SFC: Gallant defeat for Seneschalstown

Seneschalstown's Dylan Keating

Seneschalstown 3-11 Wolfe Tones 1-24

Seneschalstown concluded the group phase of the Fairyhouse Steel Meath Senior Football Championship with a gallant defeat at the hands of Wolfe Tones played in Rathkenny on Saturday evening. Both sides knew their fate coming into this game no matter what happened with Seneschalstown facing into the relegation playoffs while their opponents could not be caught at the top of the group.

Tones got the opening score inside the first minute which Cian Commons answered with a fine point in the third minute.  The eventual winners nudged back in front before Seneschalstown got the first goal of the game. Dylan Keating, who would go onto finish with 2-05, was quickest to a ball that came down off the post and he finished to the net with the help of a deflection.

Wolfe Tones replied with six straight points on the bounce before a Keating two point effort reduced arrears and Cathal Finnegan marked his first Seneschalstown start in over twelve months with a point when he cut in from the right hand side. Tones again enjoyed another purple patch knocked over six in a row again to lead 0-14 to 1-04 coming up to half time.

However Seneschalstown would have the last say of the half as another high ball in towards the Tones rearguard wasn’t dealt with and Séimi Byrne picked up the loose ball to slam to the net as Seneschalstown trailed by four at the break.

The sides swapped points at the outset of the second period with Cathal Finnegan knocking over a close range free for the men in yellow before the Gibstown/Kilberry outfit stretched their legs and reeled off 1-07 to put the game beyond Seneschalstown’s reach. The Yellow Furze men did keep up the good fight and enjoyed the better of the last ten minutes.

Cian Commons kicked a two point effort from play which Dylan Keating added to shortly afterwards. Wolfe Tones kicked another point down the other end before Alan Mulvany added his name to the scoresheet for Seneschalstown.

Their third goal arrived two minutes from time when Eamon Finnegan won a high ball and laid off to the onrushing Keating who produced an emphatic finish and it was him who finished the scoring for the evening with another two pointer from play by which stage there was seven between the sides.

Seneschalstown must take the positives from the performance and refocus their attention to those aforementioned relegation playoffs in two weeks time.

Seneschalstown: David Gordon, Conor McDonnell, Danny Waters, Simon Rooney, Séimí Byrne (1-00), Woodley Nicholson, Éamon Finnegan, Darren O’Brien, Seán Carey, Ronan Conneely, Cian Commons (0-03, 1tp), Alan Mulvany (0-01), Cathal Finnegan (0-02, 1f), Dylan Keating (2-05, 2tp), Robbie Finnegan.

Subs: Seán Reilly, Ryan Finnegan, Brian Maguire