Match Report: Booth Road Celtic 5-1 Seaford Rock United
FAI New Balance Junior Cup, Third Round
Seaford were taught a footballing lesson by an accomplished Booth Road Celtic side, who eased into Round 4 of the FAI Junior Cup.
The game was done and dusted before half time, as the hosts raced into a four goal lead, dominating the match with a suffocating pressing game off the ball and superb movement and technical skill when in possession.
There was, though, an element of fortune to their opener, as a through-ball ricocheted off two Seaford defenders before breaking perfectly for Shane Merrigan to slot home.
But there was nothing lucky about Merrigan's second, as he combined brilliantly with Jordan Payne to lash home from the edge of the box.
Two goals in a minute killed the tie off for the men in green, both extremely disappointing from a Seaford perspective. First, Payne nicked the ball off a defender to run through unopposed to make it three, before Daniel Whitefield was left completely free to nod home a James Kelly free-kick from point-blank range.
It was a different match after the break, with Booth Road taking their foot off the gas in after half time, and Seaford showing far greater resilience. There were few chances at either end before Garrett Connolly finally tested Gary Clearly, who tipped wide. Connolly then laid in strike partner Christian Firth, whose effort was inches over.
Moments later at the other end, Philip Sheppard made it 5-0, smashing into the roof of the net from close range, before Seaford finally got some reward for their toil with a late consolation. Ryan McEnroe ran to the near post to step over an MJ Tierney corner, allowing Andy Roe to volley home first-time.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan; Mike O'Neill, , Paul Tansey, Stephen Kelly (David Higgins, 22), Fionn Lawlor; Oli Wright (Andy Roe, 56) Ryan McEnroe, Darragh Connolly (MJ Tierney, 69), Chris Monk (James Thompson, 69), Christian Firth, Garrett Connolly (Gavin Walsh, 81) : Goals: Roe (84)
Booth Road Celtic: .Gary Cleary, Aaron Connolly (Stephen Bermingham, 56), Jordan Roe, Matthew Holland, James Kelly, Daniel Whitefield (Philip Sheppard, 56), Aaron Byrne, Mikey Collins (Cormac Kennedy, 53), Jordan Payne, Shane Merrigan, Nathan Rock. Goals: Merrigan (6, 27), Payne (37), Whitefield (38)
SDFL, 20 October 2018
The game was done and dusted before half time, as the hosts raced into a four goal lead, dominating the match with a suffocating pressing game off the ball and superb movement and technical skill when in possession.
There was, though, an element of fortune to their opener, as a through-ball ricocheted off two Seaford defenders before breaking perfectly for Shane Merrigan to slot home.
But there was nothing lucky about Merrigan's second, as he combined brilliantly with Jordan Payne to lash home from the edge of the box.
Two goals in a minute killed the tie off for the men in green, both extremely disappointing from a Seaford perspective. First, Payne nicked the ball off a defender to run through unopposed to make it three, before Daniel Whitefield was left completely free to nod home a James Kelly free-kick from point-blank range.
It was a different match after the break, with Booth Road taking their foot off the gas in after half time, and Seaford showing far greater resilience. There were few chances at either end before Garrett Connolly finally tested Gary Clearly, who tipped wide. Connolly then laid in strike partner Christian Firth, whose effort was inches over.
Moments later at the other end, Philip Sheppard made it 5-0, smashing into the roof of the net from close range, before Seaford finally got some reward for their toil with a late consolation. Ryan McEnroe ran to the near post to step over an MJ Tierney corner, allowing Andy Roe to volley home first-time.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan; Mike O'Neill, , Paul Tansey, Stephen Kelly (David Higgins, 22), Fionn Lawlor; Oli Wright (Andy Roe, 56) Ryan McEnroe, Darragh Connolly (MJ Tierney, 69), Chris Monk (James Thompson, 69), Christian Firth, Garrett Connolly (Gavin Walsh, 81) : Goals: Roe (84)
Booth Road Celtic: .Gary Cleary, Aaron Connolly (Stephen Bermingham, 56), Jordan Roe, Matthew Holland, James Kelly, Daniel Whitefield (Philip Sheppard, 56), Aaron Byrne, Mikey Collins (Cormac Kennedy, 53), Jordan Payne, Shane Merrigan, Nathan Rock. Goals: Merrigan (6, 27), Payne (37), Whitefield (38)
SDFL, 20 October 2018