LMFM Minor Football League Division 3 Round 7
Seneschalstown 3-10 Oldcastle 4-13
LMFM Minor Football League Division 3 Round 7
Seneschalstown 3-10 Oldcastle 4-13
May 1st 2015 marked the twenty sixth anniversary of the opening of the Disney MGM Studios at Walt Disney World near Orlando but there was to be no fairy-tale ending to this game for Seneschalstown when they were hit late on to the tune of a goal and three points and subsequently lost out by six points. The size and manner of the defeat was extremely hard on the home side as they worked very hard throughout the match with sterling performances all over the field as they looked to overcome the absence of some key performers allied to the loss in the first half of Meath Minors Adam Carey and Niall Hickey.
Both of these players were forced off the field by the twentieth minute but while the loss of two county players would have floored lesser sides the Seneschalstown players to a man increased their workrate and turned in fine displays. From the likes of Ruairí Keogh at corner back to substitute Colin Walsh, making his first appearance since the 2013 U-16 Final victory the players put their shoulder to the wheel and can consider themselves most unfortunate not to have taken at least a point from the match.
Seneschalstown were the first to register a score when after good play from Adam Carey and Robert Wogan wing forward Shane Mulvany, finding himself with his back to goal, pointed over his left shoulder. Oldcastle equalised a minute later before Seneschalstown hit two points in a minute. Firstly Wogan kicked a magnificent individual effort before Eoin Finnegan pointed after being placed for the score by Louis Healy and Carey. Oldcastle then replied with a goal and a point to move into the lead but Seneschalstown then did the exact same as first Robert Wogan pointed after Carey had fielded a short kickout, then punted the ball onto Brian Maguire who found Wogan and the corner forward made no mistake to raise the white flag. Carey then linked up with Niall Hickey to bury a goal but this was to be their last act as both were forced off the field in the next minute.
Buoyed by this, Oldcastle popped over three points from play with Eoin Finnegan sending over in the midst of this scoring burst after a sweeping team move. Ruairí Keogh, a player having an outstanding game, made a vital intervention back in his own full back line and after the ball was quickly transferred upfield with both Dylan’s, Doyle and Keating, involved Ryan O’Dowd found himself in on goal and he made no mistake as he fired past the goalkeeper. Oldcastle though hit back within seconds to grab their second major of the game and consequently when Liam O’Brien sounded the half time whistle moments later the sides were tied at 2-05 apiece.
Just as they had done in the first half Seneschalstown were first to register in the second when the diminutive Dylan Keating pointed from the tightest of angles to the right of the post with his right foot. Oldcastle were managing to carve out some clear goal scoring opportunities and Seneschalstown were thankful to the two Ruairís, McDonagh and Keogh when they stopped two chances in the thirty fourth and thirty sixth minutes respectively. Following two points for the North Meath side Eoin Finnegan sought to provide a moment of magic for Seneschalstown but as he powered through the defence, bearing down on goal, he was brought to ground and after having goal on his mind had to be content with a pointed free after he had dusted himself down.
Oldcastle edged back in front by a point with forty two minutes on the clock before Dylan Doyle converted a forty five metre free off the ground. The tit for tat nature of the game continued when after clever play from David Gordon, Wogan fired over a majestic point to cancel out one from Oldcastle. Then with eight minutes of the regulation sixty remaining on the clock Oldcastle appeared to make a decisive burst for home with a goal and a point but Seneschalstown immediately replied with 1-01 of their own. Robert Littler, introduced in the opening half for his cousin Adam Carey, found the net after getting on the end of a good run from Ryan O’Dowd and then Eoin Finnegan pointed from play.
This left the scores tied and only a minute of the hour remaining and the game finely poised, with very few in attendance willing to predict with any certainty which team would come out on top. Then, in a crazy ninety seconds, Oldcastle managed to rattle off a goal and three points to leave Seneschalstown’s aspirations of ending the group stage of the League atop the table.
On a night when they lost key players to injury as well as being shorn of the services of other important individuals from the outset Seneschalstown will have been delighted to welcome back Colin Walsh and Daire Corcoran who will add much needed strength in depth for the remainder of the season. While this defeat leaves their hopes of a home semi-final in the balance they will be confident that they have the quality of players to take on any opposition in the next stage and qualify for the final.
Seneschalstown Scorers: Eoin Finnegan 0-04 (0-01 Free), Adam Carey 1-00, Ryan O’Dowd 1-00, Robert Littler 1-00, Robert Wogan 0-03, Shane Mulvany 0-01, Dylan Keating 0-01, Dylan Doyle 0-01 (0-01 Free).
Seneschalstown: Ruairí McDonagh, Ruairí Keogh, Conor Cantwell, Louis Healy, Richard McKeown, Niall Hickey, Eoin O’Reilly, Dylan Doyle, Ryan O’Dowd, Shane Mulvany, Adam Carey, Brian Maguire, Eoin Finnegan, David Gordon, Robert Wogan.
Seneschalstown Substitutions: Colin Walsh for N. Hickey (inj.), Robert Littler for A. Carey (inj.), Dylan Keating for L. Healy, Daire Corcoran for S. Mulvany, Mark Kennedy for D. Gordon.
