Treaty United

Shelbourne 2-2 Treaty

(Hanlon, O'Connell)

Treaty were leading 1-0 after 90 minutes, and then needed a 97th minute equaliser to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

We were better all over the pitch in the first half and had already hit the post and forced a good save before we took the lead when a freekick into the box broke nicely for Red Hanlon to smah home.

Shels got more into it in the second half, and came very close with a free header at the back post which was parried by Tadhg Ryan, and then the striker, the keeper and a defender all launched themselves at the ball, then everybody looked at the ref, and he just signalled to play on with the ball in Ryan's hands on the line.

We had some of our own chances but Shels were getting closer, though it looked like we might see it out entering injury time, but that was only the beginning of the entertainment. First Shels equalised when a freekick into the box was glanced on and poked home, and then Treaty were reduced to 10 men when Anto O'Donnell got a second yellow. Shels looked to have stolen it in the 95th minute with a snapshot from the edge of the area, but Treaty went up the pitch and forced a corner, and Clyde O'Connell arrived at the far post to sidefoot in from about 10 yards out.

(All of this was made worse by the fact that the app I use to get score updates is a good 60 seconds ahead of the action on the screen, and it was pinging away with updates, and then pinging again to correct itself because the updates were wrong, so I hadn't a clue what was going on).

Crazy ending, and we really ran out of steam as we just aren't as fit as most of the other teams in the division, but still a solid performance and, despite how we arrived there, a solid result.

Next game: away to UCD, Friday May 7th, 7.45pm

UCD 3-2 Treaty

(McSweeney pen, Hanlon).

Great first half for Treaty, but UCD came back to deservedly claim all 3 points tonight, and bring our claim to fame as the only unbeaten side in LOI history to an end.

We started the sharper and were in control all over the pitch, and went ahead after Red Hanlon engineered a penalty which McSweeney scored. We continued to be the better team and were 2-0 up after 35 minutes when a ball over the top broke for Hanlon and he placed a beautiful lob over the stranded keeper.

For most of the first half UCD were passing the ball nicely but in front of the Treaty team, but the finally got in behind the Treaty defence down the right wing and worked a lovely goal just before half time.

In the second half though, it was all UCD for the most part, as their passing and fitness shone through. They equalised on 50 minutes with a snapshot from the edge of the area after a blocked shot, and took the lead just a couple of minutes later with a toepoke home from a tight angle after a bit of a scramble in the box.

We still had the best part of 40 minutes to get back into it, but while we huffed and puffed, we didn't create any real chances, just balls into the box that were fairly easily dealt with, and one shot that clipped the post very late on. UCD probably looked the more likely to score and missed a couple of chances to nick a goal on the break.

Next game: Home versus Athlone Town, Friday May 14th, 7.45pm.

Treaty Utd 1-0 Athlone

(Lynch)

Treaty back to winning ways tonight in the rain and gloom.

Athlone passed the ball really well and were a threat throughout the game, and Treaty were penned back a bit early in the game. But we played our way into it and took the lead midway through the first half. After a blocked Hanlon shot, the ball fell for McSweeney about 25 yards out and he played a superb through ball from an awkward angle, the kind of pass nobody could have seen, and all of a sudden Jack Lynch is in on goal and smashed a finish into the bottom corner.

In the second half, both sides continued to attack, and Treaty had a goal disallowed for offside after a lovely move. Athlone were still pressing, but never really managing to find the final ball. The closest they came was a ball into the box that was either missed by everybody or deflected by somebody and Tadhg Ryan had to make a reflex save at his near post. Treaty could have finished it on the break later on, and Athlone missed a couple of headers in good positions. We held on for the win, and join Athlone in 4th position on 13 points.

Next game: away to Cabinteely, Friday May 21st, 7.45pm.

Cabinteely 2-1 Treaty

(McSweeney)

Fairly even first half in a windy Dublin tonight. Treaty maybe had more of the territory but didn't do too much with it, a couple of decent long-range efforts and easily-saved headers. Cabinteely were decent but didn't fashion much apart from a 25-yard shot that cannoned off the crossbar. But the went ahead just before half-time, when a ball over the top arrived at the edge of the area and the Cabinteely striker got there first to nick it past the advancing Tadhg Ryan and then finish to the empty net.

We equalised very early in the second half when Ed McCarthy fired a low ball across the box. The Cabinteely keeper dived to intercept the cross before Hanlon could get to it, but he palmed the ball only to McSweeney who found the net despite the best efforts of the covering defender on the line.

Unfortunately Cabinteely were back ahead within a minute. Tadhg Ryan saved a fierce shot, palming it up into the air, and it dropped onto the crossbar, bouncing out kindly for a Cabinteely player to head in. We had more of the ball after that, and created a few chances and half-chances, but Cabinteely kept their attack pushed up and were a real threat on the counter too, and probably had better chances than we did. Once Hanlon went off after an hour, and especially McSweeney going off with 10 mins to go, we looked out of ideas and less threatening towards the end, with only one Coustrain snapshot to show for our efforts, and Cabinteely pick up the points.

Disappointing end to the first series of games. Although Cabinteely were better than I expected, it was one of our poorer performances, but still a very very solid start to the season.

Next game: home to Bray Wanderers, Friday May 28th, 7.45pm.

Treaty United 2-0 Bray Wanderers

(Armshaw, OG)

2 late goals got Treaty all 3 points tonight, and we overtake Bray as a result. It was all Bray in the first half, they dominated midfield completely and spent most of the half in our final third, but didn't create too many real chances. Their best chance was when a bit of confusion in the defence resulted in a chance for their striker to loop a header over our stranded keeper, but he directed it just wide. They had a couple of other half-chances whereas we created next to nothing, with Sean McSweeney sorely missed.

The second half was a different story, with Treaty getting well into the game and creating chances. We came close when a lovely Ed McCarthy flick send Matt Keane in behind the defence but the keeper saved his strong shot, and we came even closer when McCarthy lashed a shot against the post from about 25 yards. Bray came back into it and forced a good save from Tadhg Ryan. But just when it looked like we'd get another 0-0 draw between the teams, Treaty took the lead. Willie Armshaw picked up the ball around 25 yards out, and went on a mazy dribble into the box past 2 defenders, and then finished from a very acute angle past the keeper. And just 2 minutes later it was 2-0, when a Bray defender misjudged a cross into the box and planted a header that any striker would be proud of into the bottom corner of his own net.

Bray pressed, but we actually looked more dangerous and missed a chance or two to make it 3, but 2 was enough, and it's the first time we've won by more than a goal this season. Shelbourn 5 points clear on 24, UCD on 19, then Athlone and Treaty on 16.

We now have a short break, so no games next week.

Next game: away to Wexford, Friday June 11th, 7.45pm

Wexford 1-2 Treaty

(O'Donnell, Lynch)

Treaty back to winning ways after the short break. We got off to the worst possible start, conceding after just 90 seconds. A ball over the top caught the defence asleep and the striker finished easily past Tadhg Ryan. But we were level after 10 minutes, when Ludden recycled after a corner and swung in another cross which Anto O'Donnell headed in.

And we were ahead after about 20 minutes. Ludden fired in a low ball across the box, and Red Hanlon's attempted shot helped it on to Jack Lynch to poke home. We had the better of it until half time, forcing a good save from the keeper and also hitting the post with a snapshot from a corner into the box.

The second half was a quiet affair, Wexford had more possession but never really did more with it or came close to breaking us down. We actually came closest when sub Willie Armshaw went on a crazy run from halfway past 2 or 3 Wexford defenders, but when he was 1 on 1 with the keeper he placed the shot just wide.

It was always a bit nervy just because of the 1-goal margin, but we saw it out very comfortably.

Next game: away versus Cobh, Saturday June 19th, 7.45pm.

Cobh 0-2 Treaty United

(Fleming, McKevitt)

Another super result for Treaty tonight. I missed the first hour of this because of some work I was doing, and the key points of what I missed were Red Hanlon missing a penalty just before half-time, and then taking the lead just after half-time, when a Fleming freekick into the box from about 40 yards out evaded everybody and found its way onto the net.

From what I saw, Cobh pressed but never really created much. There was one scramble which needed a Ludden header off the line, and maybe their best chance came with about 3 minutes to go, and was a snapshot from broken ball after a corner, that fizzed just past/over. And Treaty went straight up the field to make it 2 and seal the victory. Willie Armshaw received a Ludden thrown and wriggled to the endline, then his cut-back was finished by Matt McKevitt for his first goal for the club. Great stuff for a lad who always puts in a proper shift as a substitute.

That result takes Treaty up to second in the table - a super season so far, for a team that was put together so quickly. It's a real achievement for Tommy Barrett and his players, and they'll be playing in front of a small number of fans next week too.

Next game: home to Galway, Friday June 25, 7.45pm.

Treaty United 1-1 Shelbourne

(Armshaw)

Finally, boards allows me to post this.

A superb 93rd minute strike rescued a point for Treaty last Friday night against the league leaders.

Shels had the better of the possession and territory for most of the game, but didn’t manage to fashion too many chances in the first half. Treaty had the first chance when a ball into the box evaded everybody and arrived at Ed McCarthy right in front of goal, but he wasn’t expecting it and couldn’t control. Shel’s best chances were about 10 minutes before half time - a 2 on 1 opportunity which saw Tadhg Ryan make a good save, and a badly miscued header just seconds later.

Shels took the lead with about 20 minutes to go. The treaty defence made a rare slip up when misjudging the flight of the ball, and Michael O’Connor pounced to control and lash home a low shot from the edge of the area. Treaty almost equalised just a minute later when Ludden surprised everybody with an effort from just inside the Shels half, and although ex-Limerick keeper Brendan Clarke was struggling to get back to his goalline, the ball clipped the bar and went over.

Treaty kept pressing, and came close again when Anto O’Donnell somehow poked wide from a super Ludden cross. Later on it was Shels who looked the more likely on the counter, and they missed two good chances to put the game to bed. Tadhg Ryan was up for a free into the box in the 92nd minutes, and the free turned into a corner, and when the corner was cleared, Willie Armshaw collected it a couple of yards outside the box, and curled an absolutely wonderful strike across the goal into the top left corner, to the delight of the 200 fans in attendance.

Shels stay well clear, and Galway have a points advantage in second place now, but it was a positive night overall to keep pace with the leaders, avoid another home defeat, and you could really see the heart in the squad by the way they chased the equaliser, and how they celebrated it.

Next game: home versus UCD, Friday July 16th.