Back to back Feis Cups
Defending a championship title is difficult, but when playing resources are diminished through injury it’s impossible, as Seneschalstown found out in 2008. Still there was the consolation of retaining the Feis Cup after a memorable extra time win over Dunboyne.
On the plus side there is the experience gained in adversity and the knowledge that up-and-coming players can only benefit from seeing action in a difficult year on the field.
Retention of their SFC title was always going to be a tall order for the Yellow Furze club. However, few could have foreseen that they would manage just one win – at the expense of Rathkenny the only side to finish below them after five Group A outings.
Whether or not Damien Sheridan is at the helm next year, Seneschalstown have a spirited group of players ready to mount a serious challenge in their bid to regain the Keegan Cup.
That team togetherness was in evidence in both the semi-final and final of the Feis Cup as Dunshaughlin and Dunboyne were overcome after extra time.
“When you know you can do it, psychologically it’s great. Last year everything seemed to go right, this year everything seemed to go wrong. To win a Feis Cup in a bad year, is not bad going,” reflected Sheridan.
Seneschalstown were on the wrong end of an 11 points turnaround in the Feis Cup final, having led by six points early in the second-half of normal time only to fall five points in arrears as the first period of extra time was drawing to a close.
The manager’s eldest son – and team captain – Damien typified that spirit with an equalising point from distance that left it 2-11 each after the hour.
Seneschalstown then managed to wrest back the initiative with a brace of goals in extra time from Brian Clarke, man-of-the-match, in the 2007 SFC final win over Navan O’Mahonys. After the 80 minutes had elapsed Clarke had 3-3 to his name to help his side to a 4-15 to 2-18 win over Dunboyne in the curtain raiser to the senior football championship decider.
The winning Seneschalstown side was – David Geraghty; Wayne Smith, Andrew Collins, Stephen Sheridan (0-1); Mark Carey (0-2), Joe Cowley, Colin Gleeson; Brian Sheridan (0-5, 4 frees), Damien Sheridan (0-1); Gary Conlon, Ciaran Macken, Shane Clarke (0-2, frees); Stephen Finnegan, Joe Sheridan (1-1), Brian Clarke (3-3, 0-2 45s, 0-1 free). Subs – Tommy Ledwidge for Finnegan (56 mins), Ian Carroll for Conlon (69 mins), Conor Ruddy for S. Clarke (70 mins).
“In the last half of extra time you saw how much the boys wanted it. I’m delighted to win it, especially after what was supposedly a bad year. In the last two years we’ve won two Feis Cups and a championship,” commented the manager.
Following their memorable 2007 SFC final replay win over Navan O’Mahonys, which was quickly followed by two meetings with the eventual All-Ireland club champions St Vincent’s, it was understandable that 2007 ended with a bit of blip for the Yellow Furze side when losing by 1-5 to 1-14 to Skryne in the Division 1 FL decider.
On a sombre note senior selector Tommy McDonnell lost his battle with illness before the end of the year.
However, the delayed Feis Cup final allowed Seneschalstown the chance to set down an marker for 2008 and they obliged with a 2-13 to 0-9 win over Simonstown at Pairc Tailteann on the second Saturday in March.
Brian Sheridan’s goal left it 1-6 to 0-6 at the break while Tommy Ledwidge also found the net as the side skippered by Damien Sheridan junior ran out ten-point winners.
The following is the Seneschalstown line-out for the that the lift the Feis Cup for the fifth time to go with previous outright successes in 1972, 1992, 1994 and 2000.
Seneschalstown – David Lyons; Wayne Smyth, Andrew Collins, Gerry Sheridan; Mark Carey (0-1), Joe Cowley, Gary Conlon; Cormac Ruddy, Damien Sheridan (0-2); Tommy Ledwidge (1-0), Shane Clarke (0-3), Stephen Sheridan (0-1); Brian Clarke (0-3), Brian Sheridan (1-3), Stephen Finnegan. Subs – James Byrne for Smyth, Stephen Dillon for Finnegan, Paul Garry for Ledwidge, Joe Sheridan for Ruddy, David Matthews for Conlon.
The championship draw wasn’t so kind to Seneschalstown, billeting them in the six-team Group A alongside Wolfe Tones, Navan O’Mahonys, Skryne, Summerhill and Rathkenny.
By the time the SFC opener against Skryne came around on the last Saturday in April, key players – including Keegan Cup winning captain Cormac Quinn and full-back Andrew Collins were sidelined through injury as Seneschalstown slipped to a 0-8 to 1-12 defeat.
Just nine of the side that began the previous year’s SFC final replay took to the field for their second round meeting with Rathkenny at Pairc Tailteann seven days later. Seneschalstown hung on for a 0-10 to 0-8 success against the 2006 IFC winners who were quarter-finalists in their first year back in senior ranks. The Yellow Furze side were fortunate that Donal Curtis’ late goal attempt cleared the crossbar.
A sterner examination of Seneschalstown’s SFC credentials occurred when they faced O’Mahonys in a third round fixture at the local GAA headquarters on the first Friday in June.
Eleven of the side that started the the 0-15 to 0-9 defeat of O’Mahonys in the SFC final replay seven months earlier lined out against the title favourites, who had opened with a draw against Wolfe Tones and a win over Skryne.
However, Brian Sheridan – whose participation in the SFC final success was limited to a late cameo because of injury – was on from the start.
A 0-5 to 1-7 interval deficit having played against a strong wind in the opening-half wasn’t insurmountable. However, Seneschalstown hopes were undermined with the departure of midfielder Robert Ruddy through injury.
By the end ten points separated the sides, 0-10 to 1-17, while Brian Clarke – who kicked 0-9 from placed balls to earn the Colum Cromwell Man of the Match trophy in the SFC final replay – was kept scoreless on this occasion by Niall McKeigue.
Two defeats from three starts had scuppered Seneschalstown’s title bid and they were relieved of the Keegan Cup with a 1-7 to 1-12 loss to Wolfe Tones on a horribly wet midsummer’s Saturday night at Pairc Tailteann.
Five Brian Sheridan points from placed balls to go along with a goal from elder brother Joe as well as two Brian Clarke points wasn’t enough against the 2006 champions who led by 1-5 to 0-3 at the break. Seneschalstown got the gap down to three points with time running out but a brace of magnificent points from Cian Ward confirmed their exit from the title race.
Worse than losing their SFC title was the prospect of being drawn into the relegation dogfight. A brace of Joe Sheridan goals (one from a penalty) boosted Seneschalstown in the early stages against Summerhill in their final group game at Dunshaughlin.
However, the ‘Hill responded to lead by 0-10 to 2-3 at the break and by the end Seneschalstown were four points, 2-6 to 0-16, in arrears. O’Mahonys comfortable win over Rathkenny banished fears of being drawn into the relegation quagmire for the Yellow Furze club.
The curtain hadn’t come down on Seneschalstown’s season. Apart from trying to retain the Feis Cup, there was also the important matter of safeguarding their Division 1 FL status.
O’Mahonys may have claimed SFC honours in 2008 while playing in the Division 2 FL, but top flight league football is the best preparation for a championship bid.
Seneschalstown managed just three wins in eleven league starts but secured their Division 1 status win an emphatic 4-10 to 0-9 success over Dunderry in the final league outing.
The path to the 2008 Feis Cup final and their sixth win in the competition was cleared with wins over intermediates Dunderry followed by the scalps of seniors Skryne, Summerhill and Dunshaughlin.
Damien Sheridan was frank in his assessment of Seneschalstown’s year while accentuating the positives gained in a difficult campaign.
“We needed a full panel from last year plus a couple of lads coming through. In the semi-final of the Feis Cup we were without six players from last year’s senior championship winning team.
“We’re not making excuses, but that’s difficult for a rural club. We looked dead and buried in extra time in the Feis Cup final. We looked out on our legs. Dunboyne were up five points in the first-half of extra time.
“But we’d done it against Dunshaughlin. We were down at half-time in extra time. We done it here last year in the championship. We’re good at extra time and replays. The lads showed great heart and great spirit and I’m really delighted for them, to come out of the year with something positive for them. It’s a good launching pad for next year. If we got a few of the lads back, you’d never know what would happen.
“I like to look at positives. I suppose because of the injuries, we used players who possibly wouldn’t have played senior football this year. There going to be there next year along with lads who’ll be back from injury.”
Ladies SFC: Seneschalstown triumph again
Seneschalstown’s dominance of ladies football in the Royal County continued at Donaghmore/Ashbourne when the Yellow Furze girls turned in yet another scintillating display, capturing the SFC title at the expense of old adversaries St. Ultan’s on a 3-17 to 2-6 scoreline.
Seneschalstown showed all the style and swagger we have been accustomed to with them in securing their seventh title in eight years, despite the best efforts of their gallant opponents. Persistent rain descended on the magnificent Donaghmore/Ashbourne venue throughout the contest but it didn’t stop the sides from serving up some sumptuous football. The winners in particular sent over some fine scores and eight different players managed to get on the score sheet, with impressive wing forward Eimear O’Carroll leading those charts with 1-5.
She got the champions off to a textbook start in the third minute when her 30 metre free deceived St. Ultan’s ‘ keeper Nuala O’Brien and dropped into the net. That set the tone for the reminder of the tie as St. Ultan’s were always playing catch up thereafter and never managed to lead in the contest.
Goals from Shauna Bennett and Geraldine Doherty in the opening period did offer St. Ultan’s a glimmer of hope entering the second half as they only trailed by four points at the break, 2-3 to 2-7. The latter of those scores was a magnificent strike from the county star who finished brilliantly in into the top corner of the net.
But that marvellous strike didn’t compare to Orla Sheridan’s goal that arrived in the 23rd minute. The Seneschalstown corner forward picked up possession outside the 45 metre line and after sprinting by several defenders, she unleashed an unstoppable shot to the net via the underside of the crossbar to extend her sides advantage to 2-6 to 2-1.
The second half was all Seneschalstown and they turned possession into scores with almost every attack, out scoring their opponents 1-10 to 1-3 after the change of ends, where Grainne Nulty, Steph Byrne, Orla Sheridan and Mary Sheridan all added to their personal tallies.
So it’s seven senior titles in eight years for Seneschalstown and on the evidence of this showing their dominance doesn’t look like coming to a halt in the near future.
Seneschalstown – Caroline Mooney; Deborah Dillon, Mena Sheridan, Aodhnait McAdam, Roisin Nulty, Louise McKeever, Adelle Carolan, Mary Sheridan, Siobhain Sheridan, Eimear O’Carroll, Fiona Mahon, Steph Byrne, Emma Harris, Grainne Nulty, Orla Sheridan. Subs – Aoife Sheridan for Byrne, Elaine Byrne for McAdam, Louise Byrne for Mooney, Amy Carolan for Nulty.
Seneschalstown GFC Annual Dinner Dance
Seneschalstown GFC held their annual dinner dance at the Ardboyne Hotel in Navan on Saturday 1st November. It was the end of a very successful year for the club with the Senior Men’s team having retained the Feis Cup and the Senior Ladies Team having won the County Championship for the 8th time in nine years.
The presentation of Feis Cup medals for their victories over Simonstown in 2007 (game played in 2008) and Dunboyne in 2008 were presented by the Chairman of the Meath County Board, Barney Allen, to the Senior mens team. Presentations were also made to the two senior club selectors, Micky Dillon and Ian Maguire, as well as Team Manager Damien Sheridan. Presentations were also made to three members of the senior mens team who retired during the past year, namely Andrew McCann, Cormac Quinn and Colin Clarke. A presentation to Senior Club Treasurer, Pat Clarke, in recognition of his contribution to the club over the years was also presented by Barney Allen.
The Seneschalstown Senior Ladies Football Team were presented with their Senior County medals at the function. Ashling Cleary, Secretary of the Meath Ladies County Board presented players with their medals following their victory over St Ultans in the County Final in September. Presentations were also made to Doborah Dillon (Senior Player of the Year 2008), Siobhan Sheridan (Young Player of the Year 2008) and Linda Quinn (Most Improved Player of the Year 2008). A presentation to Senior Team Manager, Stephen Dillon and Selector Paddy Curtis, was also made.
Guests of honour at the function, were the 1967 Seneschalstown team who won the Meath Intermediate Football Championship in that year and brought the club to senior status where they have remained ever since. Crystal ware to mark the occasion was presented by Meath County Board Secretary Barney Allen to each player from that team.
Over 250 people attended the function with entertainment being supplied by local band Evolution who ensured the function was a very enjoyable night for all.
