Match Report: Seaford Rock United 2-1 Dublin Airport
LSL Saturday Premier 1
Seaford ended their season with a hard-faught home win to claim fourth place in Premier 1.
Dublin Airport had been the section's whipping boys all season but the side that took the field at a sunny Rockfield Park bore no resemblance to the bedraggled outfit that had been comfortably beaten by the Penguins earlier in the season.
Nevertheless, Seaford made a bright start, getting in behind the visitors defence inside five minutes after slick play from Collie Barrett and Owen Brayden, but Niall Holleran was unable to convert. Holleran didn't have to wait long to break his Seaford duck when he opened the scoring a minutes later, forcing home at the second attempt after meeting a Steve Kane cross.
Dublin Airport had plenty of the ball for the remainder of the half but struggled to create clearcut chance, and the closest they came was when Barry Ensor denied Jamie Hopkins with a fingertip save to push his free kick against the post.
Early in the second half, Holleran was in again only to be denied by a Gerard Carey save, before he did well to tee up Barrett, whose shot was blocked.
Out of the blue, DAA leveled with a stunning 35 yard strike from substitute Kevin McDonnell, and the introduction of attacker Noel Downey turned the game in their favour. Downey did well to get in behind the Penguins defence and pulled back for Keith Wiggins, who fired off target, and later got into another brilliant position, but Oli Wright, was able to clear off the line.
But Seaford maintained a threat on the break, and when expert counter-attacked Barrett got in behind from a stunning Conor Geoghegan through-ball, he was cleared out by Carey, and the referee pointed to the spot. Barrett stepped up and slammed home the penalty to make it 2-1.
The closest the visitors came to an equaliser was through a rasping strike from range from Jordan Brady which Ensor did well to parry away, but Matty Sheehan imperious at the heart of the Seaford defence, the home side hung on for a second consecutive win to end the campaign.
Seaford: Barry Ensor, Steve Kane, Fionn Geoghegan (Christian McKenna, 77), Matty Sheehan, Oli Wright, David Freeman (Conor Geoghegan, h/t) Niall Holleran (Eoin Dunne, 83), Jack Burke (David Mackey, 59), Owen Brayden, Collie Barrett, Francis Mulhall (Carl Doyle,77). Goals: Holleran (6), Barrett (78)
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Dublin Airport: Gerard Carey, Chris Kavanagh, Jamie Hopkins (Kevin McDonnell), Stephen Hanna, Robert Cooper, Keith Wiggins, Jordan Brady (Noel Downey,) , Andrew Brady (Aaron Cahill), Niall Quinn, Conor Burke (Ryan Seavers) , Daragh Brady. Goal: McDonnell (55)
Rockfield Park, 3 September 2020
Dublin Airport had been the section's whipping boys all season but the side that took the field at a sunny Rockfield Park bore no resemblance to the bedraggled outfit that had been comfortably beaten by the Penguins earlier in the season.
Nevertheless, Seaford made a bright start, getting in behind the visitors defence inside five minutes after slick play from Collie Barrett and Owen Brayden, but Niall Holleran was unable to convert. Holleran didn't have to wait long to break his Seaford duck when he opened the scoring a minutes later, forcing home at the second attempt after meeting a Steve Kane cross.
Dublin Airport had plenty of the ball for the remainder of the half but struggled to create clearcut chance, and the closest they came was when Barry Ensor denied Jamie Hopkins with a fingertip save to push his free kick against the post.
Early in the second half, Holleran was in again only to be denied by a Gerard Carey save, before he did well to tee up Barrett, whose shot was blocked.
Out of the blue, DAA leveled with a stunning 35 yard strike from substitute Kevin McDonnell, and the introduction of attacker Noel Downey turned the game in their favour. Downey did well to get in behind the Penguins defence and pulled back for Keith Wiggins, who fired off target, and later got into another brilliant position, but Oli Wright, was able to clear off the line.
But Seaford maintained a threat on the break, and when expert counter-attacked Barrett got in behind from a stunning Conor Geoghegan through-ball, he was cleared out by Carey, and the referee pointed to the spot. Barrett stepped up and slammed home the penalty to make it 2-1.
The closest the visitors came to an equaliser was through a rasping strike from range from Jordan Brady which Ensor did well to parry away, but Matty Sheehan imperious at the heart of the Seaford defence, the home side hung on for a second consecutive win to end the campaign.
Seaford: Barry Ensor, Steve Kane, Fionn Geoghegan (Christian McKenna, 77), Matty Sheehan, Oli Wright, David Freeman (Conor Geoghegan, h/t) Niall Holleran (Eoin Dunne, 83), Jack Burke (David Mackey, 59), Owen Brayden, Collie Barrett, Francis Mulhall (Carl Doyle,77). Goals: Holleran (6), Barrett (78)
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Dublin Airport: Gerard Carey, Chris Kavanagh, Jamie Hopkins (Kevin McDonnell), Stephen Hanna, Robert Cooper, Keith Wiggins, Jordan Brady (Noel Downey,) , Andrew Brady (Aaron Cahill), Niall Quinn, Conor Burke (Ryan Seavers) , Daragh Brady. Goal: McDonnell (55)
Rockfield Park, 3 September 2020