League Table

1	Bangor Rangers	0	0
2	Annalong Swifts	0	0
3	Kirkcubbin	0	0
4	Queens II	0	0
5	Temple Rangers	0	0
6	Rooftop	0	0
7	Queens Grads	0	0
8	Grange Rangers	0	0
9	Newtownbreda	0	0
10	18th Newtownabbey	0	0
11	McQuiston Rec	0	0
12	Santos	0	0
13	Bangor Swifts	0	0
14	Kilroot Rec	0	0

Well oiled again

Santos 5 Queen’s 11s 1 Blanchflower P.F. Sat 9^th Feb 08

A full dressing room of 18 fit and recovered players from the ravages of the recent flu meant that the most difficult task would be to name a starting 11 from the talent available. Newcomer Ciaran Mc Cartan was handed his debut at left back and Santos were able to field their strongest side of the season. Yet the stop start nature of Dec/Jan period where matches were called off and players succumbed to illness was evident in a nervous, patchy first period. Queens had something to do with it too, though, as they were sharper to the ball in defence and individually good on the ball. Youngsters Paul Brady and “Lazio” Mc Carthy were having a particularly poor time and so Santos never found any foothold into the game. But the sign of a good outfit is to battle through these troughs and skill will out. Mc Carthy shrugged of his early indifferent period and emerged as the star player in a first half where the other youngster Aaron Harmon blossomed into a top class midfield player. Thankfully at the back Stephen Walker and Liam Maguire adopted a no nonsense approach about clearing their lines while the midfield struggled for balance and this was the bedrock of this big Santos win.

After the unsteady, pattern less, early 15 mins, Santos got the booster they needed …. a classic goal. Putting together their first real bout of passes Harmon was played in by Mc Carthy and left-footed a low shot to the corner of the Queen’s net. The relief was evident, and confidence surged through the squad. Burns hit a screamer just over and Mc Carthy produced the pass of the season, raking a 40yd cross field pass straight to Brady who shimmied past a defender only to have his rasping shot blocked by a desperate late challenge by Loughrie . But a goal had to come and what a classic it was! Parker played two exquisite through balls to put Harmon free. The youngster side stepped two defenders and played again to Mc Carthly who produced a delightful 1-2 which Harmon hammered home. The timing of the goal, on 35 mins, and the quality of it was the spur Santos needed and their free flowing style returned .

So HT saw Santos with a 2-0 lead

Delighted with the ending to the half it was merely a request for more of the same but manager Mc Geehan could not have foreseen such a dramatic start to the second half. Direct from the kick off Santos worked a well tried routine which this week brought rich results. Returning skipper Mc Geehan produced a most magnificent 60 yard pass to Michael burns who had made a powerful run from halfway. With one sublime touch the tall midfielder had lobbed Hefferon in the Queen’s goal for the Goal of the Season. Now the pulsating one- touch Santos machine was purring again. Mc Geehan was urging and driving,( his absence over the previous weeks keenly felt). As players tired the subs who came on added to the overall strength of the side. Manus O Gorman coming in for the exhausted Mc Carthy, was mobile and positive and as he jinked past a defender he was grounded in the box. The ever reliable Hughes came up from goals to clinically dispatch the spot kick and retain his 100% record from the spot a period lasting 5 years. Young Brady now, with his older brother Gerry supplying him, hit a purple patch and was running riot in the Queens defence and only the magnificence of Hefferon in goals prevented him from grabbing a hat trick in a 15 min purple patch. As the match ebbed out Scallon hit a majestic goal for the hapless Queens side, a thundering 40 yard shot that fairly whistled past Hughes. But Santos has one last trick up their sleeve. The wily Mc Geehan swept a corner short, sub Gerry Brady ,cleverly flicked it on the the arriving full back Mc Cormack who swept it into the corner of the net to end the scoring.

Obviously delighted Santos manager Mc Geehan was glad that weather conditions had changed and the squad were able to get a good day and a decent surface to play their brand of football. “ Obviously ‘ rustiness’ had set in and the first 15 mins showed that, but this is a very dedicated group who fought through their bad periods to emerge as the team they were earlier in the season.” And that old Lady…. Luck … looked kindly on us to day… after the bad time she had given us lately, Bless her”


Player	Position	Rating	Info
Aidan Hughes	Goalkeeper
Conor McCormack	Right Back
Ciaran Mc Cartan	Left Back
Liam Maguire	Centreback
Stephen Walker	Centreback
Michael Burns	Attacking Midfielder
Aaron Harmon	Left Midfield
Joseph McGeehan	Center Midfielder
Patrick Parker	Defensive Midfielder
Paul Brady	Striker
Conor McCarthy	Forward