MFL Division 2A Round 3
Seneschalstown 2-09 Navan O’Mahonys 1-10
After surviving a nervy finish as Navan O’Mahonys launched a late comeback, Seneschalstown did enough on Saturday at lunchtime to book a tasty looking semi-final against St. Peter’s Dunboyne on March 23rd in the Minor Football League. With the game being played at 12 a-side, due to the fair play rule which applies in the competition, it was a taxing affair for the players on duty as they had a full-size pitch to contend with.
MFL Division 2A Round 3
Seneschalstown 2-09 Navan O’Mahonys 1-10
After surviving a nervy finish as Navan O’Mahonys launched a late comeback, Seneschalstown did enough on Saturday at lunchtime to book a tasty looking semi-final against St. Peter’s Dunboyne on March 23rd in the Minor Football League. With the game being played at 12 a-side, due to the fair play rule which applies in the competition, it was a taxing affair for the players on duty as they had a full-size pitch to contend with.
With this in mind, the return to fitness in recent weeks of Seanie Dalton has proven to be very beneficial as last week the team had to play an 11 a-side game due to that week’s opposition only being able to muster the minimum numbers. The noted long-distance athlete covered every blade of grass here in an all action display.
Backed by a freshening breeze, O’Mahonys were first to register in the opening half when pointing after five minutes but Seneschalstown didn’t take long to hit back as the afore mentioned Dalton equalised before Donal Commons pointed after hooking a shot over his left shoulder. This though was to be the last time his side were in front in the opening first thirty minutes as O’Mahonys reeled off five of the next six points with only a Conor McDonnell effort on the run interrupting their flow. On the approach to half time Seneschalstown looked to get a foothold in the match when Liam Maguire and Donal Commons sent over to reduce the gap to one point, but the Navan outfit finished on the front foot with a further two points to leave the half time scoreboard reading Seneschalstown 0-05 Navan O’Mahonys 0-08.
Faced with the prospect of elimination before at the group stage should they not take something from the game, Seneschalstown needed a quick start to the second half and when Aaron Traynor and then corner back Cillian Lawlor raised white flags, it looked like this was going to be the case. O’Mahonys however were in no mood for lying down and they did manage the next point but were finding the conditions difficult for scoring and Cathal Darby in the goals was able to comfortably field a series of point efforts which dropped short.
Buoyed by this series of escapes, the home side scented the opportunity to put some daylight between them and the visitors. Midfielder Commons, who had been busy helping out in defence ghosted forward and when a loose ball bounced in the O’Mahonys square, he grabbed it before lashing it past the goalkeeper who had no chance of saving from point blank distance. He then followed up with a well taken point before Cian Rooney marked his introduction with a brilliantly taken goal after fielding a line ball. When Jack Owens stretched the lead to 6 points, Seneschalstown looked home and hosed but that late revival from the side in blue and white sparked some nervy moments before Hugo Whoriskey sounded the full-time whistle.
Seneschalstown (12 a-side): Cathal Darby; Cillian Lawlor (0-01); Conor Dunne; Dylan Geraghty; Will Finnegan; David Johnson; Conor McDonnell (0-01); Donal Commons (1-03); Liam Maguire (0-01); Seanie Dalton (0-01); Owen Mullen; Aaron Traynor (0-01).
Seneschalstown Substitutes: Jack Owens (0-01); Cian Rooney (1-00); Tom McDonnell.
