Result: 2 13 to 2 09
Boden seccure points in AHL 6 – An Tarbh reports
The Junior team kept their 100% record in tact on Sunday morning with a fine performance against Clontarf in Pairc Uí Mhurchú. The foundations for this victory began on Saturday evening with a small crew of men, led by John Ryan, clearing snow and surface water from the pitch. The green light was given and preparations began for this second round AHL6 clash. Clontarf had transport difficulties and this match started 15 minutes later than planned.
The Senior A team and O’Tooles played the curtain-raiser for this match. But the junior match was every bit as skillful and enthralling to watch. The game was played from start to finish with a championship intensity. Ballyboden showed they were certainly up for the challenge from the very start. As with the senior hurlers in the previous game, the junior team kept tight at the back and attacked with determination. Matthew Nolan made countless saves in the first half; many of which Conor O’Donoghue would have been proud of. Our two corner backs, David Kirwan & Gavin Duff (both retired senior players!) were teak-tough in defence and refused to concede any soft scores. Luke Basquel, a player who would not have been out of place in the senior game, played excellently at centre-forward.
Evan McDonnell (who scored 3-3 in the last game) had a quiet game by his standards. It was an opportunity for others to shine. Jonathan O’Donoghue who covered every blade of grass on the main pitch found himself on the end of a neat pass from Brian Cummins and finished to the net. Indeed Brian wasn’t finished with that, and followed up with a goal of his own shortly after. Luke Basquel moved to midfield and partnered with Tom Sweeney took control of this area of the field against some fierce pressure from Clontarf. At times, tensions threatened to boil over, but with Gilheaney, Nugent and Normile always looking to attack from the half-back line we were on the front foot for the entire second half.
With only a single score separating the sides for most of the match it was a day when winning possession was vital. There were some fine examples of this by Keating, Cummins and MacMathuna late in the second half when pressure was on. Many of these catches forced Clontarf to concede frees and with time almost up Evan McDonnell drove over the final point of the day to give a four point cushion at the end.
Final Score: 2-13 to 2-09
Team: Matthew Nolan, Gavin Duff, Conor Maher, David Kirwan, Mark Normile, Daniel Nugent, Dave Gilheaney, Ger Keating, Thomas Sweeney, Luke Basquel, Peadar MacMathuna, David Garry, Evan McDonnell, Brian Cummins, Jonathan O’Donoghue, Sean Gorman, Eoin Featherstone.