Ballyboden St Endas 1 13 Faughs 1 21

The Long Fella Reports from PUM

League division 1 side Faughs finished the stronger in the opening round of the Senior B Hurling championship at a well-attended HQ on Wednesday evening. Playing with the helpful wind in the second half, they hit a purple patch after ten minutes of the half to stretch their lead from a single point to nine, leaving Boden needing goals to overturn the odds. This was Faughs second visit to PUM in a matter of weeks, having secured a gritty draw with Boden’s A’s in the first division league.

The gulf in ability was emphasised with a fine scoring tally, as opposed to Boden’s modest number which rarely wins games on near perfect summer surfaces.
Boden opened the brighter with early scores from Mark Lambert and Darragh Kenny after Conor Robinson expertly found him in space. Faughs came roaring back with an Eamonn Hennessy point and a fine goal from Carl O’Mahony. They extended their lead with a James O’Brien point, before a Boden attack had Finnian McDonagh charging towards the Faughs goals only to be fouled in the inner sanctum. Kenny buried his shot into the corner of the net, but for whatever reason referee Mark Ryan asked him to re-take it. The resultant point was welcome, but not what the doctor ordered. Faughs responded immediately with a brace from Niall Fitzgibbon and a single from Ciaran Nagle. Boden’s Cillian Kirwan added a classy point for Boden, but up popped Fitzgibbon with another stylish contribution. Score 1.06 to just four Boden points.
Boden lost Cian Mellett with an injury which though concerning, was lightened when the heavily bandaged player was asked if a photograph should be “whatsapped” to his mother and she on duty at Parnell. “ Jazzz No! Please don’t”. The game continued with Hennessy and Fergal Ryan exchanging points, but the next five minutes hugely damaged Boden’s prospects. Three wides from the home side contrasted to Faughs brace from frees, O’Mahony the striker. Ryan restored some order with a bizarre point from a free, the ball bouncing in the square and over the bar. Boden finished the half with a brace of goal chances, one of which was converted by, we think, Kenny after the ball ping-ponged around the square. HT 1.10 to 1.06.

The second half opened with Lambert playing “steady-Eddie” with a brace of long-range frees. In between O’Mahony pointed another placed ball. Lambert again added superbly, but Faughs Conor O’Shea cancelled the effort with a quality effort. Kirwan bagged his second for Boden from the car-park, and Ryan brought his side’s tally to 1.11 from a 65. From this point Faughs took over and between O’Mahony, Hennessy, O’Brien, Liam Mosten and John Kenny, they opened a lead that Boden would not reduce. Boden’s Fionn Maguire bagged a late brace, but O’Mahony had the final say with a pointed free.


Clearly Faughs are in a strong position to lift the Senior B trophy. They have a potent forward line and a high-percentage free-taker in O’Mahony. As for Boden, the challenge will be to aim for more consistency over the hour for the upcoming fixtures, the next being against Thomas Davis.
Squad: Matthew Nolan, Sean O’Donnell, Keith McCarron, Hugh O’Sullivan, Jack Lambert, Fergal Ryan, Conor Robinson, Mattie Weldon, Cian Mellett, Cillian Kirwan, Marl Lambert, Davy Keogh, Finnian McDonagh, Conor Kennedy, Darragh Kenny, Leon Kennedy, Fionn Maguire, Karl Reddy.

Thanks to John Kirwan for the photos

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