Teach na Teamhrach Meath Junior Football Championship Round 1
Dunsany 1-10 Seneschalstown 2-04
Teach na Teamhrach Meath Junior Football Championship Round 1
Dunsany 1-10 Seneschalstown 2-04
Saturday April 9th saw the meeting of the 2015 beaten finalists Dunsany and the Junior B winners Seneschalstown in the opening round of the 2016 Teach na Teamhrach Junior Football Championship in Ratoath. Few outside the club would have given Seneschalstown much of a hope as but within the panel there was a confidence that they could make the return to the Junior A ranks after a lengthy absence a winning one. And with a potent cocktail containing the experience of the likes of Colin Gleeson, Robert Ruddy and Gary Conlon along with the youthful exuberance of Ronan Conneely, Colin Walsh and Ross Howard there were many reasons to be confident despite a list of absentees which was heading for fifteen.
In truth this was a game littered with mistakes on both sides with both sides guilty of hitting a number of wides early on. Indeed, by the thirteenth minute there was one score and seven wides, although a tricky wind didn’t help the forwards in finding the target. To be fair to both teams their shooting efficiency did improve thereafter as they adapted to the prevailing conditions.
The favourites were the brighter side early doors and got off the mark first when pointing from play in the third minute but Seneschalstown’s defenders were proving to be a sticky bunch and made life difficult with their voracious appetite for closing down the space for the attackers. On thirteen minutes Mick Dillon’s charges got a timely fillip when they grabbed the opening goal of the game. After spotting the raiding wing back Kevin Casey in space Ross Howard picked him out with a quickly taken free kick and when Casey got possession he fisted across the goal to corner forward Aled Ingman who coolly sidestepped his marker before slotting into the back of the net with his left foot. Three minutes later Seneschalstown picked off their first point of the game when veteran Shane Clarke popped over a free as he punished a Dunsany defender for lifting the ball clean off the ground.
Seneschalstown were growing more and more into the game and following a contentiously awarded ’45 Aled Ingman saw his effort clip the left hand upright on its way over. Things almost got even better for the Boynesiders when after a storming run in from the left flank Eddie Meade almost broke the crossbar with a rasping shot which cannoned way back out the pitch.
Dunsany sought to settle themselves when pointing after twenty-three minutes but Seneschalstown looked dangerous when the ball was worked quickly into the forwards and when after good play out the field by Gary Conlon and Ross Howard, Robert Ruddy drove the ball in towards the square where Aled Ingman laid off to the supporting James Conlon who was unlucky to see his shot just clear the crossbar for a point. This left Seneschalstown leading by four points but they were then rocked on the stroke of half time when a free kick was poorly dealt with on the edge of the square and a Dunsany forward managed to flick it into the back of the net.
Suddenly their lead was down to a solitary point, something which looked precarious considering they were going to be playing into an ever stiffening wind in the second period on an afternoon which was rapidly cooling.
They though couldn’t have wished for a better start to the second half than the one they got as with just twenty-five seconds elapsed Ingman snatched his second goal of the game. After wing back Colin Gleeson was fouled Shane Clarke floated a free kick in towards the Dunsany net and judging its flight to perfection Ingman got his paws on it before finishing tidily into the bottom left corner. Seneschalstown supporters in the sparse attendance would have been hoping their team would kick on from here but alas the opposite happened.
Dunsany appeared to find strength from adversity and playing a lovely brand of football went on to kick eight points in a row, seven of which arrived from play with their centre forward in particular influential as they made the most of the wind at their backs. By this stage of the match the weather had also began to turn with a nasty shower of sleet arriving which left the heavily sanded pitch more than a tad greasy.
A Shane Clarke pointed free reduced the gap between the teams to three points, something the players weren’t aware of in the closing stages due to confusion over whether or not a later Dunsany point had been allowed. The scoreboard operator was under the impression it was but crucially the referee had deemed the ball had drifted wide. The majority of players though were left thinking there were four points between the teams.
By now Seneschalstown were like a horse trailing at The Elbow in the Grand National by three lengths but still with the possibility of snatching something from the race, a prospect which suddenly appeared more likely when following a goalmouth scramble a Dunsany defender forgot about the years of advice from coaches about putting his toe to the ball when picking it up and lifted it clean off the ground in the square. The end result – a Seneschalstown penalty. Aled Ingman took on the responsibility with his confidence boosted by the two earlier goals but having had to wait a couple of minutes to take the shot as a player received treatment following the goalmouth scramble he saw his well struck effort low to Niall Flynn’s left well saved by the Dunsany net minder.
The final whistle sounded soon after leaving the two teams with contrasting emotions, Dunsany jumping for joy at escaping with victory and Seneschalstown downbeat at not picking up anything from the game but with their confidence in their ability to go far in the Junior Championship increased after giving one of the favourites for the title an almighty scare.
Best for the Seneschalstown men were Robert Ruddy who was a colossus at midfield, Aled Ingman and Ronan Connelly who made some vital defensive interventions. Next up will be a Round 2 game against Meath Hill who as an A League Division 2 side will provide another stern test.
Seneschalstown: Shane Corbally, Ronan Conneely, Adam Gargan, Colin Walsh, Colin Gleeson, Joe Cowley, Kevin Casey, Robert Ruddy, Neil Darby, James Conlon (0-01), Shane Clarke (0-02, 0-02 Frees), Gary Conlon, Aled Ingman (2-01, 0-01 ’45), Eddie Meade, Ross Howard.
Seneschalstown Substitutions: Robert Darby for C. Gleeson, Paul McDonnell for G. Conlon and Ryan O’Dowd for J. Conlon.
