Game 1 Thomas Davis v Ballyboden st Endas
Our first game saw us up against The Thomas Davis A Team who were playing on their home pitch with a local crowd to cheer them on. Despite a nervous start for Ballyboden and going down by a couple of scores to Thomas Davis, up popped Boden captain Callum Hazely with a fine point on 12minutes to settle the nerves. This was followed by some good link passing to see Michael Lovett put over a quality point off the side of his boot. Ballyboden had found some good momentum and were unlucky to be denied a goal by a fine stop by the Thomas Davis keeper right on the stroke of half time.
The 2nd half saw changes in the Ballyboden team and again despite a slow start coupled with a fussy referee breaking up the play, Michael Lovett replied to Thomas Davis early scores with a great point to keep Boden in touch. A tough tackle from Shane McCaul and a breaking ball to Mark Ryder saw Matthew Fitzpatrick run down the right flank and score the best point of the game.
Boden were on to some good form and there was an urgency and pace about the team from this point on. However Thomas Davis were not going to let their lead slip and were almost in on goal only to be denied by a very athletic foot stop by Boden Keeper Patrick Molloy. Boden were playing well as a unit but need a goal to stay in touch. The breaking ball saw another free awarded to Boden for a push in the back of Jack O Sullivan. The quickly taken free released Mathew Nolan, who put the ball into the back of the net. This Goal followed by a well taken free by Callum Hazely, found Boden down two points with only 2 minutes to go. However working as a unit the Boden half backs and midfield denied the Davis team for getting another score and with a minute to go a well placed ball from the left wing saw the hero of the hour Alex Craven get on to the end of the pass to put the ball into the net. Ballyboden held on to win out by a single point and beat by all accounts, the group favourites.
Game 2 Ballyboden st Endas V St Margarets
After a terrific start to the completion, game two saw Ballyboden relocate to the Thomas Davis upper pitch. Unfortunately, losing the coin toss saw us playing uphill, into a strong wind in long grass and with the same referee!! Despite this an early point from Callum Hazely gave us hope of beating the odds against us. Alas Callums score was cancelled out very quickly by two quick points from the St Margarets no 9 who went on to be the star of the show for the afternoon. Margarets keeper was also up to the game and denied Boden an early chance of a goal. It was all one way traffic for St Margarets and the score could have been worse but for the save of the game from Patrick Molloy who made a superb one handed stop to put the ball out for a 45. Bodens defence were under severe pressure and held out as best they could but a well placed ball in over the backs led to Margarets only goal of the game and saw them go off at the half time break with a goal and eight points to Bodens single point.
Ballybodens coaching team of Mike, Sean and Michael Lovett Snr managed to pull the team together and quietly instilled confidence for the second half. This led to Boden starting the 2nd half with some changes to defence with James Dunne and Conor Casey coming in and moving Matthews Nolan and Fitzpatrick further forward. With the wind, the hill and the long grass at our backs it turned into the Michael Lovett show with a scintillating display scoring a goal and four points to get us to within 3 points of Margarets. Proving again that the pitch did no one any favours Margarets only scored a single point in the second half.
However Ballyboden just ran out of time and lost out 1-6 to st Margarets 1-9
Game 3 Clanna Gael Fontenoy V Ballyboden St Endas
Having come so close to catching St Margarets in the final minutes, it was always going to be difficult to pick the boys up for the last game in the group. However with the game in the club house running over time, the Boden boys had some time to regroup knowing that a win against Clanna Gael would see them through to the semis.
Our coaching team certainly had the lads up for it and Boden started well with some great displays of skill and energy from Mark Ryder and Jacks O Sullivan and Flannagan. An early goal from Patrick Dunleavy followed by a solid free taken by Callum Hazely and another skilful point from Patrick Dunleavy were quickly cancelled out by Clanna Gaels well taken goal and point from their big centre forward.
The second half saw Boden well behind with a lot to do. However in the first two games we played better in the second half. Despite Patrick Molloys brilliant save just after the restart he could not stop Clanna Gaels early goal. This lead to a series of attacks on the Boden goal that saw Clanna rack up the points and scamper away into the distance. However the Clanna Goal in the last 5 minutes was unstoppable and despite a late point from Michael Lovett, Clanna Gael took a well deserved win and went on to win the Feile Final on Sunday