U-17 League Division 4 Final

Seneschalstown 2-14
Brú na Boinne 1-16

Over the years Páirc Tailteann has played host to many classic matches but few could match the levels of commitment, heart and desire shown by both the Brú na Boinne and Seneschalstown sides last night.  With the match throwing in at a quarter past eight and not finishing until almost half ten after extra time these players emptied themselves for the cause on a school night.  It cannot be underestimated how hard these sides worked on the night and this was in evidence when both lost their talisman in extra time, Podge McGowan from the amalgamation and Adam Carey from Seneschalstown, both of whom were unable to give any more to the cause.  The two teams have had a very close rivalry down through the years but to their credit this rivalry never spills over on the field of play.  There is an old Irish saying that " honour is more precious than gold" and if this has a bar of truth to it then these players are indeed very precious to their clubs as they played with honour. 

Brú na Boinne were first to register a score when pointing from play after only forty one seconds.  Seneschalstown were struggling to get a foothold in the match and suffered a major blow only four minutes later.  Ruairí McDonagh pulled off a fine save to prevent a near certain goal but no sooner had Seneschalstown earned this reprieve than the ball was in the back of the net.  The Slane/St. Marys combination followed this goal up with another point from play less than a minute later to go five in front after six minutes before Seneschalstown registered their opening score of the match. 

Robert Wogan, spotting that the centre of the Brú defence was wide open ran onto a loose ball about fifty metres from goal.  Scooping the ball up he soloed forward at pace before pointing high over the bar.  While the Seneschalstown supporters would have hoped this score would have a settling effect on the team it was actually Brú na Boinne who responded best to it, kicking the next four scores.  In this period they landed three points from play between the fourteenth and seventeenth minutes while also adding a pointed free in the twenty first. 

By now Seneschalstown appeared to be in difficulty all over the field and they began to take remedial action with the switching of Niall Hickey out to midfield with Adam Carey moving to centre back and Eoin Finnegan going to full forward with Ryan O'Dowd moving to the forty.  They also introduced Dylan Doyle at this point, Doyle having had a major influence in last year's U-16 Summer League Final victory over St. Patrick's.  The first fruits of this reshuffling of the pack appeared when Eoin Finnegan grabbed a magnificent goal to throw his side a lifeline.  Wogan delivered a low ball in front of Finnegan who when gaining possession had only one thought on his mind, goal.  Turning his man immediately he rode some tough tackles before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner at the O'Mahonys end of the field to narrow the deficit between the sides to five points. 

Brú na Boinne though were fully deserving of this lead and indeed it could have been more as a few shots could easily have gone under the bar but had instead gone over.  Their response to this set back of Finnegan's goal said much for their abilities as they kicked two points to edge back into a seven point lead with thirty minutes on the clock.  However, in first half stoppage time Seneschalstown were to be thrown a lifeline just as it appeared their challenge might be disappearing underwater.  Substitute Doyle went on a surging run at the Brú defence.  Strong as an ox Doyle tore through the defence and unleashed a shot for goal which the goalkeeper did very well to save with his feet.  When the ball spilled loose in the square Eoin Finnegan reacted quickest to poke it into the net and somehow send his side in only four points in arrears at the end of the half in spite of them performing nowhere near their abilities for the majority of the thirty one minutes. 

When the two teams re-emerged onto the immaculate Páirc Tailteann playing surface it was Brú na Boinne who once again started the half the quickest, kicking two points in the first four minutes.  Finnegan then kicked Seneschalstown's first of the half when converting an easy fourteen metre free before Wogan tapped over a close range free of his own.  Hickey, beginning to exert more of an influence on proceedings had been brought to ground illegally and when displeasure was voiced at the decision the free was brought forward to leave Wogan with the simplest of tasks to tap over.  Managing to string a couple of scores together for the first time in the match Seneschalstown picked off another when a Finnegan effort which appeared to be dropping short just about had the legs to get over, dropping on the crossbar.  This score had come about following a fine fetch from Hickey in the centre of the park before he managed to offload the ball under severe pressure to Doyle who delivered a low ball for Finnegan to run onto. 

In the forty second minute Brú na Boinne brought this scoring run to a close when pointing from play before Seneschalstown introduced Jordan Oganami into the fray in place of Richard McKeown who following a switch earlier in the half with Brian Maguire had been desperately unlucky to see a goal attempt roll wide of the post.  Finnegan tagged on another free before Wogan kicked a sumptuous point from play.  Tracking back he dispossessed his man with a well-executed tackle before setting sail for the Brú goals.  Once he got within shooting distance he sent a fabulous effort between the uprights for an inspirational score. 

By now the game was well and truly in the melting pot and with only two points now between the sides it was anybody game to go on and win.  Brú edged back in front by three when pointing a fifty third minute free before Finnegan cancelled this one out with one of his own.  Daniel O'Reilly who had tried his heart out all evening without anything really going his way pulled the deficit back to the minimum when fisting over the bar after getting on the end of a loose ball following another surging run from Doyle. 

When the linesman put the sign up to signal there would be two minutes of additional time at the end the sixty Seneschalstown were still that one point behind and trying desperately to engineer one last opportunity to score an equaliser.  If there is one trait which this side has in abundance though it is perseverance, as evidenced by their stoppage time goal to win their semi-final the preceding week.  With the two minutes of stoppage time almost elapsed Cathal Finnegan, on as a first half substitute, was felled following a push in the back giving his elder brother Eoin one last opportunity to equalise.   As all the Seneschalstown support looked on anxiously Finnegan, with ice in his veins coolly slotted the thirty five metre free from out on the right over the bar to draw his side level and send the match to extra time.  

Just as they had done in each half of normal time Brú na Boinne struck first in extra time when pointing a free before Cathal Finnegan, after selling his marker a beautifully executed dummy displayed his accuracy when pointing from almost out in the hospital car park.  A lengthy delay was to follow soon after when Brú na Boinne's talisman Podge McGowan was forced to leave the field on a stretcher after going down injured over along the terrace and then shortly afterwards Seneschalstown lost Adam Carey when he also picked up an injury.  In between these two players going off injured Wogan had edged his side into the lead for the first time, his score arriving with seventy minutes on the clock. 

The Slane and Donore youngsters though equalised after capitalising on a ball being expertly kept in play when it seemed certain to go out over the endline and pointing to leave the sides tied 2-11 to 1-14 at the extra time interval. 

Eoin Finnegan edged his side back in front  after fifty one seconds of the second period of extra time when pointing after getting on the end of a delivery from David Fox, now operating in the somewhat unfamiliar surrounds of midfield following a positional switch with Hickey.  Good work from O'Reilly out on the right sideline and then from Robert Littler saw Doyle gain possession and when he sent the ball sailing between the posts it appeared as though all the momentum was with Seneschalstown.  Doyle's point being a just reward for his persistence after he had earlier hit a couple of wides and also struck the post on three occasions. 

Brú na Boinne though were in no humour to let the game slip away from them in this manner and they hauled themselves back into the match with points from play in the seventy third and seventy eight minutes.  When the clock ticked into the eightieth minute there was not a soul to be found in the Brew Hill venues stand that would not have willingly come back in a weeks' time for a replay.  Both sides though were striving for that one last chance to get a winner and Seneschalstown thought they might be able to conjure that opportunity when awarded a line ball some thirty metres out from goal. 

David Fox, a colossus throughout took responsibility for the kick but most unlike him miskicked the ball giving it away to a Brú defender.  Eager to make amends for his error he ran infield and showing his strength in the tackle was able to strip the ball in the tackle and after a scramble for the now loose ball got it to Oganami along the endline.  Oganami after gathering possession sent the ball across the square with a kick pass where young Cathal Finnegan, the smallest player on the field caught it on his chest.  Finnegan managed to evade a couple of tackles and under severe pressure, somehow managed to fist the ball over the bar to send all present from Yellow Furze and Kentstown into raptures.  From the subsequent kickout the referee blew his full time whistle to signal the games conclusion and the great escape as Seneschalstown had comeback from a poor first half performance to secure the victory. 

Great credit must be given to both the players and management of Brú na Boinne and Seneschalstown who more than played their part in this epic clash and no doubt both sides will meet again next year at minor level.  Seneschalstown may have struggled during the first half but when switches were made they all tended to work out for the better.  Niall Hickey had a fine game when switched to midfield and then later in the match was indestructible at the edge of the square when back at full back while David Fox drove his side forward when moving out to midfield.  Also great credit must go to Doyle who kept being willing to have a shot even when his earlier efforts were not going over the bar and he received his just reward when pointing that superb effort in the second half of extra time.  On a night when some of the unsung players on the team stood up and led the charge none did this more than Eoin O'Reilly who had a brilliant second half which helped turn the tide of the match, popping up with numerous telling interceptions and tackles.  Also credit to the supporters of both sides who travelled to Páirc Tailteann in huge numbers and especially to those from Seneschalstown who dashed to Navan after playing for Meath Ladies U-12 team in Skryne. 

Finally, nothing sums up the last passage of play like the following quote from Gardner Hunting:

"Believe you can and you can.
Believe you will and you will.
See yourself achieving,
and you will achieve"

Seneschalstown Scorers:  Eoin Finnegan 2-06 (0-3 Frees), Robert Wogan 0-04 (0-01 Free), Cathal Finnegan 0-02, Daniel O'Reilly 0-01, Dylan Doyle 0-01.

Seneschalstown Ruairí McDonagh, Richard McKeown, David Fox, Louis Healy, Eoin O'Reilly, Niall Hickey, Conor Cantwell, Daniel O'Reilly, Adam Carey, Shane Mulvany, Eoin Finnegan, Robert Wogan, Brian Maguire, Ryan O'Dowd, David Gordon.

Seneschalstown Substitutions:  Dylan Doyle for S. Mulvany, Cathal Finnegan for D. Gordon, Jordan Oganami for R. McKeown, Jason Kearney for R. O'Dowd, Robert Littler for A. Carey, Ruairí Keogh for E. O'Reilly.

Brú na Boinne:  Darren Berrill, Finn Searle, Tadhg Maloney, Gavin Carolan, Aaron Lane, Andrew Everard, Liam White, Paraic McGowan, Eoin Gibbs, Matthew Tully, Eanna Mooney, Stephen Kells, Ciaran Clarke, Daniel Forde, Johnny Daly. 

Brú na Boinne Substitutes:  Tyrone Thompson, Jake Tallon, Pat Nulty and Ralph McGuinness.

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