Herculean Effort Not Enough for Junior C

Junior C Championship Quarter Final

Ballyboden St Enda’s 2 08     St Judes 0-16

Le Fear Bog Reports from PUM. Photos by Clíona Mellett

For those of you following the recent Brexit manoeuvrings will be familiar with the Greek Goddess Athena.  Our esteemed Taoiseach made reference to her when addressing Boris Johnson at their Dublin summit.  For those of you not versed in the Greek Classics, Athena knocked out Hercules to stop him from murdering his family.  Well, Athena, in the guise of a determined Judes, came to Pairc Ui Mhurchú on a fine Sunday morning to administer the blow that knocked our Junior C Team out of the championship.

Two pointed frees in the last 5 minutes gave victory to the team from across the bridge and a passage to the semi final stage.  Up to this point this was a very tight, tense affair with very little to separate the sides throughout.  Judes started the game stronger and maintained a one point lead until 10 minutes into the game.  Brian Cummins goaled at this point to put Boden 2 points up and when Dave Keville broke through a number of tackles to kick the sliothar to the net in the 20^th minute the home side were 4 points to the good.  However, Judes dug deep from there to half time to slot over 4 points to leave the game level as the sides retired for tea 2-4 to 0-10.

This state of equilibrium continued throughout the second half as scores became difficult to come by.  Indeed, most of the scores came from frees but with 10 minutes to play Jonathan O’Donoghue and Sean Gorman pointed from play to give Ballyboden the lead.  Unfortunately, this lead could not be maintained and Judes ran out winners in those closing agonising minutes.

To end on a note of optimism.  Hercules did recover from his blow and came back as strong as ever.  If he didn’t we wouldn’t have ever heard of him.

Team;  Marc Mac Liam, Tom Sweeney, Cathal Ryan, Brian Kirwan,  Ger.Keating, Sam Lally, Tomas McAuliffe, Dave Sweeney, Rob Donohoe, Dave Keville 1-1,  Ciaran Twomey 0-1, Sean Lambert, Gavin Duff, Brian Cummins 1-4 (3 frees), Kevin Dooley .

Subs Sean Gorman 0-1, Jonathan O’Donoghue 0-1,  Shane Guest,  Benjamin Hurley, Evan McDonnell, Alex Murphy, James Hanrahan, James Kinsella, Alan McGovern,Darragh Murphy, Brian Kelleher