Inters ruin St.Brigids Day

Donal Monahan’s Intermediate football team took to the M50 on Sunday morning with only one thing on their mind, returning with a brace of points and kick-starting their league campaign. Still reeling from the opening defeat to Parnell’s, vengeance and retribution was the order of the day. Qualities regularly displayed by Monahan himself, particularly if you’ve stung him for the last pint in the bar.

Fielding a strong starting 15 Boden made their presence felt early with penetrating runs from mid-field supported by Gray and Murphy from the half back line. However, “Clinical finishing” was left on the sideline while “Bring it into Contact” got a starting berth. The game looked to be heading for a Nil All draw when, on 10 minutes, Cullen finally made a breakthrough and raised a green flag for the opening score of the game. Bridget’s, playing with the wind and the hill, were ruthlessly efficient, sending over 3 unanswered points to level up the game. Even the efforts of Hanrahan, Hayes & Lambert couldn’t contain their 100% score rate.

Dunne (Colm) found his range and restored Bodens lead before Dunne (Michael) finished off a wonderful team move involving 5 different players and raised the second green flag of the day. Going into half time 2-3 to 0-4 the scoreline did not reflect Boden’s dominance. Following an expletive laden rant from the normally mild-mannered mentor, Mick Maher, Boden were under no illusion that the scoring efficiency needed to be raised. “Bring it into Contact” was benched and “Clinical finishing” got a run for the 2nd 30 minutes.

Opening points from McGuire and Baines were followed by half backs Gray and Murphy raising white flags of their own. The spirit of this group of players was epitomized when Kirwin, after losing the ball on Bridget’s 14-yard line, hunted down the offender, turned him over on the 45 and sent in the pass that ended up with Dunne (Michael) raising the third green flag of the morning. In fairness to Kirwin when the game stats were reviewed, he had more hits than The Beatles.

Another point from Dunne (Colm) and a brace from Dunne (Michael) and in truth, Boden were out of sight. Even when Carolan “took one for the team” and spent 10 minutes on the line under the glare of Maher, (who was now verging on apoplectic) the team reorganised and got on with the job. After the game we caught up with mentor Martin Murphy who droned on and on saying, “It was a solid team performance backed up with a good ‘shot to score ratio’ in the 2nd half. Communication is still an issue at key moments in the…………….” To be honest, I lost interest at that stage. Sufficient to say that you shouldn’t drive or operate heavy machinery after talking to him.

Team: Jake Turley, Conor Hanrahan, Jack Lambert, Josh Hayes, John Murphy (0-1), Oisin Carolan, Callum Gray (0-1), Paddy Dunleavy, Rob Cullen (1-1), Colm Dunne (0-3 (1xF)), John McGuire (0-1), Ryan Baines (0-1), Ruairi Kirwin, Ciaran Duggan, Michael Dunne (2-3), Dylan Walsh, Scott Cullen, Emmet Doogan (0-1), Josh Kane, Keith Sweeney

Thanks to Liam Cunningham for the pic, see more here