With a number of debutants and positional swaps, it was always going to be a tall order for Seaford to progress to the third round of the FAI Junior Cup at the expense of divisional favourites Rush Athletic, and so it proved as the hosts ran out 2-0 victors on the day.

Seaford were on the back foot for long periods, whilst playing some good football of their own, but they never recovered from the dismissal of Alan Brennan for a professional foul, after which Rush netted twice in quick succession to secure their progress.

Read the full match report here.

After more than a decade, Seaford return to Ireland's premier amateur soccer competition this weekend with a trip to face Rush Athletic for the second time this month.

After winning successive promotions in the previous two seasons, the hosts have made a brilliant start to life in LSL Major 1B with four wins from four, conceding just one goal along the way, a run which included a 3-0 win in North Dublin when the two sides met a couple of weeks ago.

That remains Seaford's only defeat of the campaign so far, and they have bounced back with a strong performance at home to Tolka Rovers, when they were desperately unlucky to draw 1-1 having missed two penalties and rattled the goal frame several times, and then a scruffy if ultimately comfortable win over Confey in the LFA Junior Cup. 

John Downes's side has been badly hampered by injuries and unavailability, with top scorer Mike O'Neill the latest on the DL after picking up a bad ankle injury against Confey, but the absences will give opportunities to some exciting recent signings to show what they can do in what will be another stern test..

Seaford are through to the second round of the LFA Junior Cup after a  comeback win over Confey FC in Leixlip. Paul Lydon came off the bench to net an equaliser with the last kick of the first half, before Chris Monk put the visitors in front shortly after the break and another replacement, Gavin Walsh, netted just moments after coming off the bench to seal a 3-1 win. You can read the full match report here. 

Meanwhile, it's now four games without a win for the seconds in LSL Division 3 after they were beaten at home by bogey team Cloghertown United. Seaford had twice equalised through Stephen Murphy and Peter Tierney before a defensive mix-up let the visitors take the lead a third time, and they added a fourth goal late on to seal the points.

With no league fixture on the coming weekend, the seconds will have to wait a fortnight to go again, but the firsts will begin their FAI Junior Cup campaign on 30 September with a second visit to Rush Athletic within a month, looking to avenge the earlier league defeat.

The first will travel to Kildare to face Confey FC in the first round of the LFA Junior Cup tomorrow looking to generate some momentum after a stuttering start to the league campaign.

John Downes's side are winless through four league matches, although their only defeat was against a dominant Rush Athletic side who look set to continue their stunning rise through the divisions this season.

Otherwise, it's been a series of frustrating draws, culminating in last weekend's stalemate at home to Tolka Rovers, during which Seaford missed two penalties.

Confey have had a difficult start to their own campaign two divisions below, so the visitors will be favourites for the cup clash. Recent signing Garrett Connolly (left) will hope to make his first team debut after netting a brace for the seconds a week ago, with veteran Neil Harrington also returning to the squad for the first time since the opening match of the season.

Meanwhile, the seconds will look to get back to winning ways in their home game against Cloghertown United at Rockfield Park. Tony Bennett's side began the season with back-to-back victories, but have picked up only one point from three matches since. They were desperately unlucky not to take something back from Ardmore Rovers last weekend, eventually going down 3-2. 

The visitors' run of four straight wins over Seaford was ended in February of this year when an MJ Tierney brace earned a 2-0 win, and the Midlands Mihajlovic is back available for selection again this weekend after missing out a week ago..

Both sides failed to get the rub of the green as the club's difficult start to the season continued over the past weekend.

The firsts conceded early at home to Tolka Rovers but fought back courtesy of a first half goal from Mike O'Neill. But they couldn't capitalise on a strong performance, missing two penalties as the match finished 1-1. 

The seconds twice equalised against Ardmore Rovers in Bray, with Garrett Connolly marking his debut with a brace, but fell behind in the second half and eventually went down 3-2, with Peter Tierney hitting the post with virtually the last kick of the game.

The firsts turn their attention to the cup competitions for the rest of the month, with trips to Confey FC in the Leinster Junior Cup and then a return to Rush Athletic in the FAI Junior Cup, whilst the seconds are back in league action next weekend, hosting Cloghertown United.

A miserable afternoon for the club as the firsts' difficult start to their campaign in Major 1B continued with a 3-0 defeat at Rush Athletic.

Meanwhile, the seconds twice conceded equalisers, the second of which was with virtually the last kick of the game, in a 2-2 draw at Lorcan Celtic, with Paidi O'Fatharta and debutant Conan Murphy on target.

It was a bad day at the office for the seconds, who lost their 100% record in emphatic fashion as they were outclassed by a very strong Ayrfield United team.

Peter Tierney had netted his second of the season late in the first half to halve the deficit, but the visitors ran riot in the second period, adding four more goals in the space of twenty minutes to seal a 6-1 win.

Read the full match report here.