Seneschalstown 1-13 Navan O’Mahony’s 0-10

Seneschalstown booked their place in this year’s JM Food Services Football League Division 2 Final and earned promotion back to Division 1 at the first attempt after coming from behind to beat Navan O’Mahony’s in this last four encounter played in Paddy O’Brien Park on Tuesday evening.  Trailing by three points at half time, and by the same margin with twenty minutes left Seneschalstown produced a power packed final twenty minutes to win by six points.

Having won the round robin encounter in Seneschalstown a little over three weeks ago by ten points, Seneschalstown knew that the outcome would be far from that heading into Brews Hill with their hosts having finished top of the regular League table. They were also short three bodies who started that day in the form of Niall Hickey, Dylan Keating and Brian Maguire, who was a very late withdrawal from the starting XV.

After the toss, Seneschalstown played into the wind towards the Aldi end of the ground in the first half in front of a huge crowd from both clubs. Backed by the breeze, O’Mahony’s kicked the opening score in the second minute via the post.

Seneschalstown were presented with a great opportunity to get themselves settled into the game when Donie Commons caught a ball dropping into the square. As he turned Commons was tripped and referee Robbie Barrett awarded a penalty. Eoin Finnegan, who was in great goalscoring form in the League, assumed responsibility but this time he dragged his effort right and wide of the post.

Seneschalstown, sporting their new jerseys for the first time appeared a tad jittery in the opening half and had to wait until the tenth minute for their opening point. Finnegan tapped over a close range free after O’Mahony’s were guilty of a three up breach in their own half.

O’Mahony’s restored their early lead with a quickfire brace of points in the 16th and 17th minutes. Two minutes later Seneschalstown got their first score from play when they countered quickly from their own half via the hands of Donie Commons and Colin Scanlon and the move was finished off by Alan Mulvany from the right of the posts. The home side replied at the other end two minutes later to move 0-04 to 0-02 ahead after 21 minutes.

Seneschalstown kept in touch and defended rather well considering the two point threat O’Mahony’s carried with the wind. Eoin Finnegan was next to score for David Hosie’s side when Seneschalstown got out of a tight corner in their own half of the pitch before Finnegan was found in space and he carried the ball a long way to pop over.

Seneschalstown would have certainly taken the one point margin at the break but were guilty of a couple of mistakes late in the half which the home side punished to increase their advantage to 0-06 to 0-03 as the half time whistle sounded. The visitors had work to do.

The opening minutes of the second half would have done little to ease the nerves of the Seneschalstown support as they didn’t make any inroads into the Hoops’ lead. Crucially though they didn’t fall any further behind before eventually getting on the scoreboard again.

When Danny Waters was fouled in the middle of the pitch under the O’Mahony’s scoreboard, Robbie Barrett deemed he had been impeded within the four metres allowed for the solo and go rule and from a nothing situation, Seneschalstown had a free shot on goal. Cian Commons elected to take the ball outside the two point arc, and when his side needed a score he stepped up to the mark sending the ball sailing between the posts. This turned momentum in Seneschalstown’s favour.

Simon Rooney, who was enjoying a fine game in the full back line won a ball in defence and when he played a pass he continued his run before receiving possession again. As he went forward Eoin Finnegan presented himself and when the captain got the ball he made space and his shot from outside the arc landed between the posts to a massive roar and Seneschalstown lead for the first time in the game, and more importantly wouldn’t be headed thereafter.

From the resulting kickout, Danny Waters picked up the breaking ball and he set up Alan Mulvany who was able to carry the ball to the edge of the arc and slice over for a third orange flag in the space of two minutes for Hosie’s side!

The game was a battle throughout and to their credit O’Mahony’s kept plugging away with consecutive points at the three quarter mark to leave the minimum between the sides.

Seneschalstown increased their lead again when Cian Commons fetched a David Gordon kickout before setting Mulvany away towards goal. The number eleven could have went himself but he laid the ball off to Aran Carey, who was introduced earlier in the half, and he sensibly fisted over with ten minutes to go.

Seneschalstown again won the kickout and Colin Scanlon fed Éamon Finnegan who had all the time in the world to take aim for a two point shot which went over and now the visitors lead by 0-12 to 0-08 with the clock ticking down. Points in the 53rd and 57th minutes brought the home side to within a score but Seneschalstown finished strongly.

After working the short kickout and getting up the pitch, Danny Waters and Colin Scanlon combined and the Meath Under 20 got into space to pop over from a central position.

With the clock now in injury time, O’Mahony’s tried to work a goal to bring them level but when Seneschalstown cleared one such dangerous ball they swiftly moved upfield. Alan Mulvany got in space and hit a shot from a tight angle. It fell short and after Donie Commons tried to get on the end of it, it fell to Eoin Finnegan. Finnegan attempted to fist over but only succeeded in playing the ball across goal where Darren O’Brien happened to be waiting to palm the ball into the net and put the seal on a Seneschalstown victory.

After a couple of more plays, the full time whistle went and Seneschalstown could start planning for a final date with their other Navan neighbours, Simonstown Gaels who overcame Duleek/Bellewstown in the other semi-final on Tuesday night.

Seneschalstown will be pleased to gain promotion at the first opportunity having been demoted last year and now have the opportunity to win their first Senior title since winning the same competition in 2019. The turnaround is quick though, with the final taking place this Saturday evening July 25th at 19:00 in Dunganny.

Seneschalstown: David Gordon, Conor McDonnell, Woodley Nicholson, Simon Rooney, Séimí Byrne, Colin Scanlon (0-01), Ronan Conneely, Donie Commons, Danny Waters, Éamon Finnegan (0-02, 1tp), Alan Mulvany (0-03, 1 tp), Darren O’Brien (1-00), Cathal Hickey, Cian Commons (0-02, 1tpf), Eoin Finnegan (0-04, 1tp, 1f).

Subs Used: Aran Carey (0-01), Liam Dillon, Seán Reilly

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