Coolrite Under 19 Football Championship Group B Round 2
Seneschalstown 1-07 Navan O’Mahony’s 0-09
Seneschalstown continued their winning start to the Coolrite Under 19 Football Championship with a hard earned, narrow one point win over Navan O’Mahony’s in Paddy O’Brien Park on Friday night. After a second-half in particular which threatened to swing both ways at certain parts, it was a late two point salvo from Robbie Finnegan that left Seneschalstown just too far out of reach for their hosts despite a very late bombardment from the Hoops.
Playing towards the Aldi end of the ground, Seneschalstown’s display in the opening half was, to borrow a slogan from another German supermarket chain, certainly not ‘Big on Quality’ as time and time again their shooting was proving to be their achilles heel, or a pass wouldn’t stick as a move advanced forward.
It was the home side, who after withstanding some early Seneschalstown pressure opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a point from play. Seneschalstown did eventually find the target for the first time when Robbie Finnegan’s shot crept inside the left hand upright after a pass from Séimí Byrne. Byrne was the key figure in Seneschalstown’s next score in the tenth minute.
Charlie Finnegan and Aran Carey combined along the right hand side before Carey got in along the enplane. Carey could chosen to fist the ball over the bar but he spotted Byrne charging in through the middle and Carey’s pass across was perfect as Byrne managed to rise highest among a number of bodies to palm home and give Seneschalstown a three point lead.
Their shooting continued to be profligate which allowed Navan O’Mahony’s back into the game and Seneschalstown’s only other score of the half came when Charlie Finnegan set up Cian Hosie to jink back onto his right foot and restore Seneschalstown’s three point advantage. By the interval however, the home side had the deficit reduced to two point margin with another score leaving the scoreline reading 1-02 to 0-03 at the end of a half Seneschalstown should to have been further ahead by.
That late first half score seemed the give the Hoops some momentum and they had drawn level by the 35th minute with two further scores and indeed nudged themselves in front four minutes later as they certainly had grown into the contest. Seneschalstown eventually got their first score of the second half when Cian Hosie converted a 43rd minute close range free. Seneschalstown looked like they were raining control around the three quarter stage when Jack McDonnell emerged from a ruck of bodies and scored from a tight angle off the outside of his right boot. The lead was extended further when Hosie kicked another free, this after Séimí Byrne did well in the build up.
Going down the final stretch, two points on the bounce for O’Mahony’s in the 51st and 55th minutes had levelled the game once more. However when Seneschalstown needed someone to stand up, Robbie Finnegan took centre stage. After 58 minutes, substitute Jamie Norris had the ball in front of the dugout and he played a diagonal ball into space in front of Finnegan who was one on one against a defender. Finnegan won the foot race, and when he lined up to shoot he produced a sumptuous dummy which took the defender out the game and Finnegan had the simplest of tasks to kick over from 20 metres. From the kickout, Charles McCarthy won possession and headed straight for goal. He was eventually fouled 30 metres from goal and Finnegan stretched the lead out to two points.
In keeping with the theme of the second half, Navan O’Mahony’s responded with a point in the 61st minute and proceeded to lay siege in search of an equaliser. An effort from a long range free went to the left and wide before they got another chance. The Seneschalstown defence stood strong and maintained their discipline not giving away a free in scoring range before a shot came in from the right which drifted right and wide of the upright which was met with Peter O’Halloran’s full-time whistle and a Seneschalstown victory.
The win leaves Seneschalstown on four points at the top of Group B but their qualification to the semi-finals isn’t secure yet as they need a result in their final game at home to St. Patrick’s to make sure of progression. That game takes place on Friday November 8th at 8pm.
Seneschalstown: Luke Healy, Seán Reilly, Danny Waters, Oran Lawlor, Jack McDonnell (0-01), Liam Dillon, Charles McCarthy, Darren O’Brien, Seimí Byrne (1-00), Sam Kirwan, Éamon Finnegan, Aran Carey, Cian Hosie (0-03, 2fs), Charlie Finnegan, Robbie Finnegan (0-03, 1f).
Subs Used: Mattie Cowley, Jamie Norris, Bradley Kirwan.
