JM Food Services Football League Division 2 Round 7
Seneschalstown 0-18 St. Patrick’s 3-13
Seneschalstown succumbed to back to back defeats in the JM Food Services Football League Division 2 after St. Patrick’s struck for three goals which were telling in the scorline at the end. Having reduced the gap back to the minimum after a Danny Waters point with 13 minutes to go, the visitors went long from the kickout and caught the Seneschalstown rear-guard knapping, they notched up their third goal which knocked the wind totally out of Seneschalstown’s sails and the East Meath side never looked back.
Seneschalstown played with aid of a very strong wind in the opening half but it was St. Patrick’s who were first on the board inside a minute. Seneschalstown levelled the game up after two minutes when the returning Cathal Finnegan tapped over a free after the visitors overcarried in their own square. St. Patrick’s went back in front again after four minutes and the quick start continued when Darren O’Brien won James Meade’s long kickout, picked out Joey Moore inside who turned and popped over.
Cathal Finnegan put Seneschalstown ahead for the first time with a long range effort from play from the 45 and that was doubled when Alan Mulvany and Robbie Finnegan linked up 20 metres to the left of the goal for the latter to score. Seneschalstown were beginning to get on top and Mulvany put his name on the scoresheet when Eoin Finnegan set him up to shoot from 35 metres out.
Seneschalstown’s next score involved some good fortune when Cathal Finnegan’s curling effort looked to have not come around in time but the umpire’s behind the goal saw different and put up the white flag. However, Seneschalstown appeared to use up all their good charm in that moment as in the next five minute spell, Pats’ ratcheted up the intensity and rocked their hosts to the tune of 2-02. The first goal came in the 14th minute when a St. Patrick’s forward got in one on one and produced a lobbed finish over Meade, the second after a trademark Jamie Murphy long range free dropped into the square and wasn’t dealt with by the Seneschalstown defence and ball was slotted to the corner of the net.
After going 10 minutes without a score and falling five points behind, Cathal Finnegan stemmed the tide with a pointed free. He also won the resultant kickout and spotted the keeper off his line. Wind assisted, his effort went over rather than under the crossbar.
Seneschalstown were enjoying another spell of dominance and Robbie Finnegan kicked two in a row, one of either foot. Pat’s’ responded with a point of their own but two frees from Alan Mulvany had Seneschalstown on level terms after a frenetic opening half, 2-06 to 0-12.
Mulvany kicked his third on the trot when he knocked over a close range free two minutes after the resumption to put the hosts ahead once again but with St. Patrick’s now backed by the strong elements they themselves put over four points on the trot to lead by three after 42 minutes.
Cathal Finnegan was once again on target from a free and when Danny Waters chipped over after being set up by Darren O’Brien, it looked like Seneschalstown would kick on again.
However, the aforementioned third goal arrived for St. Patrick’s from a long kickout and this knocked the stuffing out of the home side. The winners added three of the next four points, with a Cathal Finnegan free Seneschalstown’s only score in this timeframe.
Six down late on, two more frees from Cathal Finnegan was as close as Seneschalstown could get as they slipped to their second consecutive defeat in the League.
Seneschalstown: James Meade, Liam Dillon, Simon Rooney, Cormac Carolan, Seán Carey, Brian Maguire, Mark Fox, Darren O’Brien, Danny Waters (0-01), Robbie Finnegan (0-03), Joey Moore (0-01), Dylan Keating, Cathal Finnegan (0-09, 6fs), Eoin Finnegan, Alan Mulvany (0-04, 3fs).
Subs Used: Ronan Conneely, Ross Howard, David Fox
