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League - Saturday 5th September 2009 14:00 Venue: Cherryvale

Comeback Time

On their return “home” to Cherryvale, Santos and Iveagh were somewhat taken aback by the poor surface, hard and rutted.  It meant that playing good football was going to be difficult and so it proved.  With Iveagh, after their defeat by Crumlin Star the previous Saturday, totally committed, Santos were pressed right from the off.

A series of long throw in and corners were testing the Santos defence and tight marking at the back was reducing the attacking threat.  But new signing Alan Murphy proved to be the key man in manager Mc Geehan’s plans for the new season.  His awesome power in the air, his total commitment and his superb organisational skills saw Santos weather the early pressure and start to come into the game.  Still the flinty surface meant midfielders were having trouble getting the ball down and forward players were chasing aimless ball forward. 

Iveagh's more direct tactics were better suited and it was no surprise that ,again from a set piece they should score with Mc Mullan’s header at the back post. Indeed the same player thought he had scored soon after when a fierce free kick found the bottom corner but had to be re taken on the whistle and Santos breathed again. Half-time saw the Candystripes trail 0-1. 

The half time talk was simple.  Santos had to persevere with their football.  Long, high balls were to be eliminated and patience was encouraged.  Yet it was Iveagh again who went for the kill right from the off. And only a goal line clearance by the alert Stevenson saved them. But again from a long throw Santos were punished ,this time for uncharacteristic slack marking, as sub McGarry (with his first touch) headed home the long throw. 

But life in the Amateur League has shown Santos never to give in and now faced with an apparent uphill battle they showed those great reserves of character built up over the years.  When from a free kick Murphy headed across goal for makeshift striker McGeehan to head home it looked as if Santos were back.  But an offside decision chalked off the “goal”.  This acted in the Candystripes favour for seeing that they could score, they now took over the game and their flowing football was a dream to watch as Iveagh tired. 

Five mins after the disallowed goal ,and as manager McGeehan  applied positional changes, Santos scores a beauty.  With captain Mc Geehan restored to  his preferred midfield role and youngster Kane now wide on the right, Santos played a series of one touch passes ending with Kane delivering the perfect ball to the box.  In pre season these were the chances missed but long hours on the training ground were rewarded when “Lazio” McCarthy swooped in and knocked the ball into the net.  Now Santos were rampant.

Murphy powered a header inches over and the magnificent McCarthy was inches wide with his header.  With just 5 mins remaining  McCarthy produced another magical moment. Taking Walkers great pass, he outpaced the Iveagh defence, drew the keeper and (this week unselfishly) played across the box where the speed Roger Theis (just on as sub) crashed home.

Where the management would have been delighted by the rescue of a point the attitude on the pitch was to go for the win and Santos advanced again. In a moment of unequalled magic McCarthy broke wide again and although losing the ball twice, with great tenacity on both occasions won it back before scampering into the box to blast home a glorious winner in the 90th min to end a pulsating comeback.

Man of the Match was the mercurial Conor "Lazio" McCarthy but the defensive qualities of Murphy and Stevenson were immense and make shift full backs McNulty and Walker were the backbone of this historic win.  Manager McGeehan was left breathless at the end, "In the dressing room I had told of how 40 years ago in 1969 as a young student I’d won the Div 2B title with Trench House but to my regrets never got to play in Div 2A as my student days had then ended.  I got the feeling that my players were going to deliver me something special to mark the occasion but this excelled my dreams. This performance of great character on a difficult pitch made me enormously proud and was a fitting "anniversary" present in this, our 40th year." 

Santos now take on Ford at Cherryvale next Saturday before they go to Lurgan Inst in the Junior Cup.

Lineup
		Player	Position	Rating	Info
		Aidan Hughes	Goalkeeper
		Stephen Walker	Right Back
		Barry Doherty	Left Back

Man of the Match
		Player	Notes
		Conor McCarthy	MAGNIFICENT GOALS AND SET UPS