Feis Cup Round 1
Seneschalstown 0-17 Wolfe Tones 1-11
Having met in Kilberry the previous Sunday the Senior footballers of Seneschalstown and Wolfe Tones renewed acquaintances on Sunday morning in Fr. Tully Park in the opening round of the 2016 Feis Cup. The recent weather conditions had led to some doubt as to whether the playing surface was fit for action but with the benefit of it being the first game played at the venue for the year saw it passed playable by referee Gus Martyn prior to the throw in.
Feis Cup Round 1
Seneschalstown 0-17 Wolfe Tones 1-11
Having met in Kilberry the previous Sunday the Senior footballers of Seneschalstown and Wolfe Tones renewed acquaintances on Sunday morning in Fr. Tully Park in the opening round of the 2016 Feis Cup. The recent weather conditions had led to some doubt as to whether the playing surface was fit for action but with the benefit of it being the first game played at the venue for the year saw it passed playable by referee Gus Martyn prior to the throw in.
With the contingent of players who had been abroad skiing now available for selection from the start this was the strongest selection available to David Hosie so far this season and so the team showed a few alterations to that which started in the corresponding League game with Cormac Noonan and John Smith both drafted in, Smith fresh from his heroics with DKIT in winning the Trench Cup in Belfast less than twenty-four hours previously.
A strong wind blowing across the field allied with the heavy going underfoot made conditions difficult for both teams but it is to their credit that both sides managed to play some excellent football throughout the hour. For Seneschalstown Bryan Clarke was in scintillating form throughout and it was he who kicked the opening point of the match on two minutes when after being picked out with a low pass from Stephen Finnegan out on the right he shot across his body and saw the ball clip the left hand post before dropping over the crossbar. On six minutes he picked off another before Sean Noonan sent over a brilliant score from distance after getting on the end of some excellent play from Tigerish corner back Niall Hickey and the hard working Jonny Gilsenan. The opening ten minutes then closed out with a fine Stephen Finnegan point when after being fouled he was alert to receive a quickly taken Damien Sheridan free and then curled over from distance.
Wolfe Tones were struggling to get good ball into their full forward line but when they did on twelve minutes full forward Fiachra Ward managed to open their account with a well taken effort from play. Seneschalstown’s full forward Brian Sheridan then drew a foul with the resultant free being converted by Clarke. The Tones though were growing into the match and county U-21 player Thomas O’Reilly soon chalked up a brace of points, one from a free and the second from play after he reacted quickest to a ball broken down by Fiachra Ward when a Cian Ward free had fallen short.
Stephen Finnegan sought to reassert the Seneschalstown dominance on the scoreboard when replying with a point but O’Reilly was becoming a thorn in the home sides defence and he soon hit back with his third point. Not to be outdone by his fellow left corner forward Bryan Clarke soon showed off his renowned abilities from frees as he sent over a booming sixty metre free. Up to this point Seneschalstown had struggled to open up the Wolfe Tones defence for goal scoring opportunities and seemed content to pick off long range points but soon after Clarkes magnificent free Brian Sheridan found himself with a chance but saw his powerful shot fly marginally over the crossbar, the chance arising after excellent work from Niall Hickey and Clarke.
Having seen one opportunity go abegging at one end the home side were to see one taken at the other when following an inopportune slip from full back Cormac Noonan Fiachra Ward got goal side and he placed Thomas O’Reilly who gave Shane Corbally no chance of making a save to raise the green flag. The goal bringing O’Reilly total for the half to an impressive goal and three points. With their lead now only at a solitary point and Wolfe Tones tails up Seneschalstown needed a riposte before Gus Martyn would bring the first half to a close and a response they did manage to get as the in form Clarke sent over two points, the first from a free and the second from play after he got on the end of a pass from Jonny Gilsenan.
This brought his teams advantage back out to three points at 0-10 to 1-04 and that’s the way it was to stay at the interval as both teams headed for the warmth and relative calmness of their dressing rooms as they sought refuge from the elements. Just prior to the half time break Gerry Sheridan had been drafted into the Seneschalstown rear-guard in an attempt to put the shackles on O’Reilly as the corner back continues his reintegration into the team having missed the entirety of the 2015 season while John Smith and Cormac Noonan had switched positions.
Upon the resumption Brian Sheridan extended the Seneschalstown lead when striking over a free but two minutes later former Meath footballer Cian Ward replied with a free of his own. Wolfe Tones then had a golden opportunity to equalise on thirty-eight minutes but they were most unfortunate to see an excellent shot hit the crossbar and ricochet to something resembling safety. Ward though did manage to convert a free to ensure they got something from a period of possession in attack.
Bryan Clarke sought to reassert his influence on proceedings when he sent over a free following the introduction of Adam Carey for James Meade who had put in a huge shift on the forty. Wolfe Tones were certainly on top around the middle of the field with Alan Callaghan central to this and he was to get his reward approaching the three quarter stage when he sent over a well taken point into the railway end of the ground. Soon after they were almost in for a second major only for Niall Hickey to spot the impending danger and make an invaluable interception.
Bryan Clarke was having a stormer up front and having drawn a foul he was to push the Seneschalstown lead back out to three once more when converting the resultant free. The elder Ward hit back with a free of his own but Clarke then pointed from play when after being fed by Sean Noonan he could have been in for a goal only to spill possession. Not one to panic he managed to scoop the ball back up again and point although his frustration at possibly passing up a goal scoring opportunity was clear for all to hear.
With players beginning to tire in the heavy conditions the Seneschalstown management team sought to freshen their team up with the introduction of minor player Eoin Finnegan and Conor Cowley. Thomas O’Reilly managed a brace of frees soon after but sandwiched in between these was a converted free from Finnegan after he had been hauled down as he headed for goal after latching onto a Bryan Clarke pass. Cian Ward then put just the two points between the sides when stroking over a free but Seneschalstown managed to close the game out in stoppage time when firstly Bryan Clarke sent over a corker of an effort from play and then Eoin Finnegan popped over a second free.
This was an impressive performance from the home side and with players such as Sean McCabe and Gerry Sheridan amongst the selection mix allied to the youthful exuberance of Niall Hickey and Trench Cup winner John Smith their defensive options seem to be stronger and from a deeper pool than in recent seasons.
Seneschalstown: Shane Corbally, Niall Hickey, Cormac Noonan, Sean McCabe, David Matthews, John Smith, James Byrne, Joe Sheridan, Damien Sheridan, Jonathan Gilsenan, James Meade, Stephen Finnegan (0-02), Sean Noonan (0-01), Brian Sheridan (0-02, 0-01 free), Bryan Clarke (0-10, 0-05 frees).
Seneschalstown Substitutions: Gerry Sheridan for S. McCabe, Adam Carey for J. Meade, Eoin Finnegan for S. Finnegan, Conor Cowley for D. Matthews, Niall Groome for J. Gilsenan.
