Ballyboden St Endas  1.19  Lucan Sarsfields  1.18

Long Fella Reports from PUM

When the great and the good, and the “anoraks repaired to the surgery” to review the evenings game at HQ, and the main talking points were the interpretation of the hand-pass and a significant sending-off, it is surely at the expense of the skills on show from a hugely committed twin-set of hurlers from two proud and aspiring clubs. Lucan Sarsfields never fail to bring their “A game” to Boden fields, and last Saturday evenings AHL1 tie was no different in that department. Their efforts were well rewarded over the sixty intense hurling minutes and the game boiled down to a frantic last few plays when opportunities fell the way of the visitors in the form of long-distance frees. The failure to convert these chances cost them the reward of a win or even a draw, something that the Boden following basking in the setting sun from the west would hardly have begrudged them.

Putting the result aside, Lucan can surely claim to have had the most impressive performers on show in forwards Charlie Keher, Chris O’Leary and David Flannery. Where they fell down perhaps, was in losing a player within a mere twenty seconds of his introduction at the start of the second half, added to the concession of a series of second half frees, most of which Boden’s Paul Ryan dispatched over the bar.

The home side opened brightly when Ryan fired over from the “forty”, only for Keher to match his effort. Boden’s Luke Mulligan-Lynch raided into Lucan territory, but lost his way in the scoring zone, but within a minute Ryan had Boden in front with a pointed free. Simon Lambert added to Boden’s tally with his effort and almost immediately became provider when his lay-off found Pearse Christie. His trickery out-manoeuvred the Lucan rear-guard to hit the net from twenty metres. Lucan responded immediately with a Keher goal and an O’Leary point. A follow-up Lucan point tied the scores at 1.03 apiece. A quick brace of points from Pearse and Niall Ryan sent Boden into the lead only to see Lucan’s David Flannery reduce the margin with one of the points of the game. Ryan and O’Leary shared points to keep the margin to a single.

The skills kept coming with Boden’s Conor Dooley high-catching, but without the reward of a finish. O’Leary executed one of the lifts of the evening in the middle of a ruck, but again without the reward it deserved. In between Boden’s Tim Hammersly had considerable “line support” in earning a free which Ryan converted. Tim followed up with his own score from out wide on the wash. Flannery and Ryan traded scores and within a minute Ryan was back on a placed ball after Christie had created the opportunity with a determined chase-down. The last three points of the half fell to Lucan with a brace from Keher and a single from Colm Keenan. HT at 1.10 to 1.09 with Lucan in the lead.

The drama of the game was heightened early in the second moiety when a Lucan substitute sent Boden’s Shane Durkin over the side-line with more force than the referee would tolerate. The resultant red card may have ultimately damaged the visitor’s aspirations, but they masked the hindrance very well with an accomplished finish to the game. Boden’s early scores came from Ryan’s free-taking, but O’Leary responded twice and Flannery also contributed to tie the game. Niall Ryan did the donkey work down the middle to create the opportunity for Luke McDwyer to open his account. Ryan again stepped up with a brace of frees, followed by cousin Niall after Hammersly created the space. Lucan were far from done when O’Leary reduced the difference with a brace of points. But again Ryan came to Boden’s rescue with one from play and a tidy free. O’Leary kept plugging away and with a placed ball and one from play, the margin was back to a single again. The last minutes were frantic with Lucan piling the pressure on for the equaliser, only to see their long-range efforts from frees off-target. Lambert had the honour of grabbing the last dropping ball into the Boden square and hearing the sound of the final blow of the whistle.

Anyone with a copy of the draw for the championship should wisely place an asterix in red against the name Lucan Sarsfields. On the evidence of their hour’s hurling on a perfect surface, they will surely take some stopping. As for Boden, Paul Ryan was again the top scorer with twelve points, with Christie contributing with 1.01. Lambert got through a huge amount of work, as did Stephen O’Connor and Hammersly. Lucan still have a hugely effective Johnny McCaffrey anchored on the forty, fronting a drag-net for raiders from mid-field.

Squad; Conor O’Donoghue, Stephen O’Connor, Barry Maguire (on debut at senior), Luke Mulligan-Lynch, David O’Connor, Luke Corcoran, Shane Durkin, Simon Lambert, Niall Ryan, Eoin Behan, Paul Ryan, Conor Dooley, Conor McKeown, Timmy Hammersly, Pearse Christie, Luke McDwyer, John McGuire, Davy Keogh, Leon Kennedy, Kevin Desmond, Paddy Dunleavy, Cian Mellett.

Thanks to Clíona and Miriam for the photos. Click here to view on Facebook

The Under 11 team provided the half time entertainment during the Senior A game.  Our Juveniles are our future and judging by the skills on display, the future is bright for Boden.  

Click here for photos 

Thanks to Kieran O’ Neill for organising.

The Senior B team had a fine away win over Erin’s Isle on a scoreline of 2 14 to 1 13.  That is 3 wins out of 4 for the team. Their next game is away to Raheny on April 27th.

Click here for photos from John Kirwan