Under 16 Summer League Division 1 Round 3
St. Colmcilles 1-13 Seneschalstown 1-09
By Shane Mulvany
Minus a few regulars combined with only having 15 players available to them, Seneschalstown ultimately fell short in their bid to get their first win of the Summer League campaign. Having finished level with Na Fianna as well as leaving Paddy O’Brien Park pointless last Tuesday, victory was a must when they travelled to the excellently presented Páirc Uí Rís facilities in Piltown on Tuesday evening.
Under 16 Summer League Division 1 Round 3
St. Colmcilles 1-13 Seneschalstown 1-09
By Shane Mulvany
Minus a few regulars combined with only having 15 players available to them, Seneschalstown ultimately fell short in their bid to get their first win of the Summer League campaign. Having finished level with Na Fianna as well as leaving Paddy O’Brien Park pointless last Tuesday, victory was a must when they travelled to the excellently presented Páirc Uí Rís facilities in Piltown on Tuesday evening.
The hosts were quickest out of the blocks and opened the scoring in the first minute with a point from play from the right hand side of their attack. Some of the Seneschalstown players were trying to get to grips with new positions early on, thus allowing St Colmcilles kick a second score from play in the fourth minute. Playing into the teeth of a stiff breeze in the first period, Seneschalstown needed to ensure they came away with a score from every opportunity that presented itself, and when Dylan Keating was fouled 30 metres from goal he dusted himself to register Seneschalstown’s first point of the hour. Rather quickly, Cilles responded with one of their own from play before a mini scoring burst from the visitors brought them level. Having won a kickout, Joe Moore played a one-two with Keating before showing good strength to fire over. When Senschalstown defended the next attack, it was only a matter of seconds before Moore had the ball over the bar at the other end. Brian Boyd punched away a high ball into the path of covering centre half back Alan Mulvany on the right wing. He intelligently played the ball up to Cillian Gormley who exchanged passes with Dylan Keating. Moore then ran an excellent line off Gormley and knocked the ball over the bar after a quick team move up the pitch – something greatly lacking in Pearse Stadium last Sunday!
A seven minute fallow period followed before the home side put over their first placed ball of the hour to re-establish the lead, and five minutes later it became four when one of the Cilles forwards made inroads on the Seneschalstown goal before leaving Brian Boyd with absolutely no chance with a piledriving finish to the net. Seneschalstown were now required to dig deep and keep the scoreboard down at half time. Alan Mulvany chipped over a free from the ground two minutes after the hosts major, owing to a stray boot from a defender but a brace of St. Colmcilles points before the interval left the visitors in a difficult situation and trailing by 5 points, 1-06 to 0-04.
Some of the Seneschalstown supporters would have been forgiven for believing the game was as good as over only a matter of seconds into the second as the coastal side split the posts with an effort from play. Having no substitutions available the management team could only make positional switches at half time, and they started to bear fruit as the half progressed.
Firstly, Alan Mulvany pointed a 45’ in the 37th minute, and despite another point at the opposite end of the field, the gap was decreasing. From the aforementioned St. Colmcilles point, Joe Moore plucked a kickout from the evening sky and laid the ball off to Mulvany who ran towards the Colmcilles defence before laying off to Dylan Keating who arced the ball over the bar off his trusty left boot. Four minutes later, Seneschalstown were awarded another free right of the posts. Dylan Keatings attempted shot was short but on hand was Joe Moore to flick the ball to the net and suddenly it was a two point game. The home side responded with a point in the 45th minute but by the 51st minute the teams were level. Firstly Dylan Keating tapped over a close range free following a foul on James Commons. Then when Keating had another free, he played it quick to Mulvany who punted the ball over the bar. Then the visitors were level when Mulvany curled over a third placed ball off the ground from the left hand side of the goal. However, Seneschalstown had Brian Boyd to thank in between the flurry of scores as he made a fine stop to prevent what was almost a certain goal for St. Colmcilles.
As the game ticked towards the finish, it was the fresher St Colmcilles legs which got them over the finish line as they kicked four final points all from play to seal victory in a game where both teams could not be faulted for effort or played all 15 players on their own 45 metre line.
Best for Seneschalstown were Brian Boyd, Cíaran Mongey, Joe Moore, Alan Mulvany and Dylan Keating.
Seneschalstown: B. Boyd, P. Finnegan, C. Mongey, W. Finnegan, L. Maguire, A. Mulvany (0-04, 2fs, 1 45), C. Hickey, J. Moore (1-02), C. Gormley, R. Mullen, D. Keating (0-03, 2fs), A. Traynor, J. Commons, J. Lyons, A. Carey.
