Match Report: Blessington 0-3 Seaford Rock United
LSL Sat Div 3
Back L-R: Shane Lauritsch, Barry Kirwan, Stephen Kelly, Theo Cullinane, Darren Grealish, Paidi O'Fatharta, Eoin English, Mark O'Brien. Front: David Mackey, Steve kane, Francis Mulhall, Donal Howley, Amer Herenda, Tyrone McNelis
Seaford secured three vital points in their battle against relegation with a brilliant performance and a well-deserved win at Blessington.
Having endured a terrible start to the season with eight straight losses, Blessington had won three out of four to leapfrog Seaford and send them into the relegation zone.
The visitors were dominant from the first whistle till the last, and the only disappointment was that wasteful finishing denied them the margin of victory that their performance merited.
Seaford took control of the match early on, with Tyrone McNelis's backheel setting up Paidi O'Fatharta, who picked his spot with his left foot, only for keeper Davide Lionello to make a stunning stop to keep the ball out of the net.
Lionello did well to deny a McNelis volley on 14 minutes, before a sensational saving tackle by Gerard McDonnell prevented O'Fatharta from tapping home after Seaford's front two combined again.
Blessington's only notable chance fell to midfielder Jason Carroll, but Eoin English got down smartly to deny him, as Seaford continued to make the running. Man-of-the-match Theo Cullinane deftly spun away from his man on the edge of the box before stinging Lionello's palms with a powerful strike, before Mark O'Brien squared to present O'Farharta with a brilliant chance to break his duck for the seaon, only for the striker to fluff his shot from close range, allowing Lionello to save yet again.
The men in green never had a footing in the game, their attack continually disrupted by the midfield industry of O'Brien and Cullinane, but time and again Lionello's heroics kept the home side in the match. Early in the second half he made a fine stop to keep out Donal Howley's 20-yard strike, before tipping Francis Mulhall's long-range rocket over the bar.
He was finally beaten on 56 minutes when Howley's drilled corner was met by the head of centre back Stephen Kelly, who made no mistake from six yards out. Three minutes later, Kelly made it 2-0 with another header, expertly flicking Steve Kane's whipped free-kick into the net.
The floodgates were open now, and Mulhall grabbed Seaford's third in just six minutes, making a superb run to the near post to convert Kane's cross from close range.
Curtis Geraghty headed just over as Blessington tried to find a way back into the match, with Aaron O'Hara also going close with a cross-shot, but Seaford continued to enjoy the best chances. Howley and sub Dave Mackey combined well to set up McNelis, who ghosted past two opponents, but couldn't beat Lionello, and the Blessington stopper denied him yet again in injury time after he was put clean through by Howley.
The three points lift Seaford above their hosts and out of the relegation positions and ensure both of the club's teams finish 2016 on the back of excellent away wins.
Seaford: Eoin English; Steve Kane, Amer Herenda, Stephen Kelly, Darren Grealish, Theo Cullinane (Barry Kirwan, 89), Mark O'Brien, Donal Howley, Francis Mulhall (Shane Lauritsch, 71), Paidi O'Fatharta (Dave Mackey, 71), Tyrone McNelis. Goals: Kelly (56, 58) Mulhall (64)
Blessington: Davide Lionello, Cliff Browne (Eoin Lyons, 77), Gerard McDonnell (Eddie Boylan, 64), Stephen Creighton, David Carroll, Jordan Nolan, Aaron O'Hara, Jason Carroll, Curtis Geraghty, Patrick Carroll, Conor Atkinson (Stephen Cashin, 63)
Crosschapel 10 December 2016
Having endured a terrible start to the season with eight straight losses, Blessington had won three out of four to leapfrog Seaford and send them into the relegation zone.
The visitors were dominant from the first whistle till the last, and the only disappointment was that wasteful finishing denied them the margin of victory that their performance merited.
Seaford took control of the match early on, with Tyrone McNelis's backheel setting up Paidi O'Fatharta, who picked his spot with his left foot, only for keeper Davide Lionello to make a stunning stop to keep the ball out of the net.
Lionello did well to deny a McNelis volley on 14 minutes, before a sensational saving tackle by Gerard McDonnell prevented O'Fatharta from tapping home after Seaford's front two combined again.
Blessington's only notable chance fell to midfielder Jason Carroll, but Eoin English got down smartly to deny him, as Seaford continued to make the running. Man-of-the-match Theo Cullinane deftly spun away from his man on the edge of the box before stinging Lionello's palms with a powerful strike, before Mark O'Brien squared to present O'Farharta with a brilliant chance to break his duck for the seaon, only for the striker to fluff his shot from close range, allowing Lionello to save yet again.
The men in green never had a footing in the game, their attack continually disrupted by the midfield industry of O'Brien and Cullinane, but time and again Lionello's heroics kept the home side in the match. Early in the second half he made a fine stop to keep out Donal Howley's 20-yard strike, before tipping Francis Mulhall's long-range rocket over the bar.
He was finally beaten on 56 minutes when Howley's drilled corner was met by the head of centre back Stephen Kelly, who made no mistake from six yards out. Three minutes later, Kelly made it 2-0 with another header, expertly flicking Steve Kane's whipped free-kick into the net.
The floodgates were open now, and Mulhall grabbed Seaford's third in just six minutes, making a superb run to the near post to convert Kane's cross from close range.
Curtis Geraghty headed just over as Blessington tried to find a way back into the match, with Aaron O'Hara also going close with a cross-shot, but Seaford continued to enjoy the best chances. Howley and sub Dave Mackey combined well to set up McNelis, who ghosted past two opponents, but couldn't beat Lionello, and the Blessington stopper denied him yet again in injury time after he was put clean through by Howley.
The three points lift Seaford above their hosts and out of the relegation positions and ensure both of the club's teams finish 2016 on the back of excellent away wins.
Seaford: Eoin English; Steve Kane, Amer Herenda, Stephen Kelly, Darren Grealish, Theo Cullinane (Barry Kirwan, 89), Mark O'Brien, Donal Howley, Francis Mulhall (Shane Lauritsch, 71), Paidi O'Fatharta (Dave Mackey, 71), Tyrone McNelis. Goals: Kelly (56, 58) Mulhall (64)
Blessington: Davide Lionello, Cliff Browne (Eoin Lyons, 77), Gerard McDonnell (Eddie Boylan, 64), Stephen Creighton, David Carroll, Jordan Nolan, Aaron O'Hara, Jason Carroll, Curtis Geraghty, Patrick Carroll, Conor Atkinson (Stephen Cashin, 63)
Crosschapel 10 December 2016