Seaford Rock United
2015/2016 Season
The most frequently selected team, based on minutes played.
Second Team Manager: Barry Kirwan, Darren Grealish
First Team Player of the Year: Collie Dolan
First Team Top Goalscorer: Paul Lydon (9)
First Team - Most Assists: Paul Lydon (9)
Second Team Player of the Year: Darren Grealish
Second Team Top Goalscorer: Frank Mulhall (10)
Second Team - Most Assists: Tommy Crichlow (9)
(See below for full season stats and match details)
Story of the Season: First Team
The club made the decision to switch both of its teams to the Saturday divisions of the Leinster Senior League during the summer of 2015. The firsts were entered into Major 1C, alongside some familiar rivals from recent seasons such as Hartstown Huntstown, Greenhills and Liffey Wanderers.
And the side made a fine start to life in the new division, winning six of their first seven matches and establishing themselves at the top end of the table, with winger Stephen Faherty netting a number of crucial goals, and captain Mike O'Neill also finding the net frequently.
An early season highlight was in the cup tie aginst Greystones United at Archfield in Co. Wicklow. A pulsating match ended scoreless after 90 minutes, and extra time, and Seaford's keeper Eoin English was the hero in the penalty shootout, saving three Greystones spot kicks to secure the blues' spot in the next round of the Leinster Junior Cup.
They were unlucky to be eliminated by Wayside Celtic in the final match before Christmas, but by that stage the league campaign looked like being the primary focus, the heavy away defeat against Liffey Wanderers in October being the only blot on the copybook.
The side bounced back from another defeat away at Hartstown with a pair of emphatic wins over CYM Terenure and Beggsboro, but there then followed a run of eleven games that produced just two victories - both unconvincing wins over sides in the relegation zone of the table - and a number of truly awful results, including the team's heaviest defeat in at least a decade at home to Booth Road Celtic, and an abject capitulation away at bottom-ranked Leixlip United, when Seaford somehow contrived to blow a four-goal lead in the final 16 minutes of the match.
The final month of the season offered some ground for optimism, with impressive away performances against Booth Road and St James's Gate, and a decent showing in defeat at home to Greystones, but overall it was a year in which Seaford failed to capitalise on their early season momentum, and an eventual sixth place finish was a fair reflection of their campaign.
First Team Matches 2015/16
|
Date |
Competition |
Opposition |
|
|
|
Goalscorers |
Report |
|
5 Sep 15 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Phoenix FC |
H |
3-1 |
W |
Connolly, Scollard,
Lydon |
|
|
19 Sep 15 |
LJA Junior Cup |
Castle Celtic |
H |
4-2 |
W |
M O’Neill (2), Faherty,
Barrett |
|
|
3 Oct 15 |
LJA Junior Cup |
Greystones United |
A |
0-0* |
D |
|
|
|
10 Oct 15 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Edenderry Town |
H |
2-1 |
W |
Faherty, Lydon |
|
|
17 Oct 15 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Mount Merrion |
A |
2-0 |
W |
Faherty, Devaney |
|
|
24 Oct 15 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Liffey Wanderers |
A |
0-4 |
L |
|
|
|
31 Oct 15 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Clontarf |
H |
3-2 |
W |
Lydon, Connolly, M O’Neill |
|
|
7 Nov 15 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Hartstown Huntstown |
H |
4-3 |
W |
Dolan, Lydon,
Shelton, Brennan |
|
|
21 Nov 15 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
CYM Terenure |
H |
3-1 |
W |
Nolan, Dolan (2) |
|
|
16 Dec 15 |
LJA Junior Cup |
Wayside Celtic |
A |
0-1 |
L |
|
|
|
9 Jan 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Hartstown Huntstown |
A |
0-2 |
L |
|
|
|
23 Jan 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
CYM Terenure |
A |
4-1 |
W |
Lydon, Sullivan, Crowe (2) |
|
|
30 Jan 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Beggsboro AFC |
A |
6-3 |
W |
Sullivan (2), O’Huiginn
(2), Lydon, Cullen |
|
|
6 Feb 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Greystones United |
A |
0-5 |
L |
|
|
|
13 Feb 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Greenhills/Greenpark |
A |
3-2 |
W |
Sullivan, O’Huiginn,
Mulhall |
|
|
20 Feb 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Liffey Wanderers |
H |
2-4 |
L |
Sullivan, Lydon |
|
|
27 Feb 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Edenderry Town |
A |
1-3 |
L |
Dolan |
|
|
12 Mar 16 |
Ryan Cup |
Newtown Rangers |
A |
0-1 |
L |
|
|
|
19 Mar 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Mount Merrion |
H |
0-0 |
D |
|
|
|
2 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Leixlip United |
H |
3-2 |
W |
M O’Neill, O’Huiginn
(2) |
|
|
8 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Phoenix FC |
A |
0-3 |
L |
|
|
|
16 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Leixlip United |
A |
4-4 |
D |
Lydon (2), J O’Neill, o.g. |
|
|
21 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Booth Road Celtic |
H |
3-9 |
L |
J O’Neill, O’Huiginn,
Finnegan |
|
|
23 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Booth Road Celtic |
A |
1-1 |
D |
M O’Neill |
|
|
25 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Greenhills/Greenpark |
H |
3-2 |
W |
Bennett (2), Connolly |
|
|
30 Apr 16 |
Carroll Cup |
St James’s Gate |
A |
2-1 |
W |
Scollard, Crowe |
|
|
9 May 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Greystones United |
H |
0-2 |
L |
|
|
|
12 May 16 |
Carroll Cup |
Booth Road Celtic |
A |
1-5 |
L |
Crowe |
|
|
14 May 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Clontarf |
A |
5-3 |
W |
O’Huiginn (2), Devaney, Crichlow, Mulhall |
|
|
28 May 16 |
LSL Sat Major 1C |
Beggsboro AFC |
H |
1-2 |
L |
o.g. |
|
*aet, Seaford won 3-1 on penalties
First Team Stats - 2015/16
|
Player |
App |
Gls |
Ass |
Yel |
Red |
Mins |
|
Eoin English |
26 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2360 |
|
Paul Lydon |
27 |
9 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
2314 |
|
Paddy Costello |
24 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
2180 |
|
Adam Finnegan |
25 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1749 |
|
Collie Dolan |
20 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1607 |
|
Jim Nolan |
20 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1584 |
|
Caoimhin Fahy |
19 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1538 |
|
Steve Kane |
20 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1421 |
|
Stephen Faherty |
20 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
1411 |
|
John Bannon |
20 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1381 |
|
Mike O'Neill |
19 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1367 |
|
Rory O'Huiginn |
21 |
8 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
1354 |
|
Piers Shelton |
17 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1180 |
|
Dave Devaney |
14 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1129 |
|
Mark Cullen |
15 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
967 |
|
Darragh Connolly |
13 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
966 |
|
Jimmy Hussey |
10 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
759 |
|
Mark Sullivan |
11 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
718 |
|
James O'Neill |
8 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
539 |
|
Alan Brennan |
8 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
480 |
|
Robbie Murray |
7 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
475 |
|
Ryan Scollard |
7 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
466 |
|
Tony Bennett |
7 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
393 |
|
Tommy Crichlow |
6 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
370 |
|
Dylan O'Reilly |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
360 |
|
Harry Crowe |
5 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
222 |
|
John Power |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
189 |
|
Domhnall Howley |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
171 |
|
Darren Grealish |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
108 |
|
Coly McCarron |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
98 |
|
Andy Roe |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
28 |
|
Collie Barrett |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
25 |
|
Mark Hanratty |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Frank Mulhall |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Matt Tappin |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
|
Mikey Kane |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
|
Paidi O'Fatharta |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
|
Shane Lauritsch |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
The seconds blew hot and cold throughout their debut season in Saturday Division 3, with frustrating levels of inconsistency impeding their progress in the table, despite some excellent individual matches along the way.
Despite the failure to appoint a permanent successor to Paddy Hughes as manager, an influx of new players had generated some optimism before the new campaign. In the opening match, they were unlucky to be edged out 2-1 aginst a very strong Enniskerry side, and although a depleted team fell to a heavy defeat in Dunboyne a week later, the side bounced with a spectacular performance to beat eventual runners-up Glasnevin 7-2 at Rockfield Park, with midfielder Marc Smith netting a hat-trick.
But it was always a case of two steps forward and two steps back, as the team showed a remarkable propensity to win and then lose consecutive matches.
Frank Mulhall, returning to a centre forward role, emerged as a key player for the side, netting winning goals away to Mount Merrion Youths and DCU, in matches where keeper Dylan O'Reilly and his back four also played crucial roles in securing the points.
The Vere Deane Cup offered a new focus for the season in the second half of the campaign, as the seconds eliminated Spartak Dynamo and then Hyde Park before running aground against Dunboyne, who simply had too much quality for Seaford, and indeed they would go on to win the division comfortably.
League form in the meantime had been poor, with five defeats in a row, but under the leadership of interim management duo Baz Kirwan and Darren Grealish, they turned the corner with a fine win over promotion-chasing AIB at Rockfield Park, before recording an impressive win away at Blessington, and later in the week hammering Malahide United 6-2 having been a goal down at half time, but the season ended on a disappointing note with defeat at home against already-relegated Mount Merrion..
Second Team Matches - 2015/16
|
Date |
Competition |
Opposition |
|
|
|
Goalscorers |
Report |
|
29 Aug 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Enniskerry YC |
H |
1-2 |
L |
McCarron |
|
|
5 Sep 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Dunboyne AFC |
A |
0-6 |
L |
|
|
|
12 Sep 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Glasnevin |
H |
7-2 |
W |
Smith (3), Crichlow
(2), Barrett, Tappin |
|
|
26 Sep 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Swords Celtic |
A |
3-1 |
W |
Cullen, o.g.,
Roe |
|
|
3 Oct 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Clontarf |
H |
2-4 |
L |
Brennan, Crichlow |
|
|
10 Oct 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Cloughertown United |
A |
0-1 |
L |
|
|
|
24 Oct 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Portmarnock AFC |
H |
4-2 |
W |
Mulhall (2), Roe, Smith |
|
|
31 Oct 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Mount Merrion
Youths |
A |
1-0 |
W |
Mulhall |
|
|
28 Nov 15 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
A.I.B. FC |
A |
0-2 |
L |
|
|
|
23 Jan 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
DCU |
A |
2-1 |
W |
Mulhall (2) |
|
|
6 Feb 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Glasnevin |
A |
2-4 |
L |
Crichlow (2) |
|
|
20 Feb 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Portmarnock AFC |
A |
0-0 |
D |
|
|
|
27 Feb 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Blessington AFC |
H |
1-0 |
W |
O’Huiginn |
|
|
12 Mar 16 |
Deane Cup |
Spartak Dynamo |
H |
4-3 |
W |
Shelton, O’Neill, Mulhall,
Roe |
|
|
2 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Clontarf |
A |
3-2 |
W |
Lauritsch, McCarron, Howley |
|
|
9 Apr 16 |
Deane Cup |
Hyde Park |
H |
2-1 |
W |
Mulhall, Grealish |
|
|
14 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Ballyoulster United |
A |
0-1 |
L |
|
|
|
16 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Enniskerry YC |
A |
0-7 |
L |
|
|
|
21 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Malahide United |
A |
1-0 |
W |
O’Fatharta |
|
|
23 Apr 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Cloughertown United |
H |
1-2 |
L |
O’Fatharta |
|
|
30 Apr 16 |
Deane Cup |
Dunboyne AFC |
H |
0-5 |
L |
|
|
|
7 May 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Dunboyne AFC |
H |
2-4 |
L |
Crichlow, Brennan |
|
|
9 May 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
DCU |
H |
2-5 |
L |
Bennett, Mulhall |
|
|
12 May 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
AIB |
H |
3-1 |
W |
Scollard (2), Brennan |
|
|
21 May 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Blessington AFC |
A |
2-0 |
W |
Mulhall, Lydon |
|
|
23 May 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Swords Celtic |
H |
2-3 |
L |
O’Fatharta, Mulhall |
|
|
26 May 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Malahide United |
H |
6-2 |
W |
Dolan (3), McCarron (2), Crichlow |
|
|
28 May 16 |
LSL Sat Div 3 |
Mount Merrion
Youths |
H |
0-4 |
L |
|
|
Second Team Stats - 2015/16
|
Player |
App |
Gls |
Ass |
Yel |
Red |
Mins |
|
Darren Grealish |
25 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2132 |
|
Robbie Murray |
19 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1640 |
|
Frank Mulhall |
21 |
10 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1503 |
|
Barry Kirwan |
16 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
1360 |
|
Stephen Harding |
15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1350 |
|
Dylan O'Reilly |
15 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1350 |
|
Tommy Crichlow |
15 |
7 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
1239 |
|
Domhnall Howley |
17 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
1234 |
|
Tony Bennett |
16 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1126 |
|
Andy Roe |
13 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1085 |
|
Shane Lauritsch |
14 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1051 |
|
Alan Brennan |
14 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1049 |
|
Amer Herenda |
15 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1021 |
|
Marc Smith |
12 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
961 |
|
Coly McCarron |
15 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
893 |
|
Matt Tappin |
10 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
868 |
|
Mikey Kane |
13 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
766 |
|
Randal Boyle |
13 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
759 |
|
Paidi O'Fatharta |
14 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
740 |
|
Mark Cullen |
9 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
658 |
|
Eoin English |
7 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
630 |
|
Ross O'Riordan |
15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
426 |
|
Stephen Nolan |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
360 |
|
Collie Barrett |
5 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
354 |
|
Piers Shelton |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
329 |
|
Steve Kane |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
318 |
|
Rory O'Huiginn |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
270 |
|
James O'Neill |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
200 |
|
Adam Finnegan |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
180 |
|
Stephen Faherty |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
111 |
|
Gordon Baird |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
90 |
|
Paul Mulkerrin |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
90 |
|
Jimmy Hussey |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
90 |
|
Mike O'Neill |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
90 |
|
Ryan Scollard |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
90 |
|
Paul Lydon |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
90 |
|
Collie Dolan |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
90 |
|
John Bannon |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
90 |
|
Colin Connolly |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
88 |
|
Dave Cunningham |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
35 |
|
Barry O'Shaughnessy |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
32 |
|
Barry Glynn |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
30 |
|
Barry Lowry |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
25 |
|
Jamie Brennan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |