Match Report: Dunboyne AFC 1-3 Seaford Rock United
LSL Saturday Major 1B
On a sodden pitch In driving wind and rain in County Meath, it was never going to be a classic, but Seaford again showed their mettle to record a fourth straight league win.
The hosts are cast adrift at the foot of the table, and although a late strike from range gave them fleeting hope, it was a rare strike on goal and the visitors largely controlled the match from start to finish.
With the gale at their backs, Seaford had gone close through long range efforts from the two outstanding performers, David Higgins and Stephen Canavan before Dunboyne almost took the lead against the run of play when their most dangerous player Matthew Curtis curled a superb pass in behind the navy defence, only for Oisin Geoghegan to rush off his line and deny lone front man Sam McQuaid.
It was Canavan who broke the deadlock on 20 minutes, powering a header past Rob Hickey from Darragh Connolly's whipped corner, and another delivery from the Dundalk man almost led to a second, but from a tight angle Ryan Scollard volleyed into the side netting.
Seaford continued to pin the hosts back after the break, with Canavan laying in Connolly, who evaded Hickey but couldn't squeeze his shot past the recovering defenders. Canavan made it 2-0, running on to Paul Tansey's through-ball and netting at the second attempt after initially being denied by Hickey.
It ought to have been three or four for the visitors, Canavan had a golden chance for a hat-trick from a Scollard cross, but he somehow headed the ball onto his own knee with the goal at his mercy, before Hickey kept out Mike O'Neill's attempted chip before denying Scollard in the same phase of play.
Dunboyne took advantage of Seaford's profligacy by halving the deficit through Scott Crawford's long-range strike with two minutes to play, and they briefly rallied launching throw-ins and long balls into the visitors' area, but Higgins had the last say deep into stoppage time. Receiving Eoin Mahon's throw-in, Dunboyne expected him to take the ball to the corner flag, but they were caught out by the midfield giant twinkle-toed skills, as he skipped past two defenders by the goalline before slotting home.
The win lifts Seaford into the top three, with games in hand on their rivals, but tougher challenges lie ahead if they are to maintain their upward progress.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan; Steve Kane (Eoin Mahon, 59) Gavin Walsh (Paul Tansey, 62), Stephen Kelly, Oli Wright, Mike O'Neill (Andy Roe, 80), Sam Browne, David Higgins Darragh Connolly (MJ Tierney, 73) , Ryan Scollard (Collie Barrett, 82) Stephen Canavan : Goals: Canavan (20, 72) Higgins (90 + 4)
Dunboyne: Rob Hickey, Kevin Culhane, Darragh Herd (Joey Sapsed, 74), Eoin Herd, Thomas Phelan, Gary Phelan, Matthew Curtis, Philip Darcy (Kieran O'Reilly, 64), Sam McQuaid, Adam Jackman, Scott Crawford.: Goal: Crawford (88)
Summerhill Road, 26 January 2019
The hosts are cast adrift at the foot of the table, and although a late strike from range gave them fleeting hope, it was a rare strike on goal and the visitors largely controlled the match from start to finish.
With the gale at their backs, Seaford had gone close through long range efforts from the two outstanding performers, David Higgins and Stephen Canavan before Dunboyne almost took the lead against the run of play when their most dangerous player Matthew Curtis curled a superb pass in behind the navy defence, only for Oisin Geoghegan to rush off his line and deny lone front man Sam McQuaid.
It was Canavan who broke the deadlock on 20 minutes, powering a header past Rob Hickey from Darragh Connolly's whipped corner, and another delivery from the Dundalk man almost led to a second, but from a tight angle Ryan Scollard volleyed into the side netting.
Seaford continued to pin the hosts back after the break, with Canavan laying in Connolly, who evaded Hickey but couldn't squeeze his shot past the recovering defenders. Canavan made it 2-0, running on to Paul Tansey's through-ball and netting at the second attempt after initially being denied by Hickey.
It ought to have been three or four for the visitors, Canavan had a golden chance for a hat-trick from a Scollard cross, but he somehow headed the ball onto his own knee with the goal at his mercy, before Hickey kept out Mike O'Neill's attempted chip before denying Scollard in the same phase of play.
Dunboyne took advantage of Seaford's profligacy by halving the deficit through Scott Crawford's long-range strike with two minutes to play, and they briefly rallied launching throw-ins and long balls into the visitors' area, but Higgins had the last say deep into stoppage time. Receiving Eoin Mahon's throw-in, Dunboyne expected him to take the ball to the corner flag, but they were caught out by the midfield giant twinkle-toed skills, as he skipped past two defenders by the goalline before slotting home.
The win lifts Seaford into the top three, with games in hand on their rivals, but tougher challenges lie ahead if they are to maintain their upward progress.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan; Steve Kane (Eoin Mahon, 59) Gavin Walsh (Paul Tansey, 62), Stephen Kelly, Oli Wright, Mike O'Neill (Andy Roe, 80), Sam Browne, David Higgins Darragh Connolly (MJ Tierney, 73) , Ryan Scollard (Collie Barrett, 82) Stephen Canavan : Goals: Canavan (20, 72) Higgins (90 + 4)
Dunboyne: Rob Hickey, Kevin Culhane, Darragh Herd (Joey Sapsed, 74), Eoin Herd, Thomas Phelan, Gary Phelan, Matthew Curtis, Philip Darcy (Kieran O'Reilly, 64), Sam McQuaid, Adam Jackman, Scott Crawford.: Goal: Crawford (88)
Summerhill Road, 26 January 2019