Match Report: Seaford 2-1 Booth Road Celtic

FAI Junior Cup
Rockfield Park
11 April 2026

The players observe a minute's silence for James "Ginger" Whelan , Seaford's record appearance-maker and goalscorer, who died the day before the match

Seaford ought to have won by a wider margin, but secured passage into the national draw of the FAI Junior Cup by knocking out their old rivals Booth Road Celtic.

Playing into a gale force wind during the first half, the Penguins took a little time to find their bearings and almost fell behind when Callum Lapsley slipped in behind their defence in chase of a wind-assisted long ball, but directed his finish just off target.

But as the half progressed, Seaford took control. They were twice denied by tight offside decisions before  taking a deserved lead when Sam Browne bagged from close range. That goal threatened to open the floodgates. Ian Daly bamboozled two opponents with his footwork before setting Thomas Murphy down the left, whose cross was met by a Jamie McCaul's brilliant diving header, which was just wide. 

Moments later, a calamitous moment for the hosts as Rob O'Shea burst down the right wing and squared for an easy finish but both Daly and Fionn Nally fluffed their lines and were unable to convert.

Then McCaul tested Tom Healy with a rasping drive, which the Booth Road keeper did well to tip onto his bar.

Finally, the breakthrough. This time was made down the left, with Kuanxiang Kang arriving at the back post to score his first ever Seaford goal and make it 2-0.

Into the second half, Kang might well have had his second after being put clean through by Daly, but Healy blocked with his feet. 

Aaron Byrne squandered a good chance for Booth Road's, before Bradley Reddy did manage to pull one back.

But Seaford saw out the tie comfortably, always looking more likely to add to their lead than see it relinquished. Nally missed another golden opportunity on 77 after being set up by O'Shea, before McCaul had the ball in the net from a Stephen Canavan assist, only to be denied yet again for offside.

Only the second time in the club's 55 year history that Seaford have reached the open draw, but in the meantime the focus will be on fixing their alarming league form.


Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan, Darragh Roche, Brian Murphy,, Sam Browne, Al Kennedy  Rob O'Shea,, ,Thomas Murphy , (Eoin O'Farrell, 62), Jack Keegan (Kuanxiang Kang, 8) (Oisin Mallon, 83) ,  Fionn Nally (Stephen Canavan, 91), Ian Daly, Jamie McCaul (Darragh Connolly, 87)

Booth Road Celtic: 1 Tom Healy. 2 Bradley Reddy 3 Shane Murphy 5 Jason Power 6 Matthew Raymond 7 Callum Lapsley Browne 8 Oisin Maher 9 Aaron Byrne 10 Cian Gallagher 17 Dylan Robinson 18 Cillian Behan. 12 Rhys Forte 13 Darren Kernan 14 Dylan Fagan  15 Ben Healy 16 Ben Finnegan