Result: 4-18 to 3-07
The Intermediate team had their first Division 3 league game of 2016 on Sunday morning at home to Ballyboughal after promotion through the playoffs last year. It was a beautiful sunny spring morning with little or no wind. The grass on the pitch had been cut and it was perfect conditions for a good game of football.
Ballyboden lined out as follows; Darragh Gogan, Stephen Ward, Sean Prendegast (C), Cian Mellet, Conor Deane, Tom Hannafin, Cathal Flaherty, Dan Grimes (1), Feargal Purcell, Darragh Kilduff (3), Eoin Crowley, Conor McCormack (1.03), Alan Flood, Seamus Keane (2.05), Barra McGarry (1.03) Subs; Karl Molony (2), Sean O’Shea (1), Josh Kane, Ciaran Archbold, Colm Dunne
Ballyboughal won the throw in and attacked, but it was turned over and McCormack scored from Boden’s first attack. Kilduff and Keane scored from Boden winning breaking ball from kickouts. Both sides kicked two wides each under pressure from strong defending. Ballyboughal were getting no chances in the full forward line as our full back line was marking tightly, but kicked two super long range points from 45 to 50 metres out. Boden got back to scoring and popped over three more points before Ballyboughal got two of their own. This left it at 6 points to 4 after 12 minutes.
Boden took over around the middle of the field winning a lot of possession through midfielders Dan Grimes, who scored a lovely point after a good run and Feargal Purcell, with Eoin Crowley winning a lot of breaking ball and popping it to the runners or hitting the ever moving and jinking Flood, who was playing his first game after a season long injury lay off. Flood was creating havoc for the Ballyboughal defence with his movement and passing creating scores for the other forwards. His radar was off in terms of scoring, but that will certainly be back soon with more games. Conor McCormack scored a great team goal and just before half time Barra McGarry scored another goal and a point after superb passing and movement. Darragh Kilduff got the last score before half time.The halftime score was Boden 2.08 to Ballyboughal 6 points. It hadn’t been all one way traffic by any means, but the Boden defence work rate was superb with huge pressure being put on the shooters and this was enough to put them off.
Ballyboughal won the throw in again and went about working their way back into the game, but again Boden’s defence kept the pressure on and the shots wouldn’t go over. Seamus Keane scored another great team goal with passing and movement creating space for runners. Kilduff, McCormack and McGarry made it 3.11 before Ballyboughal got their first score of the second half with a point. Dan Grimes got an accidental head injury after bravely going for a ball and had to go off. Karl Molony came on in the full forward line with Seamus Keane going out to midfield. The work rate of the Boden lads continued to cause problems for Ballyboughal and McGarry, Keane and Molony hit over three more points, before Ballyboughal scored a goal after a high ball into the square. Seamus Keane got his second goal of the game and another point to make it 4.15 to 1.07. Conor Deane went off injured with a knock to his back. Sean O’Shea came on with Kilduff moving to wingback. Ballyboughal came into the game more and scored a goal from a fourteen yard free and another goal soon after, with a great running move through the middle. However the Boden defence tightened up again and the pressure came back with Ballyboughal hitting three more wides before the end of the game. Josh Kane came on in the full forward line for Alan Flood. Sean O’ Shea scored a point in between two more by Seamus Keane, with Karl Molony finishing off the scoring to make it a final score of 4.18 to 3.07. Archbold and Dunne were carrying slight injuries and were not risked.
A great start in Division 3 for the team with standout performances all round.