Seneschalstown chopped down by the ‘Wood
What started as fortnight full of promise as Seneschalstown looked forward to a Senior Championship Quarter Final, Junior B Championship Semi-final, B League Division 6 final and a Junior D Championship final ended in disappointment this afternoon in the immaculate Sean Newman Park in Bohermeen as our Junior D team suffered defeat against the very experienced Kilmainhamwood team who counted 8 members of their Keegan Cup winning panel of 1996 in their ranks by my reckoning.
Seneschalstown chopped down by the ‘Wood
What started as fortnight full of promise as Seneschalstown looked forward to a Senior Championship Quarter Final, Junior B Championship Semi-final, B League Division 6 final and a Junior D Championship final ended in disappointment this afternoon in the immaculate Sean Newman Park in Bohermeen as our Junior D team suffered defeat against the very experienced Kilmainhamwood team who counted 8 members of their Keegan Cup winning panel of 1996 in their ranks by my reckoning.
Kilmainhamwood used their experience to very good effect over the course of the game with the wily Ray Magee leading the way in the full forward line. Magee used his class to great effect and the All Ireland winner of 1999 ultimately proved the difference between the 2 teams.
Seneschalstown started the game the brighter and were 2 points to no score up after 4 minutes following a left footed point from out on the left wing from Sean Doyle and an Aled Igman free which followed a foul on Doyle from where the ball landed, Doyle having this time attacked down the right hand side. In the 9th minute Mark Keating bravely won a ball in defence and after the ball was worked up to Ted McDonnell he launched a rugby style garryowen into the centre Robert Mullen latched onto it before striking his first point over the bar.
Alas Seneschalstown weren’t to score for the remaining 22 minutes of the first half with Kilmainhamwood making greater use of their possession with David Russell kicking 3 points and Ray Magee notching 2. The 5th of those points was slightly contentious as it wasn’t clear which way the referee was giving the free and then it was brought forward 13 metres following some dissent in the Seneschalstown rear-guard. At half time the scoreline was Kilmainhamwood 0-05 – 0-03 Seneschalstown.
The start to the second half was end to end with Kilmainhamwood shading it thanks to a goal from Magee after a minute. This was an immediate response to a point from Mullen which was scored after a great burst through the centre of the ‘Wood’s defence. Igman then got a point from a free which was from a tight angle on the left hand side of the ground.
Seneschalstown then reduced the deficit to 1 point again when Terry Maguire scored a fine left footed point after driving through the heart of the defence and then a pointed free from Doyle who gave his all for the cause over the course of the hour. Unfortunately this was as close as Seneschalstown got for the remainder of the game as less than two minutes later the Kilmainhamwood centre forward from 1996 expertly converted a penalty leaving the score line 2-05 to 0-07.
The men from North Meath then notched two points in the 45th and 48th minutes which were sandwiched by a good point from James Gillic after being set up by Tommy Duggan. Igman then tagged on two points to give Seneschalstown hope as the game reached its climax and hope began to rise that a comeback was on the cards. However those hopes were to be dashed as in injury time David Russell capped a superb performance by scoring 1-01 to seal the JFC D final for Kilmainhamwood.
The score line was harsh on Seneschalstown but congratulations to Kilmainhamwood on their victory. As mentioned earlier Ray Magee was the difference between the two sides and his performance today serves as a reminder that there is more to life than football as was noted in the acceptance speech by the Kilmainhamwood captain.
Credit is due to the entire panel and their management for what was a very good campaign with great turnouts for training each night a hallmark of this year’s campaign.
Seneschalstown: Shane Corbally, Mark Keating, Mick Beggy, Mark Fox, Jimmy Reilly, Terry Maguire (0-01), Sean Doyle (0-02), Tean Cummins, Aled Igman (0-04), Danny McLoughlin, James Gillic (0-01), S. Gargan (c), Tommy Duggan, Robbie Mullen (0-02), Tony McDonnell.
Subs: Martin Clarke for T. McDonnell, Ronan Conneely for J. Reilly, Cormac Mullen for D. McLoughlin, Darragh Keogh for T. Duggan.
