Match Report: Swords Celtic 0-1 Seaford Rock United
LSL Saturday Premier
Seaford finished their season with the win they needed to secure promotion from the LSL Saturday Premier division with a dogged display away against Swords Celtic at Balheary Reservoir.
The Penguins were far from the best during the first half, and were lucky not to find themselves at least a couple of goals behind, as Swords failed to take advantage of a host of chances, looking like a vastly improved outfit since Seaford had beaten them at home early in the campaign.
Dangerous midfielder Raz burst clean through the Seaford defence only to be denied by Oisin Geoghegan on his 100th club appearance, before Dean Caul saw a goal ruled out for offside, and Raz missed a golden chance to break the deadlock on 33.
The visitors had barely created a chance before they were awarded a penalty on 35 minutes, when Gavin Walsh made an enterprising run into the box before being cleared out, but Shane Halpin saw his spot-kick saved by Alex Kavanagh.
Late in the half, Mate Salacan almost bagged with a stunning strike from range, but his 30-yard lob rebounded the underside of the bar and bounced on the goalline but not over it.
The turning point in the game arrived ten minutes into the second half, when Raz again got in on goal and slipped the ball under Geoghegan, only for Zitian Xiang to slide in and block the ball on the line. Moments, it was 1-0 to Seaford, as Halpin got on the end of Conor Geoghegan's ball and, getting his strike away early, he buried it past Kavanagh.
Seaford had a much better foothold in the game now, and their attack was reinvigorated by the introduction of hard-running subs like Niall Holleran and Des Eiffe, whose pace and power was too much for the Swords defenders.
But, with the hosts desperate for points at the wrong end of the table, they gained some initiative as the minutes ticked on. The rampaging midfielder Raz looked the biggest threat, blazing a shot wide after getting through on goal, and they went close again on with just three minutes to play when Cross fired low at the corner of the goal but Geoghegan managed to get down to parry it around the post.
Seaford held out resolutely until the final whistle to secure the win that ensures they'll be promoted to the Major section of the LSL for the 2023/24 season, a fitting reward for the efforts of Paulie Morris and his players throughout the campaign.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan, Eoin McArdle Aaron Clarke (Eoin Dunne, 68), Zitian Xiang, Conor Geoghegan, Gavin Walsh, Mate Salacan (Des Eiffe, 65), Owen Brayden (Eoin Kenny, 80) Rob O'Shea, Conor Fennell (Niall Holleran, 57) Shane Halpin (Colin Barrett, 72),
Balheary Reservoir, 4 May 2023
The Penguins were far from the best during the first half, and were lucky not to find themselves at least a couple of goals behind, as Swords failed to take advantage of a host of chances, looking like a vastly improved outfit since Seaford had beaten them at home early in the campaign.
Dangerous midfielder Raz burst clean through the Seaford defence only to be denied by Oisin Geoghegan on his 100th club appearance, before Dean Caul saw a goal ruled out for offside, and Raz missed a golden chance to break the deadlock on 33.
The visitors had barely created a chance before they were awarded a penalty on 35 minutes, when Gavin Walsh made an enterprising run into the box before being cleared out, but Shane Halpin saw his spot-kick saved by Alex Kavanagh.
Late in the half, Mate Salacan almost bagged with a stunning strike from range, but his 30-yard lob rebounded the underside of the bar and bounced on the goalline but not over it.
The turning point in the game arrived ten minutes into the second half, when Raz again got in on goal and slipped the ball under Geoghegan, only for Zitian Xiang to slide in and block the ball on the line. Moments, it was 1-0 to Seaford, as Halpin got on the end of Conor Geoghegan's ball and, getting his strike away early, he buried it past Kavanagh.
Seaford had a much better foothold in the game now, and their attack was reinvigorated by the introduction of hard-running subs like Niall Holleran and Des Eiffe, whose pace and power was too much for the Swords defenders.
But, with the hosts desperate for points at the wrong end of the table, they gained some initiative as the minutes ticked on. The rampaging midfielder Raz looked the biggest threat, blazing a shot wide after getting through on goal, and they went close again on with just three minutes to play when Cross fired low at the corner of the goal but Geoghegan managed to get down to parry it around the post.
Seaford held out resolutely until the final whistle to secure the win that ensures they'll be promoted to the Major section of the LSL for the 2023/24 season, a fitting reward for the efforts of Paulie Morris and his players throughout the campaign.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan, Eoin McArdle Aaron Clarke (Eoin Dunne, 68), Zitian Xiang, Conor Geoghegan, Gavin Walsh, Mate Salacan (Des Eiffe, 65), Owen Brayden (Eoin Kenny, 80) Rob O'Shea, Conor Fennell (Niall Holleran, 57) Shane Halpin (Colin Barrett, 72),
Balheary Reservoir, 4 May 2023