Match Report: Seaford Rock United 2-2 Ballymun United
LSL Saturday Major 1
Scenes of joy as Roche wheels away in celebration
Darragh Roche was the hero for Seaford, popping up in to score his first ever Majors goal to claim a point with the last kick of the game after a dramatic afternoon at Rockfield Park.
There had been an enormous gulf in class between the sides in their previous meeting in September, but it couldn't have been more different second time around, as the Penguins took the game to the title-favourites and had much the better of the chances throughout the 90 minutes.
Seaford got on the front foot straight away, with Roche to the fore as his whipped right-wing deliveries caused trouble for the Mun. Then, a loose backpass from Peter O'Reilly let in Lewis Cawley clean through against Stephen Robinson, but the visiting keeper managed to get just enough of a deflection on the ball to send it inches past the post.
And it was Cawley who won a penalty for Seaford midway through the half, racing onto a brilliant through-ball from Mike O'Neill only to be cleaned out by Robinson. But the irascible stopper redeemed himself, blocking not only Dan Kennedy's spot-kick but also the close-range follow-up.
Seaford continued to make all the running. O'Neill volleyed into the net from Conor Geoghegan's delivery, but was deemed offside, and Robinson denied Cawley again, parrying away his bullet header after a fine cross from Jack Burke.
Ballymun's best chance fell to Josh Ajayi, who was unable to convert Daniel Mondiwa's cut-back from six yards.
Early in the second half, the Mun hit the front through Karl O'Reilly, who slotted home a penalty he had won himself. That was the first shot on target for the men in amber, but Mondiwa had a second immediately, firing straight at Oisin Geoghegan, and Peter O'Reilly was inches from heading home Lee Partridge's free kick .
But from that point, the Penguins took charge of the game and peppered Robinson's goal. He saved O'Neill's left footed volley, and then denied Cawley yet again, before blocking a Chris Monk from Dan Kennedy's dinked cross.
Seaford finally levelled on 81 minutes through a moment of brilliance from Conor Geoghegan who teed himself up with the right before volleying home with the left. Suddenly it was anyone's game and Ballymun sought to reassert themselves, but struggled to create a clearcut chance until in the dying seconds of the 90 minutes, Ryan Fulham converted after good play down the right from Ajayi.
It looked like the Penguins' race was run, but there was to be one final chance, deep into stoppage time. Al Kennedy lined up the freekick with all ten of his teammates crowded into the Mun penalty area. Some combination of Geoghegan and Cian McGuinness managed to get the first contact, diverting the ball across the goal for Roche to convert his first goal for the Majors, after a wait of nearly nine years, sparking jubilant celebrations as Seaford secured a point they more than deserved.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan, Darragh Roche, Paul Tansey, Cian McGuinness, Al Kennedy, Conor Geoghegan, Mike O'Neill (David Higgins, 81) Chris Monk (Killian Campion, 81), Jack Burke (Ryan Scollard, 59), Lewis Cawley, Dan Kennedy
Ballymun United: Stephen Robinson, Ross Quigley, Shane O'Keeffe, Peter O'Reilly, Ryan Fulham, Yves Billong (Adeola Abasse), Lee Partridge, Keith McMahon, Daniel Mondiwa, Karl O'Reilly, Josh Ajayi
Rockfield Park, 11 December 2021
There had been an enormous gulf in class between the sides in their previous meeting in September, but it couldn't have been more different second time around, as the Penguins took the game to the title-favourites and had much the better of the chances throughout the 90 minutes.
Seaford got on the front foot straight away, with Roche to the fore as his whipped right-wing deliveries caused trouble for the Mun. Then, a loose backpass from Peter O'Reilly let in Lewis Cawley clean through against Stephen Robinson, but the visiting keeper managed to get just enough of a deflection on the ball to send it inches past the post.
And it was Cawley who won a penalty for Seaford midway through the half, racing onto a brilliant through-ball from Mike O'Neill only to be cleaned out by Robinson. But the irascible stopper redeemed himself, blocking not only Dan Kennedy's spot-kick but also the close-range follow-up.
Seaford continued to make all the running. O'Neill volleyed into the net from Conor Geoghegan's delivery, but was deemed offside, and Robinson denied Cawley again, parrying away his bullet header after a fine cross from Jack Burke.
Ballymun's best chance fell to Josh Ajayi, who was unable to convert Daniel Mondiwa's cut-back from six yards.
Early in the second half, the Mun hit the front through Karl O'Reilly, who slotted home a penalty he had won himself. That was the first shot on target for the men in amber, but Mondiwa had a second immediately, firing straight at Oisin Geoghegan, and Peter O'Reilly was inches from heading home Lee Partridge's free kick .
But from that point, the Penguins took charge of the game and peppered Robinson's goal. He saved O'Neill's left footed volley, and then denied Cawley yet again, before blocking a Chris Monk from Dan Kennedy's dinked cross.
Seaford finally levelled on 81 minutes through a moment of brilliance from Conor Geoghegan who teed himself up with the right before volleying home with the left. Suddenly it was anyone's game and Ballymun sought to reassert themselves, but struggled to create a clearcut chance until in the dying seconds of the 90 minutes, Ryan Fulham converted after good play down the right from Ajayi.
It looked like the Penguins' race was run, but there was to be one final chance, deep into stoppage time. Al Kennedy lined up the freekick with all ten of his teammates crowded into the Mun penalty area. Some combination of Geoghegan and Cian McGuinness managed to get the first contact, diverting the ball across the goal for Roche to convert his first goal for the Majors, after a wait of nearly nine years, sparking jubilant celebrations as Seaford secured a point they more than deserved.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan, Darragh Roche, Paul Tansey, Cian McGuinness, Al Kennedy, Conor Geoghegan, Mike O'Neill (David Higgins, 81) Chris Monk (Killian Campion, 81), Jack Burke (Ryan Scollard, 59), Lewis Cawley, Dan Kennedy
Ballymun United: Stephen Robinson, Ross Quigley, Shane O'Keeffe, Peter O'Reilly, Ryan Fulham, Yves Billong (Adeola Abasse), Lee Partridge, Keith McMahon, Daniel Mondiwa, Karl O'Reilly, Josh Ajayi
Rockfield Park, 11 December 2021