Junior A Hurling Championship R 2

BBSE 2 30 Cuala 0 12

Limrick Layder Reports

As was the case a fortnight ago (v BSJ) the team named was showing a lot of youthful changes from previous years line-ups. Some of the old guard for various reasons … (mainly age) have saddled up and moved on to less taxing regimes (Junior C’, E’ & G’s benefitting from the vast reservoir of hurling knowledge & skill accrued over a lifetime togging out for the blue and white striped jersey) – others are at home changing nappies and the like …on a new generation of future Boden stars & starlets!

Life and hurling moves on… and so to a fine sunny saturday evening in PUM with a nice sprinkling of a crowd supporting the local lads. Boden made a lively start with young Rhys McDonnell (making his championship debut) passing to the Jason (The Offaly Rover) Devery …and the 1st point on the board. Another of the younger brigade Luke Mulligan-Lynch scored a fine point from half back to add to the pair he got against BSJ in the last match. Rhys tapped over another free before Chris Lambert playing at 14 got on the score sheet. He followed that with a pass to Jason …and another point. Ben Kelly and Darragh Kenny got in on the action with point a piece. Rhys put over a few more frees – 1st water break Boden leading 0 – 9/ 0 – 4.

Our backs were playing well – especially the youthful half back line of …the already mentioned LML at 5, Sean O’Donnell at 6 and Enda Cashman at 7. Another debutant Joe Maguire at 4 was having a tidy game. The forwards and mid fielders were making very incisive runs – drawing frees from all over the place and Rhys was effortlessly putting them over the bar, 2nd break saw Boden leading 0 -15/ 0 -7.

Chris Lambert got the 1stpt of the 2nd half before Ben Kelly scored a well worked goal, which was started by Darragh…onto Rhys and finished by Ben. Jason and Eoin McKenna scored a point a piece before LML passed to Rhys for another. James Enright (a hardy nut from Clare) scored a fine point. Neal Farrell at mid-field and not noted for his scoring exploits in the past is having a very fruitful year and scored a good point from a pass by LML. Daniel O’Riordan was only on the field for a few minutes when he found himself in time & space with the ball in hand and hit a rocket of a shot to the corner of the net from a very acute angle.

Ruairi Hestor was introduced for the athletic & tanned ‘dual star’ Ruairi Kirwan who’s playing well in both codes this year, he had a great game against BSJ’s two weeks ago, only beaten for the MOTM ‘award’ by Darragh Kenny who scored 2 – 13 on the night. The tight marking Alan McGrath and David Gilheaney came on and immediately made an impression – especially on the Cuala forwards!

The game was over – bar the shouting …the forwards tapped over another few points and Rhys obliged with the frees. Final score 2 – 30 / 0 -12. In fairness Cuala were better than the scoreline suggests …but this is a high quality Junior A’ Boden team.

Team; Matthew Nolan, Ruairi Kirwan, Des O’Sullivan, Joe Maguire, Luke Mulligan-Lynch 0 – 1, Sean O’Donnell, Enda Cashman 0 – 1, Eoin McKenna 0 -1, Neal Farrell 0 -1, Darragh Kenny 0 -1, James Enright 0 -1, Jason Devery 0 – 7, Rhys McDonnell 0 – 13, 0 – 10f, 0 – 1 ’65, Chris Lambert 0 -2, Ben Kelly 1 – 0. Subs; Daniel O’Riordan 1 – 1, Alan McGrath, David Gilheaney, Ruiari Hestor, Daniel Nugent, Chris O’Donovan. MOTM …Jason Devery closely followed by Rhys McDonnell.

Management Team; Timothy Sweeney, Jonathan Kenny, Kenneth O’Donnell, Daniel Boland, Micheal Keville, Susan Crosbie-Creed.

Fogra. A most enjoyable post-match ‘spin the wheel’ celebration night was had in Mick Farrell’s pop up marquee at the east end of the car park. The music and merriment went on until the late hour’s compliments of that handsome, smooth talking, debonair, fancy dancer, cologne smelling, IT cloud consultant and our celebrated junior A full back ….Desmond O’Sullivan Esq.

We’ll leave it at that…..