Feis Cup Round 1
Seneschalstown 2-9 Na Fianna 2-11
On a wonderful night for football, Seneschalstown made the rather long trip to Enfield for the 1st Round of the Feis Cup to take on hosts Na Fianna as the action got underway on the Meath club scene for 2021. It was the first game in charge for new manager Anthony Malone, along with his selectors Kieran Shankey and Alan Geraghty, and the lads were keen to start the year on a positive note.
Feis Cup Round 1
Seneschalstown 2-9 Na Fianna 2-11
On a wonderful night for football, Seneschalstown made the rather long trip to Enfield for the 1st Round of the Feis Cup to take on hosts Na Fianna as the action got underway on the Meath club scene for 2021. It was the first game in charge for new manager Anthony Malone, along with his selectors Kieran Shankey and Alan Geraghty, and the lads were keen to start the year on a positive note.
Playing into a diagonal breeze in the first half, Seneschalstown were nearly a goal down straight away as Na Fianna conjured up a goal chance, only for Alan Mulvany to make a crucial intervention just when it looked like the Na Fianna player had an empty net to tap into. Seneschalstown began to warm to the task thereafter and notched up the first two points of the game. Firstly, Niall Lyons clipped over after some quick thinking from Cathal Finnegan, before Finnegan himself landed a free off the deck. Na Fianna began to edge their way into the game with the Queeney brothers to the fore. Na Fianna led by one at the first water break – 0-3 to 0-2, and that lead increased shortly after when Daniel Quenney excellently placed a shot into the top right corner of Davy Lyons’ net, giving the new captain no chance with a terrific finish. Finding themselves five points in arrears, Seneschalstown needed a response quickly. Finnegan pointed a free, and Alan Mulvany tapped over a point as the visitors tried to claw themselves back into contention before half time. Na Fianna had also added a couple of points to maintain their cushion before Seneschalstown were handed a major fillip right on the half time whistle.
Dylan Keating had a point attempt which held up in the breeze and was dropping in around the Na Fianna goalmouth. Cathal Finnegan challenged Shane Geraghty in the air and managed to get a fist to the ball and direct it into the net. Seneschalstown now had momentum as the teams changed ends for the second half.
Still two points behind, Seneschalstown were eager to push on from their goal and overturn the deficit. However, after a scoreless spell early in the second half it was Na Fianna who broke the duck and unfortunately for Seneschalstown it was in the form of a goal. After a free dropped short, it ricocheted around the large square before the corner forward pulled on the loose ball to finish to the net and Seneschalstown had to start their comeback all over again.
Collie Carr and Finnegan kicked over points to reduce the gap to three before Na Fianna had a purple patch, opening up a 6 point lead with some well taken points. Anthony Malone asked for one last big push from his charges and he certainly got that in the closing stages. Bryan Clarke kickstarted the revival with a fine point from out on the left, followed up by a second Seneschalstown goal which really made things interesting, Eoin Finnegan finishing through the legs of the Na Fianna goalie to leave only a goal between the teams. James Meade curled over another effort, before Alan Mulvany pointed off the outside of his right boot and Seneschalstown really had their tails up with now only one point between the sides. As Seneschalstown tried to press up for a late equaliser, Na Fianna wrapped up victory with an insurance point on the break leaving the visitors to South Meath empty handed in their first competitive outing since last September. The lads will be looking to bounce back next Wednesday when they host Wolfe Tones in Round 2 of the competition at 7:45.
Seneschalstown: D. Lyons, M. Fox, J. Smith, W. Nicholson, A. Mulvany (0-02), N. Hickey, S. Carey, C. Noonan, C. Carr (0-01), N. Lyons (0-01), B. Clarke (0-01), J. Gilsenan, D. Keating, C. Finnegan (1-03), N. McCabe.
Subs Used: E. Finnegan (1-00), S. Commons, R. Howard, J. Meade, P. Finegan, J.Kirwan, R. Wogan
