Senior football league v Ballinteer St Johns at Marlay Park on 27 April 2024
Ballyboden St Enda’s 3 – 7
Ballinteer St John’s 3 – 12
Report by Paddy Walsh
This was a cagey game from the start with both sides defending strongly until the home side got a point from a free after 7 minutes. Eoghan Gannon got Boden off the mark with a good point on 10 minutes. Two minutes later, a good attacking move involving Harry Donaghy and Alex Gavin found Luke O’Donoghue on the edge of the small square. Luke dummied the goalie and blasted the ball to the net. Darren O‘Reilly, with the fist, added another point for the visitors. Ballinteer came back with a pointed free which was cancelled out by Daire Sweeney, also from a free. Ballinteer and Daire Sweeney again traded frees before Ballinteer scored their first point from play as half time approached leaving the half-time score at 1 – 4 to 0 – 4.
Ballinteer made a blistering start to the second half with a goal in the first minute followed in quick succession with a point and a converted penalty in the first 7 minutes. Three more points followed from play without reply to leave Ballinteer leading by double scores, 2 – 8 to 1 – 4, midway through the second half. Boden was thrown a lifeline when Ciarán Duggan goaled and this was quickly followed by a Daire Sweeney point from play. But back came Ballinteer with two more points (1 free). Again, Daire Sweeney slotted over a point from a free, but Ballinteer scored another goal followed by two points. With time running out, Harry Donaghy fired over from distance and with time nearly up, Ryan O’Dwyer, after coming on as a sub in his first game in months, goaled to make the score more respectable.
TEAM: Darragh Gogan; Evan Nugent; Harry Donaghy; Ryan Baynes; Dan McCarthy; Alex Gavin; Eoghan Gannon; Donogh McCabe; Mick McDonald; Luke O’Donoghue; Ciarán O’Reilly; John McGuire; Daire Sweeney; Darren O’Reilly; Ciarán Duggan. SUBS USED: Mark Walsh; Conor Hanrahan; Davy Keogh; Ryan O’Dwyer.
Thanks to Dave Rusk for photos.