Despite the weather on Saturday both games thankfully went ahead at home and it was a welcome return to adult football for the Boden faithful. Two good wins to get up and running was as welcome as the bright early sunshine, some had even suggested the excellent breakfasts the day before may have played a part in that! Reports and pics below.

Senior football league v Na Fianna, 1 March 2020 at Páirc Úí Mhurchú

Ballyboden St Endas 3 – 10

Na Fianna 0 – 14

It’s always nice to win your first league game and the seniors duly obliged at home on this windy Sunday morning. Playing with the wind in the first half, the home team was first on the score board after three minutes when Warren Egan split the posts. Na Fianna responded almost immediately but in the next 10 minutes Alan Flood, Ross McGarry (free) and Aran Waters added points. Na Fianna got two back from play and then up pops Bob Dwan and Brian Bobbett to cancel out these scores. The visitors had two points from frees each side of a similar point from Ross McGarry as half time arrived leaving the home side 0 – 7 to 0 – 5 ahead. This could have been much more favourable for the home side were it not for two late goal chances that went abegging. First, Conor Dooley cracked a shot off the cross bar and later Tom Hayes went for goal from a tight angle but his shot went across the goal and wide.

A two-point lead did not look good as we faced into the wind in the second half. However, as he did in the first half, Warren Egan was first to score when he popped over a point within the first minute to start a very productive few minutes for Boden. A minute later, as he bore down on goal, Darren O’Reilly was dragged to the ground and a penalty was awarded. Warren Egan’s effort was saved by the goalie and while Warren caught the rebound, the Na Fianna goal remained intact. But not for long. After some great team-work, the ball was passed to Tom Hayes and he made no mistake with a well taken goal. Four minutes later, Warren Egan was fouled in the square and another penalty was awarded. Once again, the Na Fianna goalie made a good save, this time from Ross McGarry’s shot. However, on this occasion, Ross finished the rebound to the net. This left the home side 8 points ahead. Na Fianna had got a point from play earlier on. After the penalty setback, Na Fianna continued to apply pressure on the Boden goal and pointed two frees in quick succession. It could have been worse if it was not for great defensive work by Darragh Gogan and Kieran Kennedy, among others, to prevent Na Fianna adding two goals. Simon Lambert stopped the rot with a great point from distance before Darren O’Reilly palmed to the net after a good pass from Tom Hayes. This left 10 points between the sides but Na Fianna were not about to surrender without a challenge. In the final 10 minutes of ordinary and 7 minutes of added time, Na Fianna scored six points to the home sides one (a pointed free by Ross McGarry). Aran Waters was covering well around the half back line to keep Na Fianna at bay. However, Warren Egan had a chance to finish the game on a high but, with the goal at his mercy, the chance was missed.

TEAM: Darragh Gogan; Bob Dwan; Cathal Flaherty; Kieran Kennedy; James Holland; Darragh Nelson; Brian Bobbett; Donagh McCabe; Aran Waters; Darren O’Reilly; Ross McGarry; Alan Flood; Warren Egan; Conor Dooley; Tom Hayes. SUBS USED: Simon Lambert; Stephen O’Connor; Shane Durkin; Josh Hayes; Malachy Codd.

Photos by John Kirwan

Posted by BodenGAA on Sunday, March 1, 2020

Intermediate Football League  Ballyboden St. Enda’s 4-16   Good Counsel / Liffey Gaels 1-5
What was amazing about the Boden inter footballers emergence from a winter of hibernation was Bagsie’s tan. Despite not securing a treasured role in Love Island his melanin concentration remained scarily high despite the long winter nights. Suspiciously not far behind in the melanin stakes was Lewis, but the boys from the west like to claim some Iberian heritage which may explain this. On a cool late winter Sunday morning in Sancta Maria the league campaign finally got underway. The team boasted a debutant in the form of the towering Mark Walsh in the middle of the park and starting debuts for Conor Hanrahan and Enda Cashman. All three slotted in seamlessly and deservedly won the plaudits of the watching aficionados!
The starting team boasted a blend of youth and experience. Out of respect for our more experienced brothers we will not name Jamesie, Archie and Fergal; although all three were very influential in the course of the game. The youth element possessed one Barra Mc who has returned to the fold following a recent night at the darts (as a spectator). Barra’s pinpoint accuracy mirrored the nine-darter finish he witnessed on Thursday evening.
Returning for another campaign was young Fionn Maguire. Fresh from serving the great and the good at the Big Breakfast on Saturday morning he strove to restore his “on the pitch” reputation by acting as a ball magnet such was his performance throughout the game. The celebrity chefs have nothing to fear from his culinary skills but all to fear from his football talents.
Our own energiser bunny, Tommy Burke expended so much energy at wing back that it made you wonder whether he had his own internal nuclear reactor. I hear that he was spotted in the gym after the match. Tommy was matched in effort and application by Luke O’D whose tireless running and support in the middle eventually yielded a second goal from a well-worked move which was driven low and hard to the bottom right corner of the net.
Others to make debuts were our very own Jack L (Hallelujah, a star is born) and the fleet footed John McGuire who hit a spectacular left-footed point late on in the game.
The game ended early as a contest with Boden racking up a decent score in the first half aided by a strong cold wind. The second half saw Good Counsel exert more pressure but ultimately fall a bit short. All in all it was a decent start to the league.
Team: Mark McNamee, Fionn Maguire, Fergal Haran (Jack Lambert 52′), Conor Hanrahan, Tommy Burke, James O’Hara, Keith Sweeney (0-1), Mark Walsh (0-1)(Dylan Walsh 45′), Luke O’Donoghue (2-0), Lewis Cawley (John McGuire (0-1) 50′), Enda Cashman (0-4), Ciaran Archbold (42′ Seamus Keane), Cian Bates (1-3), Ruairi Kirwan (1-1), Barra McGarry (0-5). Subs not used: Ste McGrath, John McGinn, Owen Lennon, Oisin Carolan, Davey Hayes.
Fógra: thanks to Ciaran and Jim for umpiring
Fógra eile: condolences to Lewis on his recent family bereavement, thanks for playing