BBSE 1 17  Kilmacud Crokes 2 23  

Thursday  1th May, Pairc Uí Mhurchú

Shane Ormsby reports 

Tháinig BBNÉ ar ais go treán sa dara leath ach ní raibh aon fhreagra acu do na scóir luath agus déanach a fuair na Crócaigh.  It was pure PUM under the sun as réiteoir Rory Hanley threw in the ball at 7pm on Thursday, May 1st. Crokes, shooting into the dressing room end, flew out of the traps, racing into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead inside seven minutes through scores from Purcell, Kinsella, Egan, and a brace from Roche. BBSE had to wait until the ninth minute to make a mark – a slick sideline from Fergal Ryan to McDonnell and back again saw Ryan deliver a pinpoint ball to McMorrow, whose superb catch and offload found Ormsby to slot BBSE’s opener.

Crokes responded with a peach from Sean Purcell, who nailed one from the corner under fierce pressure from Luke Mulligan Lynch. Conway added another from halfway to leave it 0-7 to 0-1 after 10 minutes.

BBSE rallied with a fine long-range strike from Niall Ryan after Jack Lambert dug it out of a ruck (0-9 to 0-2, 14 mins). Moments later, Delaney fired over after a cross pitch sideline from Ormsby, before Lambert landed an outrageous free from inside his own half after being hauled back (0-11 to 0-4, 20 mins).

Mulligan Lynch stood strong against the tricky Purcell, forcing him over the endline in a brilliant defensive moment. Christie added another after excellent graft from Lambert (0-12 to 0-5, 24 mins).

Then came the first of Mattie Nolan’s three superb saves – denying Purcell from close range after he weaved past robust BBSE defence. During the period BBSE were guilty of 4-5 close wides that should’ve narrowed the gap.

Matthew Nolan keeps his eye on the sliotar v Kilmacud Crokes 

John McGuire floated in a perfect ball to the ever-reliable Ryan, who gloved and converted. The score of the half followed from Lambert, booming one over from his own half after Mulligan Lynch won a hard-fought duel with Purcell (0-12 to 0-7, 27 mins).

Mattie came to the rescue again on 28 minutes, saving low from the Crokes No. 11 who had a free pop from 10m – Crokes had to settle for a point after recycling.

Half-time: Crokes 0-14, BBSE 0-9. Still within reach thanks to Mattie’s heroics and room to close the gap with sharper shooting.

Crokes were back out early, but Boden made full use of the break, with Hiney taking all ten minutes to rally his men.

The restart saw Crokes hit two quick points, including a stunning effort from Sean Purcell off the 65 – arguably the point of the game. Moments later, they found the net (1-16 to 0-10, 34 mins).

Boden answered with a deft move: a cross-field ball from Lambert to Pearse, who was fouled – McMorrow slotted the free (1-16 to 0-11). Then came a moment of brilliance – Ormsby took down a long puckout, laid it to Durkin, who fed McMorrow. A 30-yard burst and a clinical low finish into the bottom corner gave BBSE a much needed lifeline (1-16 to 1-11).

That goal sparked Boden’s best spell. The backs tightened up, forcing 4-5 Crokes wides. At the other end, Ormsby’s driving run earned a handy free for McMorrow to convert (1-17 to 1-12, 47 mins). Then Christie produced magic – plucking a ball on his own line, playing out from danger, and volleying it over after hitting his limit of two catches. Crokes hit back quickly.

Boden’s shape had clearly changed. Ormsby, Durkin, McMorrow and Christie dropped deeper, saw more ball, and began dictating the pace better.

Kennedy and Delaney made way for Timmy Hammersley and Luke McDwyer (45 mins), with Timmy making an instant impact – winning a 50:50 and setting up McMorrow to score from the 45.

Mattie Nolan denied Crokes yet again with a top-class save after their No. 14 went on a blistering 60-yard run. Though Crokes recycled and pointed, the stop kept BBSE’s chances alive (1-22 to 1-15, 54 mins).

Boden weren’t done – Timmy grabbed a long puckout from Nolan, turned his man, and split the posts from 40 yards. But Crokes had the final say: Purcell gathered a towering puckout from Hynes, tore down the car park wing, rounded his marker, and fired to the net (2-23 to 1-17, 57 mins).

Full-time: Crokes 2-24, BBSE 1-17. In the end, Crokes’ clinical start and late goal sealed the win, but there was plenty to admire in Boden’s response — from Mattie Nolan’s heroics between the posts to great performances from McMorrow, Lambert & Mulligan Lynch.  A sharper conversion rate and that same second-half cohesion from the start will be the focus as the campaign rolls on.

Click here for Pictures courtesy of  John Kirwan

Click here for pictures courtesy of Miriam Doyle

Painéal

Matthew Nolan,  Luke Mulligan-Lynch, Stephen O’Connor, Liam Dargan, Feargal Ryan John McGuire, Jack Lambert, Jim Kennedy, Sean McDonnell, Darragh Durkin,  Niall Ryan, Pearce Christie, Darragh Delaney, Niall McMorrow, Darragh Ormsby, Rob Leddy, Kevin Byrne, Adam Kelleher. Malachy Codd, Daniel Glynn, Timmy Hammersley, Luke McDwyer

Timmy Hammersley for Darragh Delaney & Luke McDwyer for Jim Kennedy (45 mins)

 Bainisteoir: Stephen Hiney

Réiteoir: Rory Hanley, St Bridgid’s