Match Report: St James's Gate 1-2 Seaford Rock United
Tom Carroll Cup, Second Round
Seaford progressed to the last sixteen of the Carroll Cap by taking the scalp of St James's Gate, from two divisions higher, with a resilient performance under lights at the Iveagh Grounds.
Harry Crowe was Seaford's matchwinner with a stunning late strike to seal their progress, capping a brilliant performance by the lanky striker in his first start of the season.
Seaford's side had a rather patched-up look, with Alan Burns forced into no fewer than nine changes to the starting eleven, with strikers Mark Sullivan and Paul Lydon redeployed at right back and central midfield respectively, both producing fine performances.
It was Crowe who set up the visitors' opener in the third minute, picking out Ryan Scollard with a splendid crossfield pass. Gate's keeper John Barrett had started to come off his line, and Scollard calmly lifted the ball over him and into the net.
The home side had the better of the chances during the opening period. Eoin English had to be at his sharpest to deny Ian FitzGerald, with his feet after Dean Power had laid him in on 13 minutes and FitzGerald also blew a golden opportunity later in the half, firing wide when put through clean on goal
Seaford;s best chances both fell to skipper Paddy Costello, who was twice left unmarked at set pieces from Jim Nolan and Mark Cullen, but saw his first header saved and his second wide of the mark.
Gate levelled late in the half when FitzGerald punished a poor header by Nolan with a low finish from 15 yards, even if he appeared to use his arm to control the ball.
The second half was quieter in terms of goalmouth action, with Seaford's dynamic front two posing a constant threat to the home side but struggling to effect shots on goal. From a brilliant Scollard burst down the right, his whipped cross was inches away from being converted by Crowe.
But the match was decided by a moment of individual brilliance from Crowe with ten minutes to play. Receiving Paul Lydon's pass with his back to goal, he he produced an astonishing, Zidanesque roulette to evade the green defender, before bearing in on goal and firing into the corner of the net.
Crowe almost sealed the victory with a third after another surging run by Scollard, but Barrett managed to keep his precise shot out of the corner, whilst at the other end St James's Gate struggled to make inroads into a spirited Seaford defence marshaled by English.
It was a satisfying result for Seaford in the circumstances, and a deserved one.
Seaford: Eoin English; Mark Sullivan, Jim Nolan, Paddy Costello (c), Adam Finnegan; Paul Lydon, Dave Devaney, Coly McCarron (Mikey Kane, 84), Mark Cullen; Harry Crowe, Ryan Scollard.
St James's Gate: John Barrett, Shane Carr, Liam O'Reilly, Julien Viard, Damien Stout; Oscar Kelly (Aidan O'Donnell, 76), Andrew Power, Ian FitzGerald (Evan McCain, 65), Gerry Armstrong, Dean Power, Stef Covaley
Iveagh Grounds, 30 April 2016
Harry Crowe was Seaford's matchwinner with a stunning late strike to seal their progress, capping a brilliant performance by the lanky striker in his first start of the season.
Seaford's side had a rather patched-up look, with Alan Burns forced into no fewer than nine changes to the starting eleven, with strikers Mark Sullivan and Paul Lydon redeployed at right back and central midfield respectively, both producing fine performances.
It was Crowe who set up the visitors' opener in the third minute, picking out Ryan Scollard with a splendid crossfield pass. Gate's keeper John Barrett had started to come off his line, and Scollard calmly lifted the ball over him and into the net.
The home side had the better of the chances during the opening period. Eoin English had to be at his sharpest to deny Ian FitzGerald, with his feet after Dean Power had laid him in on 13 minutes and FitzGerald also blew a golden opportunity later in the half, firing wide when put through clean on goal
Seaford;s best chances both fell to skipper Paddy Costello, who was twice left unmarked at set pieces from Jim Nolan and Mark Cullen, but saw his first header saved and his second wide of the mark.
Gate levelled late in the half when FitzGerald punished a poor header by Nolan with a low finish from 15 yards, even if he appeared to use his arm to control the ball.
The second half was quieter in terms of goalmouth action, with Seaford's dynamic front two posing a constant threat to the home side but struggling to effect shots on goal. From a brilliant Scollard burst down the right, his whipped cross was inches away from being converted by Crowe.
But the match was decided by a moment of individual brilliance from Crowe with ten minutes to play. Receiving Paul Lydon's pass with his back to goal, he he produced an astonishing, Zidanesque roulette to evade the green defender, before bearing in on goal and firing into the corner of the net.
Crowe almost sealed the victory with a third after another surging run by Scollard, but Barrett managed to keep his precise shot out of the corner, whilst at the other end St James's Gate struggled to make inroads into a spirited Seaford defence marshaled by English.
It was a satisfying result for Seaford in the circumstances, and a deserved one.
Seaford: Eoin English; Mark Sullivan, Jim Nolan, Paddy Costello (c), Adam Finnegan; Paul Lydon, Dave Devaney, Coly McCarron (Mikey Kane, 84), Mark Cullen; Harry Crowe, Ryan Scollard.
St James's Gate: John Barrett, Shane Carr, Liam O'Reilly, Julien Viard, Damien Stout; Oscar Kelly (Aidan O'Donnell, 76), Andrew Power, Ian FitzGerald (Evan McCain, 65), Gerry Armstrong, Dean Power, Stef Covaley
Iveagh Grounds, 30 April 2016