Meath B League Division 2 Round 3
Na Fianna 0-08 Seneschalstown 2-09
Meath B League Division 2 Round 3
Na Fianna 0-08 Seneschalstown 2-09
With Na Fianna’s pitch in Enfield deemed unplayable earlier in the day this B League Division 2 game was switched to their alternative grounds in Baconstown. With the clocks gone forward a week now and Championship just a week away the players must have been looking forward to getting to play football on drying ground but thanks to the incessant rain which fell all day what they actually ended up playing on resembled more of a mud bath but it is to the great credit of the Na Fianna club that they had a pitch capable of hosting this match on top of the preceding U-16 game between themselves and Simonstown Gaels.
It took only fifty-two seconds for the opening score of the match to arrive and when it did it came from the trusty boot of Stephen Finnegan who swung over after a clever ball back out the field from the raiding Adam Carey who had linked up well with James Conlon down the left flank of the Seneschalstown attack. This lead was extended to two when on eight minutes Shane Clarke tapped over a free following a foul on Ross Howard who was felled. Clarke soon added another on eleven minutes before Na Fianna hit their opening score when they pointed a fine score from out on the right.
Shane Clarke had started the game in fine form and it was the experienced centre forward who hit Seneschalstown’s fourth point before in the twentieth minute the small crowd in attendance was treated to a seldom spotted Joe Cowley point when the centre back swung over an inspirational point from distance after linking up well with Robert Ruddy. Na Fianna though were battling hard and kicked the next two points, the second of which came from a free. This left just two points between the sides but it was the away side who were to finish the half the stronger as they hit Na Fianna for a late goal and a point.
Firstly, Adam Carey once more raided forward from his wing back berth to great effect as he knocked over a well taken point before Ross Howard got onto the ball after fine play out on the right from Shane Clarke and Kevin Casey. Howard had open country in front of him and while he might be more suited to the top of the ground he raced away through the mud before laying off to James Conlon who made no mistake as he beat the goalkeeper at his near post to goal.
This left Seneschalstown in the ascendancy by 1-06 to 0-03 at the interval with the scorers being well assisted by the full back line of Colin Gleeson, Paul Carey and Colin Walsh who were dominant and Robert Ruddy who was having a fine outing at midfield.
Just as they had done in the first half Seneschalstown got off to a quick start in the second when Clarke hit over another free. After super play from Adam Carey and James Conlon the ball was worked to Neil Darby and from the resultant free Clarke tapped over from thirteen metres. Na Fianna replied with the next two points before being hit with a sucker punch.
Eddie Meade whose jersey might never be blue again got on the end of a fisted pass from substitute Gary Conlon who had carried in from the right and when Meade got possession he slipped the ball just inside the left hand upright to raise Seneschalstown’s second green flag of the game. Entering the final quarter Na Fianna managed to pull a point back when they took advantage of the Seneschalstown defenders napping when a quick free was taken.
Shane Clarke kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Dunbia sponsored outfit with another free, this one being the pick of the bunch as he launched his shot over from distance before Gary Conlon got the reward his efforts deserved following his introduction when he curled over with the aid of the left upright. This score was particularly notable for the fact that four substitutes were involved in the length of the field move for after Joe Cowley had dispossessed a Na Fianna attacker in with a well-executed challenge and Kevin Casey tidied up the ball was worked the whole way up the field through the hands of Ruairí Keogh, Ronan Conneely and Paul McDonnell before Conlon sent over his beauty of a shot.
Na Fianna kept battling until the finish and ended up getting the last two points of the game to leave seven between the sides when referee Patrick Nelis sounded the final whistle.
This was a solid performance from Seneschalstown who were particularly well served by Paul Carey, Robert Ruddy and Eddie Meade while Ruairí Keogh did well following his introduction.
Seneschalstown: Shane Corbally, Colin Gleeson, Paul Carey, Colin Walsh, Kevin Casey, Joe Cowley (0-01), Adam Carey (0-01), Neil Darby, Robert Ruddy, James Meade, Shane Clarke (0-05, 0-04 Frees), Stephen Finnegan (0-01), James Conlon (1-00), Eddie Meade (1-00), Ross Howard.
Seneschalstown Substitutions: Paul McDonnell for S. Finnegan, Ruairí Keogh for A. Carey, Gary Conlon (0-01) for J. Conlon, Aled Ingman for R. Ruddy, Rob Darby for J. Meade and Ronan Conneely for G. Conlon.
