Meath A League Division 1 Round 6
Simonstown Gaels 0-07 Seneschalstown 3-09
Meath A League Division 1 Round 6
Simonstown Gaels 0-07 Seneschalstown 3-09
Both of these sides were going into this Round 6 game of the Division 1 League rooted down near the foot of the table with just three points from five matches but long before referee Patrick Nelis sounded his final whistle there was little doubt that it would be Seneschalstown who would be edging themselves slightly further up the table as they held a comfortable lead for the final quarter. The margin of victory though could somewhat flatter the Yellow Furze men as the side from the Proudstown Road hit a huge number of wides over the course of the hour.
The home side were first to score when pointing a second minute free but this was soon cancelled out when Brian Sheridan sent one of his own over the blackspot after Tean Cummins had worked hard to win his free. Almost immediately after Sheridan’s free Seneschalstown were to grab their first goal of the game when following good play from Mark Fox and Aled Ingman, Bryan Clarke found himself with a goal scoring opportunity. Although his initial effort was saved, Niall Lyons was on hand to sweep the rebound home and give his side a great. Seneschalstown’s start could have been even better but when Clarke found himself in on goal in the tenth minute he was desperately unlucky to see his shot cannon off the crossbar and rebound to safety.
Simonstown eventually brought a lengthy spell without a score to a close when pointing a seventeenth minute forty five after Wesley McDonagh had punched a ball away from his goalmouth but Seneschalstown’s response was mightily impressive as after Cormac Noonan had expertly dispossessed Stephen Moran in the heart of his defence Joe Sheridan then linked up with Brian Sheridan who gave goalkeeper Robbie Burlingham no chance as he fired past him into the net. Damien Sheridan, who was having a fine game in the middle of the field then found Niall Lyons who in turn fed Bryan Clarke. Clarke slipped his defender before curling over a well taken score from the right of the uprights. Simonstown replied with a point of their own to leave five between the sides before two more points were exchanged between them on the run in towards half time. Firstly Brian Sheridan slotted a free after Clarke was fouled before Simonstown tagged on a free of their own to leave the scoreboard reading Simonstown Gaels 0-04 Seneschalstown 2-03 at the interval, with the hosts having kicked a number of poor wides and Seneschalstown having passed up too glorious goal scoring opportunities from Clarke and Lyons.
Manager David Hosie will have been quite satisfied with the display he had witnessed from his side in the opening half but it was Colm O’Rourke’s charges who got off to the quicker start in the second period when they kicked two points from play in the opening two minutes to reduce their deficit to three. Brian Sheridan steadied the Seneschalstown ship when splitting the posts after linking up with the hard working Tean Cummins before as the game entered its final third Bryan Clarke showed off his long range free taking expertise when sending the ball sailing over the crossbar from all of fifty metres.
With this score restoring the five point advantage which Seneschalstown had held at the break they were eager to keep their foot on the throttle and this was exactly what they did when in the forty sixth minute after some textbook defending from Mark Fox, Ross Howard sent a great ball in to Joe Sheridan who spotting his brother Brian in support off loaded and the team captain made no mistake with a piledriver of a shot to beat Burlingham at his near post.
Seneschalstown were by now well on top and when James Byrne, who was growing in stature as the game went on found Damien Sheridan after stripping a Simonstown player of the ball in the tackle the big centre field man played a one two with Ross Howard before curling over a trademark score from well out on the right. Brian Sheridan extended his sides lead when his free from out on the left went over with the aid of the crossbar before Sigerson Cup winner Niall Lyons saw his goal effort parried over. Bryan Clarke then sent over a forty five before with practically the last kick of the ball in the game Simonstown picked off their seventh point after Wesley McDonagh tipped a shot over his crossbar.
This was a very pleasing performance for Seneschalstown and a much needed two points as they look to lift themselves up the table as well as serving as a confidence boost ahead of their upcoming Round 3 game against Donaghmore/Ashbourne in the Hoganstand.com Senior Football Championship. A real hallmark of this display was the high levels of pressure which they put the hosts under when shooting and indeed this pressure led to numerous turnovers as they either dispossessed the attacker in the tackle of blocked down the shot. Next up in the League is the game against Navan O’Mahonys in Fr, Tully Park on Sunday May 31st at 12:00.
Seneschalstown Scorers: Brian Sheridan 2-04 (0-03 Frees), Niall Lyons 1-01, Bryan Clarke 0-03 (0-01 Free, 0-01 ’45), Damien Sheridan 0-01.
Simonstown Gaels Scorers: Mickey Brennan 0-03, Nathan O’Brien 0-02, Rory O’Connor 0-01, Andrew Kearney 0-1
Seneschalstown: Wesley McDonagh, Conor Cowley, Cormac Noonan, John Smith, Mark Fox, Paul Carey, James Byrne, Tean Cummins, Damien Sheridan, Niall Lyons, Brian Sheridan, Aled Ingman, Bryan Clarke, Joe Sheridan, Mark Carey.
Seneschalstown Substitution: Ross Howard for A. Ingman (inj.)
Simonstown: Robbie Burlingham, Colm Wickham, Ian O’ Rourke, Niall McMahon, Rory O’ Connor, Éanna Donoghue, Niall Kane, Pauric McKeever, Mark McCabe, Nathan O’Brien, Seamus Kenny, Joe Lyons, Shane Barry, Mickey Brennan, Andrew Kearney.
Simonstown Substitutions: Stephen Moran for Pauric McKeever, Donagh Fitzpatrick for Andrew Kearney, Mark Gardiner for Colm Wickham.
