Result: 1 15 to 1 20
Senior B hurlers come up short in important league clash – The Long Fella Reports
A late goal from the visitors Jim White decided this important adult league Division 3 hurling clash at a tropical HQ pitch on Saturday evening last. However this significant score paled into lesser importance when the contribution of Davis’s Kevin Ward is taken consideration. His overall display coupled with a ten point tally, half of which was from play, sealed Boden’s fate. The home side somehow converted a well deserved half time lead of 1.10 to 0.08 into a deficit of two points by the time the White goal went past Boden’s youthful custodian Matthew Nolan.
The opening exchanges were hugely competitive and Boden’s Shane Kennedy ‘grasped the nettle’ in pursuit of a much needed home win. By the ten minute mark the scores were even at three points each, with Kennedy, Emmett Carroll and Morgan Ryan cancelling out a trio of scores from Ward. Kennedy and Ward kept the scores even with more white flags. The remainder of the half was hugely profitable for Boden with Carroll netting after a fine four-pass move, and three clever set-up points from Ben Kelly, Naoise Maguire and Carroll. Maguire was arguably Boden’s playmaker and best performer of the half, and he was instrumental in setting the scene for what should have been a competitive second half. Others to show well were Chris Lambert and Finnian McDonagh whose line cut from sixty metres was a joy to behold.
The second half consigned Boden’s attack to a tale of ‘scant croppings’, as the Davis machine led by their talisman Ward hit overdrive. They scored seven points without reply, with Ward and Sean Reilly claiming the lions share of the spoils. White and Davy Byrne added further misery to Boden’s evening. Kennedy stopped the rot with a fine point and Mark Lambert reduced the deficit further with a long-range free. The irrepressible Ward pointed again, only for McDonagh to reply and keep the deficit to a point. But that was as good as it got for the home side, with Davis’s attack flashing in their goal and Ward again the tormentor with an outstanding point from an impossible position. Kennedy had a late score to keep Boden’s hopes alive, but the goal that would have set up a grandstand finish would not come and the Davis support headed westward in the knowledge that their side had consolidated their position at the business end of the league table.
Boden lined out with Matthew Nolan, Naoise Maguire, Adam Jermyn, Emmett Carroll, Fergal Murray, Cathal Bergin, Mike Clifford, Karl Reddy, Mattie Weldon, Chris Lambert, Keith McCarron, Shane Kennedy, Fionn Maguire, Morgan Ryan, Finnian McDonagh, Ben Kelly, and Mark Lambert.