Quarryland Construction Reserve Cup Division 2 Semi-Final
Seneschalstown 2-12 Blackhall Gaels 0-10
Seneschalstown advanced to the final of the 2024 Quarryland Construction Reserve Cup Division 2 after an eight point win over Blackhall Gaels in Fr. Tully Park on Wednesday night. After the rain caused the postponements of many club activities over the past week, it was a relief to many that the pitch was finally in a playable condition again as we resumed our busy game schedule.
Conditions could not have been any better for both teams as it was a dry night with no wind to speak of.
It was the Batterstown/Kilcloon side who made a quick start when Peter O’Halloran got the game underway quickly registering the opening two in just under as many minutes, one of which was from a free. It took the home side about five minutes to settle, and when they did it was full-forward David Fox, who would go onto have a big influence in the first half hour before his withdrawal, who came up with Seneschalstown’s opening score of the hour.
They were boosted moments later when Éamon Finnegan got on the end of a move to finish low to the bottom right corner of the net to put Seneschalstown ahead, a lead they would not relinquish from there to the end. By the eighth minute the hosts were four ahead, Seán Commons firing over one his now customary points from the next parish which successfully landed between the sticks.
Blackhall Gaels replied shortly afterwards, but Shane Mulvany restored the four point cushion with a score from a tight angle out on the right hand side in the 13th minute. Fox added his second score from the centre of the ‘D’, but two frees from the South Meath side kept them in touch.
However, a mini burst from Stan O’Brien’s side gave them breathing space for the first time in the game in the run up to the break. David Fox brought his tally to 0-04 for the half with a quickfire brace of efforts which included a fine individual effort of his left foot after weaving in and out of a couple of challenges. This mini spell of dominance concluded a bit of a collector’s item, a point from Cormac Carolan from 25 metres out,
Blackhall Gaels’ only answer in this period was a pointed free which turned out to be the last score of the opening half. Indeed, Seneschalstown were unfortunate not to be further ahead than the 1-07 to 0-06 on the scoreboard at the break had it not been for two superb saves from the Blackhall keeper.
If there was any chance that Seneschalstown would allow a comeback from the visitors to unfold, it was well and truly put to bed inside the third quarter with an unanswered 1-03.
Having been thwarted twice in the first half, James Conlon finally put his name on the scoreboard when he blasted over the bar with a goal on after being spotted inside. It was a case of fourth time lucky literally seconds for Conlon, when after Darren O’Brien was denied a goal of his own by yet another save from the Blackhall keeper, Conlon was on hand to scoop the ball home on the rebound, giving Seneschalstown an eight point lead in the 37th minute. O’Brien and Will Finnegan added to the Seneschalstown tally before the game entered its final stages, Finnegans score was a particularly impressive individual point.
Seneschalstown’s scoring rate dropped a bit in the final quarter, as Blackhall chased the game with a couple of white flags of their own. Jamie Kirwan engineered some space for himself in front of goal and converted an effort off his weaker right foot, and Owen Mullen sealed the home sides passage when he got on the end of a fine team move to split the uprights. In the end a couple of late efforts from the side in blue and yellow hoops added little more than consolation to the scoreline, but there was one occasion where David Gordon had to be alert to a dipping effort from long range as Blackhall searched for a goal.
It was a positive night for Seneschalstown where 25 players saw gametime and all 2-12 came from play. The win sees Seneschalstown through to their first Reserve Cup Final since the competition came into existence after the pandemic, while it’s also an opportunity for the club to claim the first bit of silverware at adult level since the 2021 Premier Divsion 4 title was won. Fixture details for the final against St. Patrick’s will be confirmed in due course and posted on our social media channels.
Seneschalstown: Luke Healy, Seán Martin, Ronan Conneely, Peter Tierney, Cormac Carolan (0-01), Liam Dillon, Mark Fox, Darren O’Brien (0-01), Seán Commons (0-01), Éamon Finnegan, Joey Moore, Jack McDonnell, Shane Mulvany (0-01), David Fox (0-04), James Conlon (1-01).
Subs Used: Owen Mullen (0-01), Jamie Kirwan (0-01), Danny Waters, David Gordon, Oran Lawlor, Will Finnegan (0-01), Eddie Meade, Alex Finnegan, Josh Keating, Seán Davis.
