Big Joe nets the plaudits in dramatic finale
Sen’chalst’n 2-7 Dunshaughlin 1-8
THERE was a sensational ending to this otherwise dull SFC encounter at Ashbourne on Sunday evening as Joe Sheridan blasted a penalty to the net in the sixth minute of added time to give Seneschalstown an unlikely victory.
Dunshaughlin were hanging on to a precarious single-point lead when Slane referee David Gough awarded the Yellow Furze outfit a penalty following a goalmouth scramble. Gough consulted with an umpire before pointing to the spot after a Dunshaughlin player had touched the ball on the ground.
While some players might have taken the safe option by tapping the ball over the bar for a share of the spoils, there was no doubt in Sheridan’s mind as he gave Dunshaughlin keeper Andrew Smith no chance with a screamer high to the net.
Two minutes earlier substitute Cian Gallogly had pointed Dunshaughlin ahead from a free for what looked like the winning score.
The drama in the closing minutes failed to make amends for the poor fare served up by both teams earlier in the game. This proved a dour struggle between two sides fighting to avoid the threat of the relegation play-off.
Despite playing against the breeze, Seneschalstown made a flying start to proceedings with early points from Niall McCabe and Dylan Keating and had built up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the 13th minute.
Cathal O’Dwyer accounted for Dunshaughlin’s opening points, both frees, and they were on level terms at 1-2 to 0-5 when Tommy Johnson fielded a high delivery on the edge of the square, turned his marker and blasted to the net.
That goal proved a timely boost for Anthony Moyles’ side who then made a double substitution, calling ashore Tadhg Ó Dúshláine and Shane Gallogly.
They finished the half impressively with another pointed free from O’Dwyer and two from Johnson to lead 1-5 to 0-5 at the break.
Bryan Clarke, with a great effort under pressure, reduced the deficit within a minute of the restart, but he then squandered two further chances to reduce the deficit even further.
However, Dunshaughlin hopes suffered a double blow when the influential Niall Murphy was black-carded and and they also coughed up a soft goal.
Keeper Andrew Smith seemed to be in two minds when in possession, his intended pass went astray and Joe Sheridan pounced on the mistake before Dylan Keating finally finished to the net.
That left Seneschalstown ahead by the minimum, but the sides were back level following a Ben Duggan point.
With Niall Hickey in flying form and proving a real driving force, Seneschalstown had the edge, but they had to wait 18 minutes to add to their tally, with Stephen Finnegan shooting over from long range.
There was just two minutes of normal time remaining when Shane Gallogly regained parity from a free, but the substitute was wide of the mark from another placed ball as his side pressed for a match-winner.
Gallogly made amends for that miss with his 64th-minute point, awarded for a foul on Tommy Johnson, before the late, late penalty drama decided the issue.
Seneschalstown can consider themselves fortunate to have gotten out of this one with both points and have plenty to do if they are to be contenders for a knockout spot. SENESCHALSTOWN: David Gordon; Brian Maguire, Joe Cowley, Mark Fox; Niall McCabe 0-1, John Smith, Niall Groome; Brian Sheridan 0-1f, Niall Hickey; Adam Carey 0-1, Joe Sheridan 1-0 pen, Stephen Finnegan 0-1; Cathal Finnegan, Bryan Clarke 0-2, Dylan Keating 1-1. Subs: James Meade for B Sheridan (39), Robert Wogan for McCabe (45), Sean Noonan for Cowley (52).
DUNSHAUGHLIN: Andrew Smith; Alaster Doyle, Caoimhin King, Oisin Foley; David Dunne, Ronan Geraghty, Niall Murphy; Ben Duggan 0-1, Ray Maloney; Tommy Johnson 1-2, Tadhg Ó Dúshláine, Adam Kealy; Shane Gallogly, Fergus Toolan, Cathal O’Dwyer 0-3fs. Subs: Cian Gallogly 0-2fs for S Gallogly, Wesley Goodwin for Ó Dúshláine (both 22), Eric Casserley for N Murphy (BC 34), John Crimmins for Kealy (45), Matthew Moyles for Toolan, Niall Byrne for O’Dwyer (both 52).
REF: David Gough (Slane)