Match Report: St Francis 3-4 Seaford Rock United
LFA Junior Cup
Seafprd won the game, lost it and eventually won it again to progress to the next round of the Leinster Junior Cup.
St Francis were unbeaten in league play but were second best during the first half, when the Penguins dominated, racing into a three goal lead.
Seaford were agonisingly close to opening the scoring inside ten minutes when a Darragh Connolly found David Higgins at the back post, only for Cian Kelly to save impressively, and from the rebound Stephen Canavan saw his effort cleared off the line. But they didn't have to wait much longer to break the deadlock. It was a superb move that started with Darragh Connolly turning his man inside out on one wing before the ball eventually found his brother Garrett Connolly on the other, and he skinned Luke Smith before cutting the ball back to Sam Browne who found the corner of the net with a volley on the full.
St Francis's first chance fell to Karl Carey after good work down the right by Adam Mooney, but Mike O'Neill was on hand to block on the line.
Higgins went close again on 25 minutes, firing inches off target after Canavan had rounded Kelly, but it was Chris Monk who made it two, showing composure to control the ball near the penalty spot from a Canavan knock-down, before picking out the top corner.
And it got even better for the visitors when, following Browne's quick free kick, Garrett Connolly found Canavan who finished at the second attempt after another Kelly save.
St Francis were handed a lifeline late in the half when Stephen Dunne sped through the Seaford defence only to be tripped in the box, and Karl Carey converted the penalty., and after a few changes in personnel and positioning, they second half was a more even contest.
Two of the St Francis subsitutes scored to bring the game level, with Hayden Boland volleying home on 65 minutes before Daryll Notaro did likewise ten minutes later. In between, Kelly had made a brilliant save to deny Garrett Connolly, and he made an even save with give minutes to play after Connolly's backheel had laid in debutant Jamie Morrison. But Seaford secured the win injury time when, after Paul Tansey had burst into the box, Morrison was clearly tripped by a St Francis defender, and Ian Nolan held his nerve to smash home the resultant penalty and put Seaford into round two.
Seaford: Neil Howarth, Mike O'Neill (Eoin Mahon, 90+3), Fionn Lawlor , Ian Nolan, Cian McGuinness, Sam Browne (Paul Tansey, 58), Chris Monk, David Higgins (Jamie Morrison, 73), Darragh Connolly (Al Kennedy, h/t) Garrett Connolly , Stephen Canavan (Harry Crowe, 73)
St Francis: Cian Kelly, Chris Barton, Luke Smith (Hayden Boland,), John Phillips, Stephen Dunne, Karl Tate, Ian Lowry, Adam Smith, Kenneth Ennis, Karl Carey (Stephen Maher,), Adam Mooney (Daryll Notaro)
Bernard Curtis Park, 26 October 2019
St Francis were unbeaten in league play but were second best during the first half, when the Penguins dominated, racing into a three goal lead.
Seaford were agonisingly close to opening the scoring inside ten minutes when a Darragh Connolly found David Higgins at the back post, only for Cian Kelly to save impressively, and from the rebound Stephen Canavan saw his effort cleared off the line. But they didn't have to wait much longer to break the deadlock. It was a superb move that started with Darragh Connolly turning his man inside out on one wing before the ball eventually found his brother Garrett Connolly on the other, and he skinned Luke Smith before cutting the ball back to Sam Browne who found the corner of the net with a volley on the full.
St Francis's first chance fell to Karl Carey after good work down the right by Adam Mooney, but Mike O'Neill was on hand to block on the line.
Higgins went close again on 25 minutes, firing inches off target after Canavan had rounded Kelly, but it was Chris Monk who made it two, showing composure to control the ball near the penalty spot from a Canavan knock-down, before picking out the top corner.
And it got even better for the visitors when, following Browne's quick free kick, Garrett Connolly found Canavan who finished at the second attempt after another Kelly save.
St Francis were handed a lifeline late in the half when Stephen Dunne sped through the Seaford defence only to be tripped in the box, and Karl Carey converted the penalty., and after a few changes in personnel and positioning, they second half was a more even contest.
Two of the St Francis subsitutes scored to bring the game level, with Hayden Boland volleying home on 65 minutes before Daryll Notaro did likewise ten minutes later. In between, Kelly had made a brilliant save to deny Garrett Connolly, and he made an even save with give minutes to play after Connolly's backheel had laid in debutant Jamie Morrison. But Seaford secured the win injury time when, after Paul Tansey had burst into the box, Morrison was clearly tripped by a St Francis defender, and Ian Nolan held his nerve to smash home the resultant penalty and put Seaford into round two.
Seaford: Neil Howarth, Mike O'Neill (Eoin Mahon, 90+3), Fionn Lawlor , Ian Nolan, Cian McGuinness, Sam Browne (Paul Tansey, 58), Chris Monk, David Higgins (Jamie Morrison, 73), Darragh Connolly (Al Kennedy, h/t) Garrett Connolly , Stephen Canavan (Harry Crowe, 73)
St Francis: Cian Kelly, Chris Barton, Luke Smith (Hayden Boland,), John Phillips, Stephen Dunne, Karl Tate, Ian Lowry, Adam Smith, Kenneth Ennis, Karl Carey (Stephen Maher,), Adam Mooney (Daryll Notaro)
Bernard Curtis Park, 26 October 2019