Match Report: Verona 2-1 Seaford Rock United
LSL Saturday Major 1B
Another tight match against promotion rivals, another afternoon of narrow misses and minor lapses, and another 2-1 away defeat for Seaford.
Just like the previous week at Inchicore, this was a day of intense frustration for the navy blues, as they were punished for lapses in concentration either side of half time, and couldn't quite muster the second goal that their relentless late pressure might have merited.
The opening period was cagey. Seaford threatened through the clever link play of Stephen Canavan and Darragh Connolly's clever dribbling coming in off the left wing. David Higgins had the first strike on goal, his effort comfortably gathered by Ryan Deegan, and hte same man went close again on 33 minutes, aiming his left footed shot just wide.
The introduction of Ciaran Murphy as a first-half substitute for Verona proved a turning point, as he turned the match in the home side's favour with a man-of-the-match display. His long throw found Liam Moran in acres of space in front of the Seaford goal, but he somehow directed his volley wide. The navy blues didn't learn the lesson, and in the last play of the half they switched off at a corner, and Moran picked his spot from 15 yards to open the scoring.
Verona picked up where they left off after half time, with Moran seeing his free kick parried onto the bar by Oisin Geoghegan, before Robert Byrne's big diagonal picked out Murphy, who was denied a brilliant finish when his volley came off the post.
But moments later Murphy got in again, and was tripped in the box by Ian Nolan, with Moran slotting away the resulting penalty.
Seaford got a lifeline on 57 minutes through , Andy Roe. Steve Kane's cross wasn't properly dealt with, and when the ball fell to Roe on the edge of the box he fired home a crisp low shot with his right.
The momentum of the match shifted completely as the visitors now took control. Deegan made a fine reaction save to deny Canavan one-on-one, after Connolly had laid him in. Then substitute Harry Crowe curled a superb effort off the post, before Alex Smirnoff skinned his man and flashed a low cross along the six yard line, with no team-mate able to capitalise.
Ultimately, however, Seaford were unable to find a vital equaliser and now have some work to do in order to get their promotion push back on track.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan; Steve Kane (Owen Brayden, 63), Paul Tansey (Gavin Walsh, 86), Ian Nolan, Fionn Lawlor, Oli Wright (Sam Browne, 74), Mike O'Neill, David Higgins (Harry Crowe, 57), Andy Roe (Alex Smirnoff, 74) Darragh Connolly, Stephen Canavan.
Verona: Ryan Deegan, Vincent McDermott, Thomas Martin (Darragh Perdisat, 72), Martin Byrne, Robert Byrne, Shane O'Brien (Aidan Lyons, 72), Conor McMullen (Ciaran Murphy, 33)(Karl Mulhall, 90+1), David Walsh, Liam Moran, Gerard Clarke, Ange Wanzio
Coolmine, 16 February 2019
Just like the previous week at Inchicore, this was a day of intense frustration for the navy blues, as they were punished for lapses in concentration either side of half time, and couldn't quite muster the second goal that their relentless late pressure might have merited.
The opening period was cagey. Seaford threatened through the clever link play of Stephen Canavan and Darragh Connolly's clever dribbling coming in off the left wing. David Higgins had the first strike on goal, his effort comfortably gathered by Ryan Deegan, and hte same man went close again on 33 minutes, aiming his left footed shot just wide.
The introduction of Ciaran Murphy as a first-half substitute for Verona proved a turning point, as he turned the match in the home side's favour with a man-of-the-match display. His long throw found Liam Moran in acres of space in front of the Seaford goal, but he somehow directed his volley wide. The navy blues didn't learn the lesson, and in the last play of the half they switched off at a corner, and Moran picked his spot from 15 yards to open the scoring.
Verona picked up where they left off after half time, with Moran seeing his free kick parried onto the bar by Oisin Geoghegan, before Robert Byrne's big diagonal picked out Murphy, who was denied a brilliant finish when his volley came off the post.
But moments later Murphy got in again, and was tripped in the box by Ian Nolan, with Moran slotting away the resulting penalty.
Seaford got a lifeline on 57 minutes through , Andy Roe. Steve Kane's cross wasn't properly dealt with, and when the ball fell to Roe on the edge of the box he fired home a crisp low shot with his right.
The momentum of the match shifted completely as the visitors now took control. Deegan made a fine reaction save to deny Canavan one-on-one, after Connolly had laid him in. Then substitute Harry Crowe curled a superb effort off the post, before Alex Smirnoff skinned his man and flashed a low cross along the six yard line, with no team-mate able to capitalise.
Ultimately, however, Seaford were unable to find a vital equaliser and now have some work to do in order to get their promotion push back on track.
Seaford: Oisin Geoghegan; Steve Kane (Owen Brayden, 63), Paul Tansey (Gavin Walsh, 86), Ian Nolan, Fionn Lawlor, Oli Wright (Sam Browne, 74), Mike O'Neill, David Higgins (Harry Crowe, 57), Andy Roe (Alex Smirnoff, 74) Darragh Connolly, Stephen Canavan.
Verona: Ryan Deegan, Vincent McDermott, Thomas Martin (Darragh Perdisat, 72), Martin Byrne, Robert Byrne, Shane O'Brien (Aidan Lyons, 72), Conor McMullen (Ciaran Murphy, 33)(Karl Mulhall, 90+1), David Walsh, Liam Moran, Gerard Clarke, Ange Wanzio
Coolmine, 16 February 2019