FA Cup Minutes Prize Donated to Club

The club wish to thank Pat McKenna, winner of the FA Cup minutes pool for donating his prize back to the club. It is greatly appreciated.

Games This Week

For games, please bring mass registration and your $100 membership fee, and be at the venue no later that 30 minutes in advance of kick-off.

OTH League Game 6
Sun May 13th: Medfield vs Green Briar O30 ( 9:00AM Kick-Off @ Wheelock School)

MSSL League Game 4
Sun May 13th: Green Briar FC vs Mass Utd Lynn ( 3:00PM Kick-Off @ Moakley Stadium)

Deep In The Pyramid Blog covers Briar game

Check out the match report of our game versus West Africans United by the blogger for "Deep In The Pyramid".

Click here to read on.

A lesson on how to be clinical in front of goal

Green Briar FC 1:5 Boston Olympiakos

A previously undefeated Green Briar team were brought back to earth by a Boston Olympiakos side who capitalized on almost every opportunity afforded them in front of goal. A hatrick performance by an in form striker Carlos Dimiz and two lapses in concentration from set plays put pay to any ambitions the Briar had of challenging the defending champions.

The 5-1 score line does not befit the cavalier effort put forth by the Briar players. Choosing to play with two strikers signaled the Briar's intent to take the game to the 2007 and 2010 National Champions, but clinical finishing coupled with a pair of goals conceded from corner kicks added to such a lop sided result.

McCarney,Hennessy,Doonan,Clarke,Altidore,Miller,Hardy,Caldwell(c),Roux,Beausang

Dupuis,Sexton,Claus,Nguyen,Samati,McGuinness,McLoughlin

Green Briar FC

Playing against the wind in the first half the Briar were looking to stay solid at the back while exploiting the pace and endeavour of Mickey Sexton and Braima Samati up front. The tactic was working well with the Briar enjoying significant time in Olympiakos territory.

Olympiakos' superior ball retention and off the ball movement saw them create two excellent goals when runners from the middle were not tracked sufficiently. The Briar managed to find a terrific goal of their own when Braima Samati kept his composure in front of goal to get the Briar on the board.

Approaching half time with the 2-1 score line still intact and looking forward to the wind at their backs in the second 45, the Briar were in a good position. That position soon was obliterated by poor defending at a pair of corners on 40 and 44 minutes that resulted in Olympiakos pulling away.

Pre-match formalities

A short corner routine was not closed down promptly, allowing a shot from the corner of the box to find the top corner. Soon afterwards a deflection in the box from another corner, fell kindly to an unmarked player on the six yard box and he scored to turn the once promising position into a mountainous climb in the second half.

Showing tremendous spirit and using the elements in the second half, the Briar created two wonderful opportunities to make a game of it. The harsh lessons of the day were summed up with both chances going begging while Olympiakos turned around and completed the master class of finishing by dispatching the fifth goal with clinical ease following a simple long ball over the top that held up in the wind.

A tough result but strong performance from the Briar, who now know what it takes to compete with the best in the league. Attendance at training has been woefully inadequate in recent weeks and perhaps if players improve their sharpness in front of goal and basic ball possession the return fixture will be a much different affair.

Line-Up: Dupuis, Roux, Doonan, Hennessy, Clarke, McLoughlin, Hardy, McGuinness, Caldwell, Sexton, Samati, Claus, Miller, McCarney, Nguyen, Beausang, Altidore

Crushing defeat for O30's

Azzurri 5:3 Green Briar O30s

The Briar suffered a demoralizing defeat at the hands of Azzurri FC at Everertt Memorial Stadium on Sunday, a game which was of extreme importance but in which defensive errors reigned supreme. Coming from a 20 man panel available for selection the week before, a meagre 14 players were at the disposal of Gary Keane on this occasion, and they could not get the job done. This result sees the Briar slip five points adrift of the pace in Division 4s and sets up some must win games in the second half of the season.

Conceding five goals in any game is shocking, but to do it in a division four game says a lot about the standard of our team. Through his great efforts in training every week, Gary Keane has tried his best to instill best practices defensively and better fitness levels, but his efforts seem to be in vain. His team talks seem to be falling on deaf ears.

It has been said recently that the players on the Green Briar team think they are better than they are, routinely suggesting that a playoff spot and or promotion is somewhat of a formality. Just show up and it'll happen for the team. Well the more knowledgeable "They" also say that numbers don't lie. Five Games played, Twelve goals conceded, Five points off the pace in the fourth tier of Over 30 soccer in the state.

The scoring was opened by the home side. A miss-hit shot from outside the box was dragged behind a napping Tom McElwain at right full back. His man was more alert to the situation and easily got in behind to collect the ball and slot home the opener.

The Briar responded well and took a 2-1 lead into the break. The first was a long range effort from 20 yards. Later, Michael Graham reacted quickest to a ball the keeper coughed up from a direct free kick, sending a left footed shot into the roof of the net.

The equalizer was conceded early in the second half from a corner that was headed into the air and allowed to bounce on the six yard box. The ball was poked home by the Azzurri striker and some serious questions need to be asked of the Briar defense and Jason Sullo in goal, who yet again failed to deal with defending a set piece and were all left sucking their thumbs as the home team celebrated.

Azzurri took the lead soon afterwards. Michael Graham let his man get away from a throw-in and the Azzurri winger escaped a despairing challenge and dispatched a low drive into the bottom corner from more than 20 yards out.

Graham would make amends for the error by finding an equalizer of his own. After the slightest of flick-ons to a Leo O'Connor corner, Graham met the ball perfectly in stride to volley the ball right over the Azzurri keeper and into the net.

The Greens enjoyed a terrific 15 minutes after that but failed to add to their score. Leo O'Connor was foiled twice, once from a powerful header, and another from a 1 on 1 opportunity. The Briar should have done better with a free header at the back post and Michael Graham was robbed of his hatrick after his header that was destined for the bottom corner was somehow clawed away to safety.

Perhaps the best chance to redeem all those missed chances came from the spot. Leo O'Connor stepped up to take a penalty that could have made it 4-4 after a player was hauled down while challenging a deep delivery into the box. Unfortunately for him and the rest of the team, a less than decisive discussion on who the penalty taker should be followed by an equally less decisive kick saw the penalty saved and the best chance of taking the spoils go awry.

Azzurri survived the blitz and capitalized on yet more uncertain defending. Kevin Higgins played a loose pass in a dangerous area and the resultant scramble was finished off despite the best efforts of Sullo and McElwain.

In pushing for the equalizer the Briar were caught short handed at the back and the death knell tolled on a miserable day for the Greens as they conceded a fifth and final goal.

A huge task awaits the Greens in the second half of the season if they are to salvage their campaign. A task that can only be achieved with hard work on the pitch but more importantly on the training ground.

Line Up: Fallon, Glynn, Hannick, Higgins, O'Donnell, McGuinness, Graham, O'Connor, Mikaelian, McElwain, Goin, Balekian, Sullo

Games This Week

For games, please bring mass registration and your $100 membership fee, and be at the venue no later that 30 minutes in advance of kick-off.

OTH League Game 5
Sun May 6th: Azzurri FC vs Green Briar O30 ( 8:30AM Kick-Off @ Everett Memorial Stadium)

MSSL League Game 3
Sun May 6th: Boston Olympiakos vs Green Briar FC ( 2:00PM Kick-Off @ Madison Park HS)

FA Cup Minutes Pool

Green Briar Football Club FA Cup Minutes Pool
#	Seconds	Name	#	Seconds	Name
1	0.00 - 0.59	Rob + Job	46	45.00 - 45.59	John Hickey
2	1.00 - 1.59	Arie O'Connor	47	46.00 - 46.59	John Hickey
3	2.00 - 2.59	Leo O'Connor	48	47.00 - 47.59	John Hickey
4	3.00 - 3.59	Martin Mullins	49	48.00 - 48.59	Paul Fallon
5	4.00 - 4.59	Mike Curran	50	49.00 - 49.59	John Hickey
6	5.00 - 5.59	Tony B	51	50.00 - 50.59	Yolanda
7	6.00 - 6.59	Robbie B	52	51.00 - 51.59	Joe Nolan
8	7.00 - 7.59	Higgins	53	52.00 - 52.59	Marty Tiffany
9	8.00 - 8.59	Pat McKenna	54	53.00 - 53.59	Conor ODonovan
10	9.00 - 9.59	John Hickey	55	54.00 - 54.59	Dina Apovian
11	10.00 - 10.59	Pat McKenna	56	55.00 - 55.59	Noel
12	11.00 - 11.59	Conor Hannick	57	56.00 - 56.59	Chris Camille
13	12.00 - 12.59	Anthony Cass	58	57.00 - 57.59	John Hickey
14	13.00 - 13.59	Tony B	59	58.00 - 58.59	J.C.
15	14.00 - 14.59	Leo O'Connor	60	59.00 - 59.59	Yolanda
16	15.00 - 15.59	Rob + Job	61	60.00 - 60.59	Noel
17	16.00 - 16.59	Arie O'Connor	62	61.00 - 61.59	Collie Roe
18	17.00 - 17.59	Fergal	63	62.00 - 62.59	Joe Nolan
19	18.00 - 18.59	Frank Meehan	64	63.00 - 63.59	Gary Keane
20	19.00 - 19.59	Marie	65	64.00 - 64.59	Noel
21	20.00 - 20.59	Pat McKenna	66	65.00 - 65.59	Mick Doyle
22	21.00 - 21.59	John Hickey	67	66.00 - 66.59	Mick Doyle
23	22.00 - 22.59	John Hickey	68	67.00 - 67.59	Leo O'Connor
24	23.00 - 23.59	Oscar	69	68.00 - 68.59	Pat McKenna
25	24.00 - 24.59	Christy	70	69.00 - 69.59	Swervy
26	25.00 - 25.59	Michael Graham	71	70.00 - 70.59	Martin Mullins
27	26.00 - 26.59	Robbie L	72	71.00 - 71.59	John Hickey
28	27.00 - 27.59	Danny Reddin	73	72.00 - 72.59	Mike Curran
29	28.00 - 28.59	Co	74	73.00 - 73.59	Graham
30	29.00 - 29.59	Danny Reddin	75	74.00 - 74.59	Buff
31	30.00 - 30.59	Robbie L	76	75.00 - 75.59	Davey Coen
32	31.00 - 31.59	Leo O'Connor	77	76.00 - 76.59	Boggins
33	32.00 - 32.59	Riley	78	77.00 - 77.59	Davey Coen
34	33.00 - 33.59	O'Brien	79	78.00 - 78.59	Chinney
35	34.00 - 34.59	Nicole L.	80	79.00 - 79.59	Fergal
36	35.00 - 35.59	Buff	81	80.00 - 80.59	Noel
37	36.00 - 36.59	Higgins	82	81.00 - 81.59	Jigger
38	37.00 - 37.59	Higgins	83	82.00 - 82.59	Marty Tiffany
39	38.00 - 38.59	J.C.	84	83.00 - 83.59	O'Brien
40	39.00 - 39.59	Higgins	85	84.00 - 84.59	Mike Curran
41	40.00 - 40.59	Mike Curran	86	85.00 - 85.59	Christy
42	41.00 - 41.59	Dina Apovian	87	86.00 - 86.59	John Hickey
43	42.00 - 42.59	Pat McKenna	88	87.00 - 87.59	Tom McElwain
44	43.00 - 43.59	Collie Roe	89	88.00 - 88.59	Conor Hannick
45	44.00 - EndofHalf	Mike Curran	90	89.00 - End of Game	Gary Keane
			91+	Extra Time & Penalties	Christy