Junior B’s Through to Championship Semi-Final
Junior B 7-10 Cuala 1-09
The Junior B’s emphatically advanced to the semi finals of the championship after brushing aside Cuala at Shangallagh Park last Sunday. The score did reflect Boden’s dominance throughout but still gave the management plenty to work on for the next round.
Boden started confidently and adopting a system of two up top filled by minor stars Adam Carney and Dara Langan immediately reaped rewards with two quick points. Cuala however responded in somewhat bizarre fashion when a shot at goal flashed into the side netting and despite both umpires waving it wide the referee awarded the goal. Boden were unruffled and quick points from Tom Connors and Adam Carney followed by a fortuitous goal from Oisin Cannon (he was going for a point) regained the initiative. Under direct instructions to target goals Boden took a commanding lead into half time when Adam Carney and Dara Langan both finished confidently to the net.
Disaster was closely averted at the start of the second half when Cuala missed a gilt edge goal chance although Ger Flaherty positioned his ample frame well to distract the kicker. Defensively Michael Dunne, Donal Sheehan, and Ross Traynor dealt admirably with the expected surge from Cuala and despite missing a number of chances Boden quickly resumed control. Powered by the half back line of Ross Maguire (who replaced the injured Stephen Coughlan) Dean O’Donnell, and James Mc Tiernan Boden clinically restored order with a goal from the hardworking Ronan O’Reilly and quickly tagged on a couple of points. The midfield duo of Tom Waver and Bryan Kirwan has threatened to run the game all day and were now in complete control allowing Tom Connors to send precise passes into the full forward line. Man of the match Paudge Mahony defied his advancing years by covering an unbelievable amount of ground to break up and begin attacks. Boden ran the changes but it continued to rain goals Adam Kearney lobbed the keeper from thirty yards, Dave Mc Cabe brilliantly dispatched to the bottom corner, before Ronan O’Reilly coolly slotted home to complete the rout.
Substitutes Gareth O’Keefe, Mick McDonald, Mick O’Dwyer and Dave O’Donnell made notable contributions before the ref blew for full time. Overall an excellent performance and fills the panel with confidence heading to the semi final.
AFL League Action
Keaney Inspires Young Guns.
Seniors 0-16 St.Maurs 1-10
Conal Keaneys return to football for the Senior team paved the way to a well deserved victory over a highly rated St.Maurs team in Pairc Ui Mhurchu on Saturday by a score of 0-16 to 1-10. The home support witnessed some great performances from Aran Waters, Sean Gibbons, Alan Flood, Stephen O’Connor and Sam Molony and the impressive total of 0-16 was shared out well with Ryan Basquel bagging 0-4, Seamus Keane 0-3, Flood & Keaney 0-2 and points for O’Connor, Molony, Darren O’Reilly, Cathal Flaherty and Andrew Kerin.
Inters 1-11 ClannaGael 0-16
Our Intermediate team lost narrowly to ClannaGael on Saturday by 0-16 to 1-11. The team battled bravely and came back from 0-09 to 0-02 to level the score at half time. However a mounting injury list coupled with a lack of subs proved crucial and ended up costing us the game.
Junior A 2-09 Cuala 3-18
Ballyboden’s Junior A footballers were beaten by league leaders Cuala in an entertaining game in Ballycullen. The final score of 2-9 to 3-18 does not reflect how competitive the game was. Boden were worthy leaders at half time by 1-7 to 0-5 however a poor start to the second half, a missed penalty and a scrappy goal with 15 minutes to go by Cuala helped them pulled away.
The play-offs are still a possibility for this team but it will require a grandstand finish to the season which they are more than capable of.
All-Ireland Semi-Finals
Best of luck to our Senior football stars Michael-Darragh, Darragh and Declan as the Dubs face Donegal in Croke Park on Sunday. The prospect of Dublin Minor and Senior titles is very much alive as our Minor contingent Colm, Warren, Shane, Barra and coach Mark Fee also take on Donegal in the early game.