Result: 1-09 to 0-12
A dreary damp morning in Drumnigh was the welcome for the Boden Intermediate football team. With numbers tight due to injury and illness it was important that those still standing put on a good show and they didn’t disappoint. From the off Boden looked lively but so did our Northside opposition. Boden opened the scoring with a point from Cian Bates in the second minute.The home team responded in the fourth minute but Ev Flanagan pushed us ahead a minute later. Gaels then got a grip on the scoreboard reeling off four points in a row. During this period we missed a couple of scorable frees earned by Batesy and Mono in the full forward line. Mark Mc steadied the ship with a long range free in the 18’ minute and followed up by another Cian Bates point. Gaels stuck over another point in 22’ minute.
In the 26’ minute the Boden defence worked the ball out to David Leech who ran into the open space in front of him. A bit of quick interplay saw Cian free with only the keeper to beat. Drum roll….Cian coolly slotted the ball under the onrushing keeper. Boden were now a point up coming to the break. However the home team put over the final score of the half leaving it at 1-4 to 0-7.
For all our industry we were generally second best in the half. Mark in goal was not pressurised and the back line of Scott, Fergal and Karl didn’t let our opponents inside. A lot of running from Oisin, Tommy and Leechie covered their probing runs forward.
We started the second half brightly and Ev soon found himself one on one with the keeper after a delightful delivery from Dyl over the top. A rasping shot barely cleared the crossbar for a point.
Ruairi slotted over two frees in the third and tenth minutes during which time home team scored twice. Gaels then went ahead by two points before Boden had a goal controversially disallowed by referee after he had first awarded it. Evan was the unlucky one on this occasion. A handpass deflected off the keeper into the air and Ev punched it home – the deflection off the keeper was missed.
James entered the fray in place of Archie who had given his all in midfield.
In the 23rd minute Tommy slotted over a point on the run to level matters. This was quickly followed by a Cian Bates point to put us one ahead with about 10 minutes to go including injury time.
Chances were missed at both ends during the final few minutes. Eventually the referee awarded the home team a free which was converted to tie the game and signal the final whistle.
All in all a solid workmanlike performance. It was good to be going home with a draw.
1. Mark McNamee (0-1)
2. Fergal Haran
3. Scott Cullen
4. Karl Reddy
5. Tommy Burke (0-1)
6. Oisin Carolan
7. David Leech
8. Ciaran Archbold
9. Dylan Walsh
10. Liam Flaherty
11. Evan Flanagan (0-2)
12. Ruairi Kirwan (0-2)
13. Cian Bates (1-3)
14. Eoghan Monahan
15. Cathal O’Dea
16. James O’Hara (47’ for C. Archbold)
17. Brian Kirwan (58’ for Eoghan Monahan)
18. Neil Hester
19. Mark Walsh