JM Food Services Football League Division 2
Seneschalstown 2-12 Walterstown 0-13
Seneschalstown continued their winning start to the JM Food Services Football League Division 2 with a five point in Walterstown on Saturday. Key to the victory were two goals in either half from Eoin and Éamon Finnegan which gave Seneschalstown some breathing space at key moments in each half.
Seneschalstown were forced into a reshuffle of their team from the win over Curraha last Saturday. Donie Commons and Alan Mulvany were out due to suspension, Cathal Finnegan was absent due to injury and James Meade was away in Aintree at the Grand National. This made the fence Seneschalstown had to clear for another victory all the tougher while the going underfoot could be at best described as soft.
When proceedings got underway on a sunny but yet again, windy, Saturday evening it was Walterstown who opened the scoring just under three minutes in. Eoin Finnegan, on free taking duty in Cathal’s absence, equalised for the visitors with a routine free after Seán Carey was fouled. The hosts regained the lead in the seventh minute but Finnegan was on target again, this time from play after Joey Moore did well to set him up.
Seneschalstown edged their noses in front for the first time when wing back Seán Carey was once again involved, this time to pick out Darren O’Brien who was unmarked in the centre and he blasted over. From the next kickout the lead was doubled, Cormac Carolan picking up the break and returned the ball with aplomb as he sent over a fine point. The lead continued to grow for the men in blue, Eoin Finnegan came up with his third of the hour when he did excellently to win a ball played into him and create space for the shooting opportunity.
Walterstown replied with two points in double quick time but in the 21st minute, Seneschalstown struck for a goal. Dylan Keating had an attempt at a point which held up in the wind and was dropping around the goalmouth. Eoin Finnegan recognised this and went to challenge the keeper for the ball and he rose highest to flick the ball to the net and give Seneschalstown a four point cushion. Again Walterstown replied strongly with three points in a row of their own to essentially wipe out Finnegan’s major. However, Joey Moore ensured Seneschalstown had a two point lead at the break when he curled over a beautiful effort from the right with his right foot leaving it 1-06 to 0-07 at the short whistle.
Having made a couple of changes at the break, Seneschalstown managed to score first after the resumption when Danny Waters broke through a couple of challenges to kick over a fine point from 30 metres out. The hosts answered again in the 39th minute but it looked like Seneschalstown were about to make a winning push in the 44th minute. Liam Dillon intercepted a stray pass in the Walterstown defence and he slipped it off to Éamon Finnegan who punished the Blacks to the maximum as he coolly slotted the ball beyond the keeper to put Seneschalstown five in front. Dylan Keating kicked his first of the game and the lead was by those two goals but in keeping with the theme of the game, Walterstown kept tabs on their visitors and despite being down to 14 for a period, they reeled off four points in a row to claw it back to 2-08 to 0-12 with little over eight minutes left on the clock.
Top scorer Eoin Finnegan settled Seneschalstown again when he checked back onto his left to take a point with half a goal chance on after a move involving Keating, Ross Howard and Darren O’Brien. Keating improvised superbly moments later to chip over his second from close to the endline and when Eoin Finnegan kicked another close range free Seneschalstown were five in front with three minutes to play.
Walterstown who were game throughout were just too far behind to claim something at this stage and Keating, who had a prominent second half added the cherry on the cake with an exquisite point off the outside of his left for Seneschalstown’s last score. The final point of the 60 minutes went the way of the hosts but Seneschalstown were good value for their five point win and make it four wins from four ahead of the first weekend off next weekend. When the action resumes in a fortnight, Seneschalstown will host Moynalvey on Saturday April 28th at 6:00pm.
Seneschalstown: David Gordon, Cillian Lawlor, Simon Rooney, Cormac Carolan (0-01), Seán Carey, Brian Maguire, Liam Dillon, John Smith, Danny Waters (0-01), Darren O’Brien (0-01), Joey Moore (0-01), Ross Howard, Dylan Keating (0-03), Eoin Finnegan (1-05, 2fs), Éamon Finnegan (1-00).
Subs Used: Séimí Byrne, Ronan Conneely, Mark Fox
