Match Report: Kilmore Celtic 2-4 Seaford Rock United
LSL Saturday Major 1C
Seaford produced a fine display to claim the scalp of lead-leading Kilmore Celtic in Coolock.
The hosts have been a formidable side in recent seasons, with this being just their third league defeat in almost two years -- but two of those were against the Penguins.
Without a recognised goalkeeper available, attacker Ryan Scollard donned the gloves for the first time in his long Seaford career and produced a very solid display, even if his first act was to pick the ball out his net after Kilmore's Paul Duffy glanced a header into the corner inside five minutes.
Seaford's were content to let the hosts have plenty of the ball, but looked to attack quickly, such as when Brian Murphy's through-ball found Desmond Eiffe, but Aaron Gaffney raced off his line to deny the winger.
And Eiffe made an important intervention at the end, flinging himself in front of Jake McGrane's goal bound effort to make a spectacular block.
Mate Salacan's free kick deliveries caused Kilmore problems all afternoon, and and only a crucial deflection prevented Jamie McCaul from nodding home an equaliser shortly before the break, but early in the second half Salacan took matters into his own hands, curling a beauty into the top corner from 30 yards to level the scores.
Kilmore reacted strongly and had a string of chances to re-take the lead. Sam Browne made a crucial block on the goalline to deny McGrane, before almost deflecting a cross into his own net, and Duffy went close twice, blazing one effort over the bar from ten yards before smashing another against the crossbar, and Scollard made a smart save with his feet to deny Damien O'Connor.
But some inspitred substitutions from Paulie Morris turned the tide for Seaford, with one of them making an instant impact - Eoin Kenny curling home a splendid shot with his first touch off the bench.
The home side levelled again with twelve to play when Duffy converted at the back post afer the Penguins failed to clear a corner, but Seaford continued to commit play4rs forward and were rewarded with a brilliant winner on 88 minutes.
Zitian Xiang burst down the right and picked out Chenghao Liu, who set the ball for Finn O'Neill, and the youngster brilliantly wrapped the ball into the net via the beans to bag his first Seaford goal.
Kilmore were reduced to ten men in injury time, and there was still time for James Kearney to add a fourth with the last kick of the game after being laid in by Kenny on the counter attack.
The win ends a disappointing spell of one win in five for Paulie's Prems as they seek to restore their early-season form for the second half of the campaign.
Seaford: Ryan Scollard, Zitian Xiang, Brian Murphy, Darragh Roche, Sam Browne, Mate Salacan (Ran Tao, 74) James Kearney, Dan Kennedy (Finn O'Neill, 80), Desmond Eiffe (Chenghao Liu, 81) Jamie McCaul Shane Halpin (Eoin Kenny, 68)
Kilmore Celtic: Aaron Gaffney, Josh Kelly, Sean Norris, Adam Griffin, Jordan O'Reilly, John Sullivan, Paddy WIlkinson, Josh Griffin, Payl Duffy, Jake McGrane, Craig Macken
Parnell's Astro, 17 February 2024
The hosts have been a formidable side in recent seasons, with this being just their third league defeat in almost two years -- but two of those were against the Penguins.
Without a recognised goalkeeper available, attacker Ryan Scollard donned the gloves for the first time in his long Seaford career and produced a very solid display, even if his first act was to pick the ball out his net after Kilmore's Paul Duffy glanced a header into the corner inside five minutes.
Seaford's were content to let the hosts have plenty of the ball, but looked to attack quickly, such as when Brian Murphy's through-ball found Desmond Eiffe, but Aaron Gaffney raced off his line to deny the winger.
And Eiffe made an important intervention at the end, flinging himself in front of Jake McGrane's goal bound effort to make a spectacular block.
Mate Salacan's free kick deliveries caused Kilmore problems all afternoon, and and only a crucial deflection prevented Jamie McCaul from nodding home an equaliser shortly before the break, but early in the second half Salacan took matters into his own hands, curling a beauty into the top corner from 30 yards to level the scores.
Kilmore reacted strongly and had a string of chances to re-take the lead. Sam Browne made a crucial block on the goalline to deny McGrane, before almost deflecting a cross into his own net, and Duffy went close twice, blazing one effort over the bar from ten yards before smashing another against the crossbar, and Scollard made a smart save with his feet to deny Damien O'Connor.
But some inspitred substitutions from Paulie Morris turned the tide for Seaford, with one of them making an instant impact - Eoin Kenny curling home a splendid shot with his first touch off the bench.
The home side levelled again with twelve to play when Duffy converted at the back post afer the Penguins failed to clear a corner, but Seaford continued to commit play4rs forward and were rewarded with a brilliant winner on 88 minutes.
Zitian Xiang burst down the right and picked out Chenghao Liu, who set the ball for Finn O'Neill, and the youngster brilliantly wrapped the ball into the net via the beans to bag his first Seaford goal.
Kilmore were reduced to ten men in injury time, and there was still time for James Kearney to add a fourth with the last kick of the game after being laid in by Kenny on the counter attack.
The win ends a disappointing spell of one win in five for Paulie's Prems as they seek to restore their early-season form for the second half of the campaign.
Seaford: Ryan Scollard, Zitian Xiang, Brian Murphy, Darragh Roche, Sam Browne, Mate Salacan (Ran Tao, 74) James Kearney, Dan Kennedy (Finn O'Neill, 80), Desmond Eiffe (Chenghao Liu, 81) Jamie McCaul Shane Halpin (Eoin Kenny, 68)
Kilmore Celtic: Aaron Gaffney, Josh Kelly, Sean Norris, Adam Griffin, Jordan O'Reilly, John Sullivan, Paddy WIlkinson, Josh Griffin, Payl Duffy, Jake McGrane, Craig Macken
Parnell's Astro, 17 February 2024
