Match Report: Leixlip 4-4 Seaford Rock United
LSL Sat Major 1c
90 minutes that reflected Seaford's season as a whole: a bright start followed by a total collapse. During a campaign which has seen its fair share of abject performances, throwing away a 4-0 lead against the league's bottom-placed side surely represents a new nadir.
When, on 68 minutes, James O'Neill punished Eoin Hackett's mistake to slot home his first ever Seaford goal, within seconds of coming off the substitute's bench, the visitors looked set to cruise to their first genuinely comfortable victory of the season.
Even when Ruan Hannon slotted home from Calvin Bay's pass to make it 4-1 with a quarter of an hour to play, it seemed just a question of seeing out the match for the navy blues.
But two penalties in as many minutes, both converted by Sven Bianbuma, changed the complexion of the match entirely, and after Rory O'Huiginn, usually so clinical in front of goal, blazed over the bar from seven yards in the 86th minute, Leixlip took full advantage of the let-off, with Hannon grabbing his second of the game.
Earlier, Seaford had been completely dominant. Niall O'Reilly fouled O'Huiginn after six minutes, and although Paul Lydon saw his penalty saved by John Doyle, he managed to recover the ball and slot it home. It got worse for O'Reilly, who later scored Seaford's second as he attempted to disposses O'Huiginn, before Lydon made it 3-0 late in the half with a classy lob finish.
It seemed only a question of how many the visitors would notch, but not for the first time this season, Seaford lost control of the game alarmingly in the final quarter of the match. Whilst the first of the two penalties seemed a truly bizarre decision, following a clean tackle by Adam Finnegan, with no appeals from the home side, overall Seaford have only themselves to blame for their late meltdown - and increasingly they should be thankful that their strong start to the season means the current slump portends nothing more serious than a missed opportunity for promotion.,
Seaford: E English; S Kane, R Murray, J Bannon; A Finnegan, A Brennan, D Devaney (P Shelton, 62) R O'Huiginn S Faherty; C Dolan (Michael O'Neill, 73), P Lydon (J O'Neill, 67). Goals: P Lydon (7, 39), N O'Reilly o.g. (35), J O'Neill (68)
Leixlip United: John Doyle, Niall O'Reilly, Calvin Bay, Aaron Flood, Eoin Hackett, Colin McManus Ruan Hannon, Keiran Walsh, Ronan Barry, Sven Bianbumba, Flo Tunkiso. Goals: R Hannon (75, 87), S Bianbumba (78 pen, 80 pen)
Leixlip Amenities Centre, 16 April 2016
When, on 68 minutes, James O'Neill punished Eoin Hackett's mistake to slot home his first ever Seaford goal, within seconds of coming off the substitute's bench, the visitors looked set to cruise to their first genuinely comfortable victory of the season.
Even when Ruan Hannon slotted home from Calvin Bay's pass to make it 4-1 with a quarter of an hour to play, it seemed just a question of seeing out the match for the navy blues.
But two penalties in as many minutes, both converted by Sven Bianbuma, changed the complexion of the match entirely, and after Rory O'Huiginn, usually so clinical in front of goal, blazed over the bar from seven yards in the 86th minute, Leixlip took full advantage of the let-off, with Hannon grabbing his second of the game.
Earlier, Seaford had been completely dominant. Niall O'Reilly fouled O'Huiginn after six minutes, and although Paul Lydon saw his penalty saved by John Doyle, he managed to recover the ball and slot it home. It got worse for O'Reilly, who later scored Seaford's second as he attempted to disposses O'Huiginn, before Lydon made it 3-0 late in the half with a classy lob finish.
It seemed only a question of how many the visitors would notch, but not for the first time this season, Seaford lost control of the game alarmingly in the final quarter of the match. Whilst the first of the two penalties seemed a truly bizarre decision, following a clean tackle by Adam Finnegan, with no appeals from the home side, overall Seaford have only themselves to blame for their late meltdown - and increasingly they should be thankful that their strong start to the season means the current slump portends nothing more serious than a missed opportunity for promotion.,
Seaford: E English; S Kane, R Murray, J Bannon; A Finnegan, A Brennan, D Devaney (P Shelton, 62) R O'Huiginn S Faherty; C Dolan (Michael O'Neill, 73), P Lydon (J O'Neill, 67). Goals: P Lydon (7, 39), N O'Reilly o.g. (35), J O'Neill (68)
Leixlip United: John Doyle, Niall O'Reilly, Calvin Bay, Aaron Flood, Eoin Hackett, Colin McManus Ruan Hannon, Keiran Walsh, Ronan Barry, Sven Bianbumba, Flo Tunkiso. Goals: R Hannon (75, 87), S Bianbumba (78 pen, 80 pen)
Leixlip Amenities Centre, 16 April 2016