Reserve Cup Division 2 Group A Round 2
Seneschalstown 5-05 St. Colmcille’s 3-10
Seneschalstown produced the ultimate smash and grab in the second round of the Reserve Cup to snatch victory from St. Colmcille’s on Tuesday night. Having conceded a 58th minute goal which left them four behind, it looked like the visitors would be leaving Piltown empty handed. However, what transpired in the remaining ninety seconds of normal time is likely to be the most dramatic ending you will see to a club game this year.
Seneschalstown opened the scoring in the game after 75 seconds with Seán Commons finding the target before the hosts replied the with their first of what would be eight goals over the course of the hour to move two ahead.
Commons was heavily involved early on, and when he sidestepped a defender back onto his left foot close to goal in the sixth minute, he sent a powerful drive goalward which ended up in the roof of the net. The home side edged themselves in front with a quick-fire brace of points but Will Finnegan , from play, and a Commons free put Seneschalstown’s noses in front again as the quarter hour mark ticked by.
Seneschalstown threatened to undo all their good early work when conceding a sloppy goal in the 19th minute but their response to this again was impressive. Corner forward Alex Finnegan stepped up to mark as he put his name to 1-01 for himself in just under two minutes. The goal came after good work from Liam Maguire and Finnegan calmly finished to the net after being played in by Dylan Keating. His point was a fine effort off his weaker left foot.
Indeed, Seneschalstown profited from some slack defending which allowed Seán Commons ghost in unmarked in front of goal to take the ball around the goalkeeper and finish to the net to move them five ahead. The last score of the half went the way of the home side leaving Seneschalstown 3-04 to 2-03 up at the interval.
After playing down the slight hill in the first half Seneschasltown knew they would be up against it after the break with the cross field breeze not doing either side any favours.
Seneschalstown did struggle in the second period and a period of dominance for the home side from the restart up to edging themselves ahead in the 58th minute yielded a tally of 1-06 with the only riposte for the visitors coming from a slightly fortuitous point from Dylan Keating which bounced over the bar after a slip from the St. Colmcille’s goalkeeper.
However, just as the game looked to be petering out Seneschalstown found something from deep down. After a couple of attacks previously had broken down at the last juncture, they eventually got in on goal when the Fox’s combined with David spotting Mark in behind and for the second week in a row the midfielder rattled the net to throw Seneschalstown a lifeline. Still one point down entering the final sixty seconds, Seneschalstown went in search of an equaliser.
The ball was worked back into shooting range and it dropped in around the goalmouth. It wasn’t dealt with and the ball broke between the goalkeeper and Dylan Keating. Keating got there first to palm into the net and remarkably put Seneschalstown into lead.
Now the onus was on the Cilles to find something. They did manage a point but the Seneschalstown rearguard effort was strong and shortly afterwards the full time whistle went on a rather lively game.
Seneschalstown travel to Duleek/Bellewstown next week where a win would keep them in contention for a semi-final place.
Seneschalstown: David Gordon, Colm McDonnell, Eoghan McGauran, Seán Reilly, Liam Maguire, Jamie Kirwan, Neil Darby, Mark Fox (1-00), Will Finnegan (0-01), Dylan Keating (1-01), Seán Commons (2-02, 1f), Joe Norris, Alex Finnegan (1-01), Jack Freyne, Jamie Barry.
Subs: David Fox, Luke Healy, Owen Mullen, Josh Keating, Shane Mulvany
