Johnstown progressed in the LMFM Kilmessan Shield with a comfortable 3-1 victory away at Kells/Blackwater on Sunday morning.

Wayne Cahill opened the scoring early on with Arnold Ruksenas doubling their lead just before the interval.

An uncharacteristic lapse by ‘keeper Gintas Baltinas allowed Kells back into the game as Conor Byrne pounced on the dropped ball and poked the ball home.

Johnstown had to weather the storm as Kells sought an equaliser until 5 minutes from time when Ruksenas raced clear, leaving 3 defenders in his wake to calmly roll the ball passed Darryl Murphy in the Kells net securing Johnstown’s place in the next round.

Team: G. Baltinas, J. Colton, J. McDermott, J. Connolly, D. McQuillan, H. Shimangal, S. Challenger, S. Conroy, A. Ruksenas, W. Cahill
Sub: A. Ivers for W. Cahill”

Slane Wanderers 2  Johnstown 5

Johnstown made it 3 wins on the bounce in the O’Neill’s Sportswear Division 1, coming out 5-2 winners over Slane Wanderers  in Slane on Sunday morning.

The visiting team started brightest and deservedly took the lead inside 3 minutes. Arnold Ruksenas was tackled in the area but the ball broke to Obi Pilane outside the box. He made no mistake as he fired his shot into the net, scoring his first senior goal for the club.

It was not long until Slane were gifted an early chance to level the game. Jamie Cassidy was upended in the box by  Jake McDermott leaving the referee little option but to point to the spot. Robert Cassidy took the resulting penalty but could only find the outside of the post, leaving Johnstown’s lead intact.

Slane were back on level terms soon after. A well timed run saw Robert Cassidy beat Johnstown’s line. He rounded the advancing Baltinas and finished from a tight angle.

Johnstown retook the lead in spectacular fashion. On the half hour mark, they were awarded a free kick. Kacper Zeberek dispatched his perfectly placed right footed shot into the back of the net from 30 yards restoring his side’s lead which they held going into the interval.

Slane upped their game in the second half and after ten minutes, deservedly got themselves level again. A free kick was cleared from the Johnstown area but straight to the Slane’s Jonathan McCarthy. His first time shot was deflected over Baltinas’ dive into the net.

McCarthy’s joy at equalising for his side was short lived as on 65 minutes he took Wayne Cahill down for the second penalty of the day. Unlike Slane’s in the first half, this one was duly converted by Johnstown’s Arnold Ruksenas.

With 12 minutes remaining, came 60 seconds that could have swung the game either way. Slane’s Jason Rock charged down Jay Connolly’s attempted clearance. The ball fell to Robert Cassidy who looked set to drag Slane level once again, until he fired over from close range. Baltinas took the goal kick quickly. Zeberek turned away from McCarthy’s despairing tackle on half way. He raced into the area and finished easily across the goal making it 4-2 to the visitors.

The game’s seventh goal came as the match entered stoppage time. Baltinas kicked long to the head of Zeberek. His flick-on went straight to second half substitute Andre Sirb. He finished his strong run by laying the ball across the area for Ruksenas to snatch his second and Johnstown’s 5th of the morning.

Johnstown FC Team: G. Baltinas, J. Colton, J. Connolly, D. McQuillan (c), J. McDermott, O. Pilane, S. Conroy, P. Dempsey, W. Cahill, A. Ruksenas, K. Zeberek

Subs:A. Sirb for Pilane, K. McQuillan for Cahill.

Slane Wanderers: S. Clarke, T. Fleming, M. Tully, J. Gibney, J. McCarthy, J. Cassidy, F. Benhura, R. Finneson, G. Kealy, R. Cassidy, J. Rock

Subs: D. Carolan

Bellow is a video of Kaspers Freekick

Torro Utd 0
Johnstown 3
3 red cards late in the game ensured this match lived up to recent encounters between these two sides, as Johnstown won out 3-0 in another closely fought meeting with Torro Utd in Kilberry on Sunday morning.

It could have been a different story had early Torro pressure yielded the goals their start deserved. Both Andy Tolan and Colm Gilsenan went close for the hosts but neither could find the target.

On 15 minutes, Johnstown punished Torro fully for their missed chances. Sean Challenger won possession in midfield. He passed to Mark Grumley on the Johnstown left who quickly fed Arnold Ruksenas in the left channel. He fired a low cross into Shane Conroy, who tapped in from close range, scoring his first of the season.

Within 2 minutes, Andy Tolan almost had Torro back on level terms. He closed and harried Jake Colton out of possession. Tolan turned but fired over from close range.

In an near carbon copy of their opening goal, Johnstown doubled their lead on 25 minutes. Mark Grumley passed to Ruksenas, playing on the left wing. His power and pace created room for him to cross for Kacper Zeberek who applied the finishing touch from close in.

The alert Ruksenas made it 3-0 in injury time as he robbed a Torro defender on the edge of the area and made no mistake, ensuring a comfortable half time lead for the visitors.

Almost immediately after the restart, Andy Tolan was again through on the Johnstown goal. This time, his effort was on target but Gintas Baltinas in the Johnstown net saved well, denying Torro a foothold in the game.

Just after the hour mark, Kacper Zeberek played in Obi Pilane. Under pressure, Pilane got his shot off but was thwarted by a good save from Conor Cullen in the Torro Goal.

With 5 minutes left, an incident in the area led to a penalty for the hosts. A foot left out late in the direction of Baltinas, prompted the Johnstown keeper to throw the ball at Kevin McKeever. Thus ensued a mass of pushing and shoving resulting in red cards for Jimmy Caffrey (Johnstown), Andy Tolan and Kevin McKeever (both Torro) and a penalty for the hosts.

Once order was restored and having escaped punishment for his involvement in the fracas, Baltinas dived low to his right saving the spot kick, securing Johnstown’s first clean sheet of the season.

Johnstown FC Team: G. Baltinas, J. Colton, J. Connolly, D. McQuillan (c), M. Grumley, J. Flynn, S. Conroy, C. Murphy, S. Challenger, A. Ruksenas, K. Zeberek
Subs: J. Caffery for Murphy, O. Pilane for Flynn, W. Cahill for Conroy.

Johnstown 5 Square Utd 1

With 5 different players getting on the score sheet,  Johnstown earned their first win this season’s O’Neill’s Sportswear Division 1 campaign with a 5-1 win over Square Utd at the MDL on Sunday morning.

The home side dominated much of the play in the opening stages, seeing their quick passing and movement just failing to open up the opposition’s defence.

The scoring was opened as the returning Kacper Zeberek used all his strength to hold off a number of defenders as he hooked a bouncing ball in the box passed Jamie Rooney in the Square net. A goal their play deserved.

That goal spurred the visitors into action and they came close to finding an equaliser. Paddy Sheridan broke through the back line but could only fire straight at Keith Mangan in the Johnstown goal.

Within a minute, Lee Fahy had doubled his side’s lead. Zeberek blocked an attempted clearance close in. The ball fell to the Johnstown left winger who calmly lited the ball into the net passed 2 covering defenders.

It was almost 3-0 just before half time as Darren McQuillan rose highest on the 6 yard line to meet a Justin Flynn corner, his header whistling wide of the back post.

Straight after the restart, Johnstown again had a chance to score a 3rd. Lee Fahy, whose direct running caused Square problems all morning, ran through leaving him 1-on-1, Rooney again coming to his side’s rescue.

On the hour mark, Square Utd pulled themselves back into the game. A quick break, and a well timed run saw Andrew Eagan though on goal. With a cool head, he tucked his finish away passed Mangan in the Johnstown goal.

There ensued a period of nervousness from Johnstown after this goal and Square Utd very nearly got back on level terms. A corner was played into the area where it was met by the head of Jake Stewart, directing the ball off the bar and away.

With 20 minutes to go, Jay Connolly strode out of defence with the ball at his feet. He played a short ball into Zeberek’s feet who got a quick shot away that flicked off the outside of the post with keeper scrambling across the goal.

3 goals in the final 10 minutes  put a slight gloss on the score line that was harsh on the visitors.

The first of these came from the foot of Craig Murphy. Having gone close earlier in the game, Murphy made no mistake as he latched onto a fine through ball from his midfield partner, beating Square’s rearguard, before firing the ball passed Rooney into the roof of the net.

With the 2 goal cushion restored, Johnstown became more relaxed and decisive in position. Just 2 minutes later, another direct run by Lee Fahy set up Justin Flynn, who needed 2 bites of the cherry making 4-1, securing the points for his side.

The scoring was not finished there, though. A late substitute, Wayne Cahill added a fifth, his second in 2 games, in injury time. Shane Conroy played the ball on to Zeberek who turned and fed the ball through to Cahill. Through one on one, he made no mistake, completing the rout 5-1.

Johnstown FC Team: K. Mangan, J. Colton, J. Connolly, D. McQuillan (c), M. Grumley, J. Flynn, S. Conroy, C. Murphy, S. Challenger, L. Fahy, K. Zeberek

Subs: J. Caffery for Grumley, O. Pilane for Flynn, W. Cahill for Fahy.