Seapatrick get lost in the Maze as they bow out of Premier Cup

After a convincing win the previous week the village were playing with a new found confidence and Seapatrick certainly made the brighter start.

The Village’s midfielders were bringing the wide men into the game well and as a result most chances came from crosses and runs from wide areas.

Aaron Buchanan came closest when he broke into the box only for the ball to bobble unfavourably resulting in him putting Seapatrick’s best chance over the bar.

Mucker McGrath was winning his aerial battles and gaining numerous free kicks but unfortunately Seapatrick could not capitalise on this. Chambers and McAvoy both came close before the end of the half but good saves and strong woodwork kept the score at 0-0.

The second half started similar to how to the first ended with Seapatrick seeming content to coast along at 0-0.

The Village were playing the better football and creating more chances but unfortunately couldn’t convert these to goals.

Captain Damian “Cobra” McParland decided to take matters into his own hands and sent out a missile from five yards inside his own half over the Maze keepers head but unfortunately he was a yard out and the ball went wide.

Seapatrick kept making chances but the score remained at 0-0 and Lower Maze had begun to make chances of their own; however Paul McGrath pulled of some good saves to game the score level.

The match was still Seapatrick’s to lose until the 80th minute when a village player tackled a Maze forward in the box only for the ball the run through to the other Maze striker who had a simple pass into the net.

Seapatrick did not let their heads drop and created more chances than their counterparts in what was now an end to end game.

The pressure paid off and in the 89th minute Aaron Buchanan levelled the score after pouncing on a spill from the keeper after a testing shot from Aaron McAvoy.

The travelling support now sensed a win for the Village as they looked the fitter side towards the dying stages however this was not the case.

Seapatrick seemed to be still in celebration mode when Lower Maze took the centre, and their centre midfielder dribbled straight for goal unopposed and slipped a great ball to the right between two village players.

The Maze centre forward who had been a constant threat all day pounced on this opportunity and lobbed the stranded McGrath. Unfortunately Seapatrick could not convert possession to goals in injury time and the game finished 2-1.

Lower Maze battled hard as always and took their few chances well, but the Villagers will certainly feel that the better team on the day lost.

Team: P. McGrath, P. Davidson, A. Kerr, D. McParland, W. Buchanan, S .McGarry, A. McAvoy, S. McGrath, A. Buchanan, G. McGrath, A. Chambers. Subs T.McCreanor, M.Myles, R.Graham