Match Report: Seaford Rock United 1-1* Ballymun United
Noel Ryan Cup
*Ballymun win 4-5 on penalties
Seaford yet again suffered shoot-out heartbreak against higher-ranked opposition, despite a fine display in a 1-1 thriller at Rockfield Park.
Gaffer Alan Burns decided to shuffle his deck by leaving out a number of key players and giving opportunities to others, but there was no drop-off in quality evident from the Penguins' display, as they had the lion's share of chances against top-flight Mun.
The visitors' skipper Peter O’Reilly had the first opportunity of the game when he headed wide from a Roland Banya delivery, but for the rest of the first half it was Seaford who were on top.
Dan Kennedy was the first to test keeper Cillian Lynch with an angled shot, which was comfortably saved, , and on 20 minutes Seaford were left wondering how they hadn’t taken the lead , following a brilliant, set,-piece routine, as Ian Nolan volleyed back across the face of goal for Elridge Altereitth to finish from point-blank range, but somehow the net didn't bulge.
Valois has an equally good opportunity late and a half following a terrible mix-up between the volume on center box bus keeper, rushed off as line to close the angle and make a good save with his feet. Ryan Scollard then flashed a header wide from a Brian Murphy corner, before Valois had another golden opportunity to score late in the half after a mix-up in the Ballymun backline put him clean through, but Lynch did well to rush off his line to close the angle and block with his feet.
If Seaford had dominated the first half, the second was a more even affair but Ballymun still did little to threaten the hosts' goal. At the other end, Jamie McCaul almost got on the end of a brilliant whipped cross from Scollard, but there were few efforts of note before the full-time whistle blow.
After an equally cagey first period of extra time, the game really sprang into life after the 100th minute, as Seaford's substitutes had a huge impact. First Darragh Roche whipped to the near=post, where Chris Monk was inches from converting, and moments later Stephen Canavan forced a brilliant save from Lynch from a Conor Geoghegan cross
But the outstanding moment of the afternoon's football came with just three minutes left on the clock, as Banya left fly with as stunning 30-yard drive which Oisin Geoghegan somehow managed to tip onto the crossbar. From the resulting corner, the deadlock was finally broken as Banya's corner was nodded home at the back post by O'Reilly.
It was panic stations now for the Penguins,, with mere moments to save their hopes in the Ryan Cup, and they rose to the challenge with a stirring finale. Conor Geoghegan was inches from levelling with a volley from the edge of the box but it was his brother Oisin who had the decisive impact, sprinting forward for an injury-time corner, and diverting a fine flick-on header into the danger area, where yet another sub Dave Lewis produced the finish.
Unfortunately, it was all in vain, as Seaford's poor record in penalty shoot-outs came back to haunt them. Geoghegan briefly appeared as if he would be the hero of the hour after keeping out O'Reilly's effort, but ultimately Josh Hayes had the opportunity to win it for the Mun in sudden death, and made no mistake to send the visitors into the hat for round two.
Seaford:, Oisin Geoghegan, Zitian Xiang (Darragh Roche, f/t), Brian Murphy, Oliver Wright, Ian Nolan, Al Kennedy,, Sam Browne, , (Conor Geoghegan, 73), Dan Kennedy (Dave Lewis, 79), Jamie McCaul (Chris Monk, 83) Ryan Scollard, Elridge Altereitth, (Stephen Canavan, 79)
Ballymun United: Cillian Lynch, Kareem Lennon, Divine Okanume, CIan Woodlock, Ryan Fulham (Wesley Delany) , Josh Hayes, Job Bondo, Peter O'Reilly, Dennis Bodurri, Ugo Anny-Nzekwye, Roland Banya
Rockfield Park, 4 March 2023
Gaffer Alan Burns decided to shuffle his deck by leaving out a number of key players and giving opportunities to others, but there was no drop-off in quality evident from the Penguins' display, as they had the lion's share of chances against top-flight Mun.
The visitors' skipper Peter O’Reilly had the first opportunity of the game when he headed wide from a Roland Banya delivery, but for the rest of the first half it was Seaford who were on top.
Dan Kennedy was the first to test keeper Cillian Lynch with an angled shot, which was comfortably saved, , and on 20 minutes Seaford were left wondering how they hadn’t taken the lead , following a brilliant, set,-piece routine, as Ian Nolan volleyed back across the face of goal for Elridge Altereitth to finish from point-blank range, but somehow the net didn't bulge.
Valois has an equally good opportunity late and a half following a terrible mix-up between the volume on center box bus keeper, rushed off as line to close the angle and make a good save with his feet. Ryan Scollard then flashed a header wide from a Brian Murphy corner, before Valois had another golden opportunity to score late in the half after a mix-up in the Ballymun backline put him clean through, but Lynch did well to rush off his line to close the angle and block with his feet.
If Seaford had dominated the first half, the second was a more even affair but Ballymun still did little to threaten the hosts' goal. At the other end, Jamie McCaul almost got on the end of a brilliant whipped cross from Scollard, but there were few efforts of note before the full-time whistle blow.
After an equally cagey first period of extra time, the game really sprang into life after the 100th minute, as Seaford's substitutes had a huge impact. First Darragh Roche whipped to the near=post, where Chris Monk was inches from converting, and moments later Stephen Canavan forced a brilliant save from Lynch from a Conor Geoghegan cross
But the outstanding moment of the afternoon's football came with just three minutes left on the clock, as Banya left fly with as stunning 30-yard drive which Oisin Geoghegan somehow managed to tip onto the crossbar. From the resulting corner, the deadlock was finally broken as Banya's corner was nodded home at the back post by O'Reilly.
It was panic stations now for the Penguins,, with mere moments to save their hopes in the Ryan Cup, and they rose to the challenge with a stirring finale. Conor Geoghegan was inches from levelling with a volley from the edge of the box but it was his brother Oisin who had the decisive impact, sprinting forward for an injury-time corner, and diverting a fine flick-on header into the danger area, where yet another sub Dave Lewis produced the finish.
Unfortunately, it was all in vain, as Seaford's poor record in penalty shoot-outs came back to haunt them. Geoghegan briefly appeared as if he would be the hero of the hour after keeping out O'Reilly's effort, but ultimately Josh Hayes had the opportunity to win it for the Mun in sudden death, and made no mistake to send the visitors into the hat for round two.
Seaford:, Oisin Geoghegan, Zitian Xiang (Darragh Roche, f/t), Brian Murphy, Oliver Wright, Ian Nolan, Al Kennedy,, Sam Browne, , (Conor Geoghegan, 73), Dan Kennedy (Dave Lewis, 79), Jamie McCaul (Chris Monk, 83) Ryan Scollard, Elridge Altereitth, (Stephen Canavan, 79)
Ballymun United: Cillian Lynch, Kareem Lennon, Divine Okanume, CIan Woodlock, Ryan Fulham (Wesley Delany) , Josh Hayes, Job Bondo, Peter O'Reilly, Dennis Bodurri, Ugo Anny-Nzekwye, Roland Banya
Rockfield Park, 4 March 2023