Match Report: Seaford Rock United 3-2 Baldoyle United
LSL Saturday Premier 1
Seaford needed every ounce of character and resilience, and every minute of the match, to turn a two-goal deficit into a deserved three points and restore themselves to a positive record for the season.
The same teams had met a week earlier on the northside and it had been a miserable occasion for the Penguins, who meekly succumbed to a 4-1 defeat.
And it looked like there would be more of the same in store at Rockfield Park when the enormous team in red opened up a 2-0 lead in less than 20 minutes.
First, Seaford were caught napping from a free kick, as Baldoyle cleverly worked the ball around the side of the wall, with Ian McKinskey squaring for squaring for gargantuan centre back Josh Odenholm to convert from close range.
It got worse when keeper Gavin Nugent suffered a blemish on his brilliant debut season when he conceded possession to Sean McGuinness inside his box. McGuinness rounded the home keeper and slotted home - only for Sean Lowry to appear on the goalline and apply the finish. It seemed incredible that Lowry wasn't in an offside position but that was the referee's decision despite protests in navy.
But from then on, the home side took the initiative., moving the ball slickly through midfield and playing in the Baldoyle half. Harry Crowe was the first to test keeper Stephen Payne with a powerful strike from range, but Payne could only stand and watch as MJ Tierney's free kick rattled the crossbar. Conor Geoghegan rumbled through the Baldoyle midfield before unleashing another rocket, and again Payne was rooted to the spot as the ball fizzed past the post.
Seaford lifted the tempo again after half time and the goal when it came was richly deserved. The two navy wingers combined, as Tierney did superbly well to work a yard of space against Ben Lynsky, and his cross was inch-perfect for David Mackey to volley home.
The hosts were completely in charge now, although Baldoyle were defending resolutely and limited clear-cut chances. But Paulie Morris's substitutions helped make the breakthrough, with Gavin Walsh setting an aggressive tempo and Al Kennedy providing renewed energy in midfield.
And finally on 79 minutes the Penguins levelled. Crowe whipped in a stunning cross from deep that was met by a diving-header from the poacher Dan O'Leary which gave Payne no chance. Moments later, O'Leary somehow won another header, despite giving away twelve inches or more to his giant markers, but this time it was just off-target.
The pressure was relentless and as the clock ticked over 90 minutes, it looked like Seaford's chance had come and gone when Geoghegan teed up Tierney on the edge of the box but Payne produced a full-length stop to deny the Laois man.
But from the resulting corner, the Penguins resorted to their favourite routine, as Tierney produced another wicked delivery and Niall Holleran got across the near post to direct a sensational diving header into the top corner, to win the game for the Penguins.
Seaford: Gavin Nugent, Matty Sheehan (Steve Kane, 75), Brian Murphy (Gavin Walsh , 61), Ian Nolan, Fionn Geoghegan, Mate Salacan (Al Kennedy, 59), Conor Geoghegan, MJ Tierney, David Mackey (Niall Holleran, 78), Jamie McCaul (Dan O'Leary, 65), Harry Crowe.
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Baldoyle United: Stephen Payne, Eoin Leeson, Ben Lynsky, Josh Odenholm, Stephen O'Connor, Sonny Kenny, Ian McKinskey, Stephen Hanaphy, Sean Lowry (Eoin Barry, 78), Adam Murphy, Sean McGuinness
Rockfield Park, 14 August 2021
The same teams had met a week earlier on the northside and it had been a miserable occasion for the Penguins, who meekly succumbed to a 4-1 defeat.
And it looked like there would be more of the same in store at Rockfield Park when the enormous team in red opened up a 2-0 lead in less than 20 minutes.
First, Seaford were caught napping from a free kick, as Baldoyle cleverly worked the ball around the side of the wall, with Ian McKinskey squaring for squaring for gargantuan centre back Josh Odenholm to convert from close range.
It got worse when keeper Gavin Nugent suffered a blemish on his brilliant debut season when he conceded possession to Sean McGuinness inside his box. McGuinness rounded the home keeper and slotted home - only for Sean Lowry to appear on the goalline and apply the finish. It seemed incredible that Lowry wasn't in an offside position but that was the referee's decision despite protests in navy.
But from then on, the home side took the initiative., moving the ball slickly through midfield and playing in the Baldoyle half. Harry Crowe was the first to test keeper Stephen Payne with a powerful strike from range, but Payne could only stand and watch as MJ Tierney's free kick rattled the crossbar. Conor Geoghegan rumbled through the Baldoyle midfield before unleashing another rocket, and again Payne was rooted to the spot as the ball fizzed past the post.
Seaford lifted the tempo again after half time and the goal when it came was richly deserved. The two navy wingers combined, as Tierney did superbly well to work a yard of space against Ben Lynsky, and his cross was inch-perfect for David Mackey to volley home.
The hosts were completely in charge now, although Baldoyle were defending resolutely and limited clear-cut chances. But Paulie Morris's substitutions helped make the breakthrough, with Gavin Walsh setting an aggressive tempo and Al Kennedy providing renewed energy in midfield.
And finally on 79 minutes the Penguins levelled. Crowe whipped in a stunning cross from deep that was met by a diving-header from the poacher Dan O'Leary which gave Payne no chance. Moments later, O'Leary somehow won another header, despite giving away twelve inches or more to his giant markers, but this time it was just off-target.
The pressure was relentless and as the clock ticked over 90 minutes, it looked like Seaford's chance had come and gone when Geoghegan teed up Tierney on the edge of the box but Payne produced a full-length stop to deny the Laois man.
But from the resulting corner, the Penguins resorted to their favourite routine, as Tierney produced another wicked delivery and Niall Holleran got across the near post to direct a sensational diving header into the top corner, to win the game for the Penguins.
Seaford: Gavin Nugent, Matty Sheehan (Steve Kane, 75), Brian Murphy (Gavin Walsh , 61), Ian Nolan, Fionn Geoghegan, Mate Salacan (Al Kennedy, 59), Conor Geoghegan, MJ Tierney, David Mackey (Niall Holleran, 78), Jamie McCaul (Dan O'Leary, 65), Harry Crowe.
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Baldoyle United: Stephen Payne, Eoin Leeson, Ben Lynsky, Josh Odenholm, Stephen O'Connor, Sonny Kenny, Ian McKinskey, Stephen Hanaphy, Sean Lowry (Eoin Barry, 78), Adam Murphy, Sean McGuinness
Rockfield Park, 14 August 2021