U-16 Spring League Division 3 Semi-Final
Jenkinstown Gaels 4-11 Seneschalstown 2-09
When the gloomy clouds rolled over and the heavens opened moments before throw in on Tuesday evening in Moynalvey it was to prove a portent of things to come for Seneschalstown as their hopes of qualifying for the final were washed away by an excellent performance from the Blackhall Gaels/Moynalvey amalgamation.
U-16 Spring League Division 3 Semi-Final
Jenkinstown Gaels 4-11 Seneschalstown 2-09
When the gloomy clouds rolled over and the heavens opened moments before throw in on Tuesday evening in Moynalvey it was to prove a portent of things to come for Seneschalstown as their hopes of qualifying for the final were washed away by an excellent performance from the Blackhall Gaels/Moynalvey amalgamation.
Having ran the home side to a one point defeat when facing them in Round 1 the Seneschalstown players were optimistic that they would be able to overcome their opponents this evening but in spite of going on an equal footing at the interval they were unable to keep pace with Jenkinstown Gaels during the second period on a pitch which had turned very greasy due to the rainfall on the firm underground surface.
The visitors opened the scoring when after four minutes Alan Mulvany collected a short forty five from David Fox before offloading to Eoin Finnegan who clipped the ball over the bar for an excellently worked score. Jenkinstown Gaels hit back soon after with a converted free before the lively Mulvany got on the score sheet when showing a poachers instinct after some excellent work from Brian Maguire who had intercepted a loose clearance before going on a good solo run and hand passing the ball to Mulvany to rattle the back of the net.
Eoin Finnegan tagged on his second point of the game a minute later from distance after Dylan Doyle had tapped the ball down to him before Cathal Finnegan scored a magnificent point to extend his sides lead to five points after the opening quarter. This point coming within seconds of Seneschalstown goalkeeper Ruairí McDonagh pulling off a sensational stop from point blank range.
The home side began to get into their groove soon after when scoring four points on the trot, two from play and two from placed balls. In truth the second of these could easily have been a goal but ‘keeper McDonagh tipped a rasping drive over the bar.
Three points in two minutes for Seneschalstown in the twenty sixth and twenty seventh minutes appeared to put them back in the driving seat as half time approached. First Cathal Finnegan got his second magnificent point of the game before Robert Wogan; now operating on the forty after a switch with Eoin Finnegan registered his first. Dylan Doyle completed the hat trick of scores when launching a fabulous curling effort over the bar after catching a clearance from the Gaels defence.
As minds among the spectators began to drift towards the forthcoming interval and the opportunity to dry off Jenkinstown got two scores which brought the game right back into the melting pot. Firstly they got a pointed effort from play before scoring a rebounded goal after another fine save from McDonagh to leave the half time score in a wet Moynalvey reading Jenkinstown Gaels 1-06 Seneschalstown 1-06.
The opening two scores of the second half came for the Gaels when they registered a quick-fire 1-01. They opened with a point from play before a penalty was expertly converted past McDonagh when he was sent the wrong way.
The ebb and flow of this absorbing match continued when the Doyle captained Seneschalstown hit back with 1-03 of their own, all of which came from placed balls. Doyle was instrumental in this eight minute burst when using his strength and power he drew three of the four fouls which led to scores.
The first of these frees came when the diminutive Cathal Finnegan drew a foul after some directing running which elder brother Eoin converted. Finnegan then tapped over another free following a foul on Doyle. The influential midfielder then drew two further fouls the second of which resulted in another Finnegan free after Doyle had nearly burst the back of the net after driving a penalty straight down the middle of the goal. Suddenly Seneschalstown found themselves two points in the ascendency and appearing to be in the driving seat.
However the final quarter of the game belonged to the home side who rattled off six scores on the bounce to seal their victory. Three points in a row between the forty third and forty fifth minutes got their noses back in front before they hit two goals and a point from play in the final eleven minutes as the Seneschalstown team began to tire to run out the victors by an eight point margin.
While very disappointed at the final whistle the Seneschalstown players can hold their heads high as while their efforts didn’t prove to be enough on the night the future is definitely brighter for them than the weather was for much of the evening.
While the rainbow in the sky for the closing stages proved not to be a harbinger of gold to be found for them at the end of this Spring League those who have seen their games so far this year would not be surprised were they to have their day in the sun later in the year.
Seneschalstown Scorers: Eoin Finnegan 0-05 (0-03 Frees), Dylan Doyle 1-01 (1-00 Penalty), Alan Mulvany 1-00, Cathal Finnegan 0-02, Robert Wogan 0-01.
Seneschalstown: Ruairí McDonagh, Eoin Reilly, David Fox, Louis Healy, Jason Kearney, Richard McKeown, Eoin Traynor, Jordan Oganami, Dylan Doyle, Brian Maguire, Eoin Finnegan, Robert Littler, Cathal Finnegan, Robert Wogan, Alan Mulvany.
Seneschalstown Substitutions: Cory McCarthy for R. Littler, R. Littler for E. Traynor, Dylan Keating for A. Mulvany, Naois Sweeney for C. Finnegan, Keith Waters for B. Maguire
