Intermediate vs St. Peregrines

Hartstown Park was the venue for the Boden intermediate team’s latest foray in Division 3 (while our host’s main pitch lay unused). A grand evening for a game despite having to negotiate the M50 during rush-hour.

The match opened at blistering pace with Boden reeling off the first three points of the game from the boots of Mikey Dunne (2) and the unerring Shambo. Our hosts responded with a couple of points and then a goal to put them ahead by one point, 1-2 to 0-4. Boden’s fourth point had been secured from the boot of the lively Lewis Cawley. Boden then went on a six point unanswered scoring spree from the boots of Johnny (2), Luke (2), Cian and Shambo. Defensively we were looking good and were attacking with pace and purpose. The home team then scored four in a row to remind us that the game was still on. This left the score at the break 1-10 to 1-6 in Boden’s favour.

The second half continued as the first had ended with the hosts popping over 4 points in the first 10 minutes and Boden responding with 3 points in towards the end of the period.  The 10 to 20 minute period witnessed a bit of a stalemate with both sides only scoring two points each. This hotly contested period of the game served only an appetiser for the dessert.

The hosts levelled the game in the 51st minute and following a Boden point from Chill we found ourselves two down in the 54th minute following the conversion of a second goal by the home team. The intensity of the game had ratcheted up a couple of notches and Boden had to respond. And respond they did almost immediately from the most unlikely of sources, a corner back finding himself in the dizzying rarefied air of the full forward line. A swift counter-attack with some quality interpassing ended in the hands of Keith who calmly slotted home. This turned out to be the score that reasserted Boden’s superiority and the team kicked on to score four more points in the closing minutes compared to the host’s single point.

It was an encounter that produced many super performances and it would be unfair to single out anyone. It demonstrated a steeliness in defence (despite conceding 3-13) and an agility and athleticism in the counter-attacking play that was impressive to witness. In fact it was a relentless pursuit of victory that characterised this performance.