With wins over St Sylvesters and Crokes to date, the Boden girls headed to Dolphin Park on Monday 11th September to meet Templeogue Synge St in this, their final group game in the Minor Division 1 Championship. A win would secure top spot in the group and a home semi-final.
The evening was particularly dull and the rain had been incessant all day and from throw-in, both teams found it difficult to control possession with a greasy ball and equally greasy pitch surface.
The scores were also proving hard to get as both teams defended very well and it looked like Boden would have to be patient and hold possession until the opportunities presented themselves. Both teams swapped points in the first quarter but it was TSS who put a bit of daylight between the teams with a goal in the 25th minute. A good response from Boden earned them a well worked point from play just before half time to make it a 2 pt game.
Half Time score: BBSE 0:03 TSS 1:02
The second half continued in the same vein as the first and playing conditions did not ease, in fact light was now fading fast.
Both teams swapped 3 points each by the 22nd minute but the scores were hard earned and remained very difficult to get as both defences stood resilient. Sensing time running away, a determined Boden began to put increased pressure on TSS’s defence and were now enjoying a good spell of possession, keeping the ball in their opponent’s half and eventually a chink of light came in the 24th minute with a deserved point from play for the Boden girls.
Now 1 point behind with only a few minutes remaining, Boden kept good possession and went at the TSS defence with gusto, resulting in a super goal from play which turned this game in their favour. There was barely enough time for a foiled counter attack from TSS when the referee blew the final whistle to the relief of the Boden girls.
Credit to TSS for putting it up to Boden, not our best performance but overall, a well-deserved spot earned in the Division 1 semi final.
Full Time score: BBSE 1:07 TSS 1:05