Match Report: Seaford Rock United 1-2 Kilnamanagh
LSL Major 1B
Seaford were plunged deep into relegation trouble after somehow managing to lose a match they dominated at Rockfield Park.
Kilnamanagh went 2-0 up inside eight minutes, Seaford's poor defending at fault both occasions. The first goal was created by a brilliant curling pass from Christopher Gernon, putting Robbie Collins through to slot home, before Gernon added the second himself, racing onto a long clearance before holding off Fionn Lawlor and producing a precise lofted finish.
Seaford immediately took the game to the visitors. Winger Darragh Connolly was instrumental, first volleying just wide from his brother Garrett 's cross before backheeling for MJ TIerney to fire inches off target.
The navy blues pulled one back midway though the half when centre back David Higgins smashed a left-footed volley into the net from the edge of the box, and nearly levelled shortly afterwards when Tierney's clever lobbed pass found Garrett Connolly bearing in on goal from a tight angle, only for Michael Lonergan to deny him.
Early in the second half, Seaford seemed to have found the breakthrough as Connolly nicked the ball past Lonergan, but Kohei Masaki's shot was blocked by Phil Curran with the net unguarded. Mostly, however, it was Lonergan who denied the hosts, producing a string of brilliant saves, first somehow keeping out Masaki's two-yard finish from a Tierney corner, before tipping Tierney's whipped free kick onto the crossbar.
Even Seaford's own players were contributing to the Kilnamanagh defensive effort, as when Garrett Connolly made a barnstorming run from his own half to lay in Tierney, only to get in the way of the Laoisman's goalbound shot.
There seemed to be a decisive point on 67 minutes when Seaford were awarded a penalty after Michael Russell fouled Masaki and was given his marching orders for a second yellow card, but Lonergan had other ideas, parrying Tierney's penalty wide.
Kilnamanagh threatened a sucker-punch when substitute Jordan Andre raced onto an undercooked backpass, only for Eoin English to race off his line to block, but the home continued to lay siege. Seaford's Alan Brennan and Kilnamanagh's Lee Hurley both received red cards in the dying stages as the pressure intensified. Twice Tierney picked out Chris Monk with back post crosses, but the Scotsman first headed just over before later being denied yet again by Lonergan.
Deep into injury time, Lonergan could only watch as Richie Mulholland's cross lobbed over his head but down against the underside of the crossbar, bouncing to safety, moments before Eric Silva's final whistle.
A second consecutive defeat compounds a miserable start to 2018 for the club and leaves the side with a serious job of work to drag themselves to safety.
Seaford: Eoin English, Fionn Geoghegan (Chris Monk, 36) Paul Tansey (Richie Mulholland, 77), Fionn Lawlor, David Higgins, Alan Brennan, Paul Lydon, Darragh Connolly, MJ TIerney, Kohei Masaki Garrett Connolly . Goal: Higgins (22)
Kilnamanagh: MIchael Lonergan, Shane O'Reilly (Lee Hurley, 77), Andrew McGovern, Phil Curran, Michael Russell, Conor Hayes, David O'Reilly (Jordan Andre, h/t), Christopher Gernon (Keith O'Neill, 52), Robbie Collins, Peadar Knowles, Dylan Hersee. Goals: Collins (3), Knowles (10)
Rockfield Park, 3 February 2018
Kilnamanagh went 2-0 up inside eight minutes, Seaford's poor defending at fault both occasions. The first goal was created by a brilliant curling pass from Christopher Gernon, putting Robbie Collins through to slot home, before Gernon added the second himself, racing onto a long clearance before holding off Fionn Lawlor and producing a precise lofted finish.
Seaford immediately took the game to the visitors. Winger Darragh Connolly was instrumental, first volleying just wide from his brother Garrett 's cross before backheeling for MJ TIerney to fire inches off target.
The navy blues pulled one back midway though the half when centre back David Higgins smashed a left-footed volley into the net from the edge of the box, and nearly levelled shortly afterwards when Tierney's clever lobbed pass found Garrett Connolly bearing in on goal from a tight angle, only for Michael Lonergan to deny him.
Early in the second half, Seaford seemed to have found the breakthrough as Connolly nicked the ball past Lonergan, but Kohei Masaki's shot was blocked by Phil Curran with the net unguarded. Mostly, however, it was Lonergan who denied the hosts, producing a string of brilliant saves, first somehow keeping out Masaki's two-yard finish from a Tierney corner, before tipping Tierney's whipped free kick onto the crossbar.
Even Seaford's own players were contributing to the Kilnamanagh defensive effort, as when Garrett Connolly made a barnstorming run from his own half to lay in Tierney, only to get in the way of the Laoisman's goalbound shot.
There seemed to be a decisive point on 67 minutes when Seaford were awarded a penalty after Michael Russell fouled Masaki and was given his marching orders for a second yellow card, but Lonergan had other ideas, parrying Tierney's penalty wide.
Kilnamanagh threatened a sucker-punch when substitute Jordan Andre raced onto an undercooked backpass, only for Eoin English to race off his line to block, but the home continued to lay siege. Seaford's Alan Brennan and Kilnamanagh's Lee Hurley both received red cards in the dying stages as the pressure intensified. Twice Tierney picked out Chris Monk with back post crosses, but the Scotsman first headed just over before later being denied yet again by Lonergan.
Deep into injury time, Lonergan could only watch as Richie Mulholland's cross lobbed over his head but down against the underside of the crossbar, bouncing to safety, moments before Eric Silva's final whistle.
A second consecutive defeat compounds a miserable start to 2018 for the club and leaves the side with a serious job of work to drag themselves to safety.
Seaford: Eoin English, Fionn Geoghegan (Chris Monk, 36) Paul Tansey (Richie Mulholland, 77), Fionn Lawlor, David Higgins, Alan Brennan, Paul Lydon, Darragh Connolly, MJ TIerney, Kohei Masaki Garrett Connolly . Goal: Higgins (22)
Kilnamanagh: MIchael Lonergan, Shane O'Reilly (Lee Hurley, 77), Andrew McGovern, Phil Curran, Michael Russell, Conor Hayes, David O'Reilly (Jordan Andre, h/t), Christopher Gernon (Keith O'Neill, 52), Robbie Collins, Peadar Knowles, Dylan Hersee. Goals: Collins (3), Knowles (10)
Rockfield Park, 3 February 2018