Match Report: Booth Road Celtic 2-2 Seaford Rock United
(Booth Road win 5-3 on pens)
Lanigan Cup
For the second time this year, Seaford were eliminated on penalties at Booth Road Celtic, again failing to hold on to a lead late in the game.
Against one of the elite junior sides in Dublin, the Penguins were second best in the opening period but more than made up for it after the break with a scintillating display that saw them dominate their top-flight opponents, only to let their advantage slip at the death.
It only took seven minutes for Booth Road to open the scoring, following some super combination play through midfield that freed Lee Keenan. His shot crashed off the crossbar, and although Neil Howarth initially denied Shane Merrigan's rebound with a stunning fingertip save back onto the bar, Merrigan made no mistake the second time around to nod home.
There followed a period when Seaford could barely get a kick of the ball, but it was sterile domination from the hosts, who failed to create a single clear chance. At the other end, Al Kennedy headed an MJ Tierney cross straight at Gary Cleary, before Cleary flew off his line and just about did enough to stop Harry Crowe from converting from a Kennedy pass.
The second half was a different story, as Seaford pinned Booth back and made all the running. They were rewarded by an equaliser netted by Chris Monk, who followed up after Cleary had palmed away Crowe's shot.
Suddenly, Cleary was keeping his side in the game, smothering Darragh Connolly's effort after the winger had burst past two opponents, before tipping away Alex Smirnoff's effort at full length and most dramatically saving David Higgins's penalty, after Stephen Canavan had been tripped following a pinpoint Smirnoff through-ball.
But Seaford still had all the momentum and hit the front shortly after. The move was started by Stephen Kelly, who found Kennedy and in turn Canavan slipped in Monk to bury his fifth goal in two appearances.
Booth Road, however, weren't done yet, and remarkably Cleary played a major role in their leveller. Into injury time, Now operating as a makeshift left back deep in the Seaford half, Cleary seemed to clear out Smirnoff as he desperately tried to prevent a breakaway. As Seaford appealed, Booth played on and, seconds later, a foul was instead given against Seaford's Cian McGuinness in the box. Philip Sheppard converted the penalty to force extra time.
Booth played that with ten men after James Kelly was dismissed for violent play. Seaford were inches from a winner when skipper Fionn Lawlor's volley flew past the angle of post and bar with Cleary rooted to the spot, and they survived a scare at the other end when Howarth parried Darren McKenna's defleced shot, and from the rebound Sheppard saw his effort blocked on the line by a defender.
So just as was the case in January, penalties were needed to separate the sides. Cleary managed to repel Lawlor's effort, and after Booth had fired home four fine spot-kicks, it was Merrigan who sealed their place in the next round.
Seaford: Neil Howarth, Jim Nolan, (Ian Nolan, 89), Fionn Lawlor , Stephen Kelly, Cian McGuinness, Sam Browne (David Higgins, 76) Al Kennedy, Chris Monk, MJ Tierney, (Alex Smirnoff, 65), Darragh Connolly (Mike O'Neill, 85), Harry Crowe (Stephen Canavan, 65). Goals: Monk (64, 82)
Booth Road Celtic: Gary Cleary, Aaron Connolly (Conor Doherty, 71), Jordan Roe, Ciaran Nangle, James Kelly, Kevin Quinn (Jason McKenna) (Darren McKenna, 96), Nathan Rock, Aaron Byrne (Philip Sheppard, 65), Shane Merrigan, Lee Keenan, Ryan Rock. Goals: Merrigan (7) Sheppard (90+3)
Greenogue, 27 November 2019
Against one of the elite junior sides in Dublin, the Penguins were second best in the opening period but more than made up for it after the break with a scintillating display that saw them dominate their top-flight opponents, only to let their advantage slip at the death.
It only took seven minutes for Booth Road to open the scoring, following some super combination play through midfield that freed Lee Keenan. His shot crashed off the crossbar, and although Neil Howarth initially denied Shane Merrigan's rebound with a stunning fingertip save back onto the bar, Merrigan made no mistake the second time around to nod home.
There followed a period when Seaford could barely get a kick of the ball, but it was sterile domination from the hosts, who failed to create a single clear chance. At the other end, Al Kennedy headed an MJ Tierney cross straight at Gary Cleary, before Cleary flew off his line and just about did enough to stop Harry Crowe from converting from a Kennedy pass.
The second half was a different story, as Seaford pinned Booth back and made all the running. They were rewarded by an equaliser netted by Chris Monk, who followed up after Cleary had palmed away Crowe's shot.
Suddenly, Cleary was keeping his side in the game, smothering Darragh Connolly's effort after the winger had burst past two opponents, before tipping away Alex Smirnoff's effort at full length and most dramatically saving David Higgins's penalty, after Stephen Canavan had been tripped following a pinpoint Smirnoff through-ball.
But Seaford still had all the momentum and hit the front shortly after. The move was started by Stephen Kelly, who found Kennedy and in turn Canavan slipped in Monk to bury his fifth goal in two appearances.
Booth Road, however, weren't done yet, and remarkably Cleary played a major role in their leveller. Into injury time, Now operating as a makeshift left back deep in the Seaford half, Cleary seemed to clear out Smirnoff as he desperately tried to prevent a breakaway. As Seaford appealed, Booth played on and, seconds later, a foul was instead given against Seaford's Cian McGuinness in the box. Philip Sheppard converted the penalty to force extra time.
Booth played that with ten men after James Kelly was dismissed for violent play. Seaford were inches from a winner when skipper Fionn Lawlor's volley flew past the angle of post and bar with Cleary rooted to the spot, and they survived a scare at the other end when Howarth parried Darren McKenna's defleced shot, and from the rebound Sheppard saw his effort blocked on the line by a defender.
So just as was the case in January, penalties were needed to separate the sides. Cleary managed to repel Lawlor's effort, and after Booth had fired home four fine spot-kicks, it was Merrigan who sealed their place in the next round.
Seaford: Neil Howarth, Jim Nolan, (Ian Nolan, 89), Fionn Lawlor , Stephen Kelly, Cian McGuinness, Sam Browne (David Higgins, 76) Al Kennedy, Chris Monk, MJ Tierney, (Alex Smirnoff, 65), Darragh Connolly (Mike O'Neill, 85), Harry Crowe (Stephen Canavan, 65). Goals: Monk (64, 82)
Booth Road Celtic: Gary Cleary, Aaron Connolly (Conor Doherty, 71), Jordan Roe, Ciaran Nangle, James Kelly, Kevin Quinn (Jason McKenna) (Darren McKenna, 96), Nathan Rock, Aaron Byrne (Philip Sheppard, 65), Shane Merrigan, Lee Keenan, Ryan Rock. Goals: Merrigan (7) Sheppard (90+3)
Greenogue, 27 November 2019