hit new heights in this game and the manner in which they won was dealdy clinical.
It was a giant killing exercise of enormous proportions to humble a side that are going for promotion in Division 1B.
Balloonagh took a 10th minute lead when Jacek Kostrzok played the ball through the middle and the fleet footed Lazar Radelescu split the Dynamos centre halves and then burst through to beat the advancing Peter Nammock with a clinical finish.
However within four minutes Dynamos were on level terms, when Ashton Mugabe played James Sugrue through and Charlie Bentley had little option but to take him down just outside the box. Sugrue took the free kick himself and he threaded the ball through the Balloonagh wall and through keeper Michael Szczodrenski’s hands for the equalizer.
Dynamos were slowly getting on top with James Sugrue working hard at midfield and Eoin Cassidy being a threat up front and it appeared that Dynamos class was going to be too much for Balloonagh’s exuberance.
Balloonagh’s keeper denied Philip Griffin in the 21st minute and again minutes later Griffin cushioned the ball into the path of Mossie Hogan, but his effort was turned behind for a corner.
Both sides were playing neat passing football with play swinging from end to end, before Balloonagh FC took the lead again in the 36th minute after a series of defensive blunders at back by Dynamos. Balloonagh’s left winger Prelmek Szrzypcak was allowed too much space as Dynamos right back was caught out of position and as Szrzypcak made his way in from the wing, keeper Nammock raced from goal, but failed to prevent the winger shoot goalwards and despite the valiant efforts of Brian Fitzgerald to dig the ball off the line, Lazar Radelescu, forced the ball home.
Dynamos were stung into action and their best player on the day, Eoin Cassidy, almost levelled just before the break, when his left footed shot, was saved spectacularly by Michael Szczodrenski.
Dynamos should have been on level terms within five minutes of the restart when Aston Mugabe crossed into the Balloonagh danger area where the ball fell to the unmarked Mossie Hogan who scuffed his effort when a clean strike would have yielded a goal.
Radelescu and Kostrzok were starting to catch Dynamos on the counter attack in the second half with the ball over the top catching Dynamos out as they struggled with the pacey Balloonagh attackers. Nammock denied Prelmek Szrzypcak and Kacperkiewzy with good saves in the third quarter while at the other end Cassidy unleashed a powerful shot that flew inches wide.
However on the hour Balloonagh breached the Dynamos defence again when Kacperkiewzy beat the offside trap and as he raced through he shot past keeper Nammock and Radelescu followed in to make sure as Balloonagh jumped 3-1 in front.
James Sugrue and Eoin Cassidy tried to lift Dynamos with Cassidy testing Michael Szczodrenski, a couple of times while Sugrue was splitting the Balloonagh defence with some excellent passing.
Dynamos got back into the game, in the 73rd when a James Sugrue deep cross saw Balloonagh defender Thomas O’driscoll turn the ball into his own net.
But there was no stopping Balloonagh as Radelescu played a long ball over the top that saw Jacek Kostrzok beat the Dynamos offside trap and he raced right into the box before coolly slotting the ball past a helpless keeper and at 4-2 it was difficult to see Dynamos coming back.
The losers tried hard and Eoin Cassidy saw his spot kick being saved late on but fittingly man of the match, Lazar Radelescu (who played for Dynamos two seasons ago) scored another for Balloonagh FC who emerged 5-2 winners and now few teams will fancy meeting the minnows in the next round.
BALLOONAGH FC: Michael Szczodrenski, Robert Polowcyk, Prelmek Szrzypcak, Jachek Kacprak, Grezgorz Kacperkiewzy, Jacek Kostrzok, Lazar Radelescu, James O’driscoll, Trevor Murphy, Zidanne Benharrrat, Charlie Bentley. Subs: Alan Attenberg, Shane Fitzgerald.
TRALEE DYNAMOS: Peter Nammock, Rob Mugabe, Shane Mcmahon, Jonathon Burrows, Brian Fitzgerald, Aston Mugabe, James Sugrue, Philip Griffin, Mossie Hogan, Jason Fitzgerald, Eoin Cassidy.
Subs: Maxwell Mugabe, Niall Feehan and Stephen Sweeney.
REFEREE: James Bailey