Boden Fall Just short in Quarter Final
Ballyboden St Endas 2 18 St Vincents 1 22
Long Fella Reports from PUM
An enquiry took place at HQ on Sunday morning after the referee blew the final whistle of the MinorA hurling quarter-final. As one supporter on the rail put it, “ we’ve had conferences, weddings, funerals, birthdays and numerous other events, why not an enquiry, although it looked more like an inquest”. To explain, the referee had recorded the final score as even-steven, but St. Vincents had the result in their favour, by just a point, and many on the rail had the score similarly recorded. To add to the scenario, Vincents deserved to win, they totally dominated the final twenty minutes, and were it not for a Sean Culleton Boden goal minutes from the final whistle, the enquiry would not have been required.
Vincents best showing book-ended this joust with excellent hurling in the opening ten minutes and a finishing flourish that just undid Boden. Strangely, Vincents played better against Storm Ashley, working the ball through the lines and forcing Boden into retreat. To add to the challenge for the visitors, they had a man sent to the line after just a quarter of the game. Boden somehow failed to benefit from the extra man, even with Ashley at their backs.
Callum O’Dwyer opened the scoring for Boden, but Vincents quickly got into their stride and hit three points without reply. They kept up the pressure, but the points did not register, only a series of four wides. Boden took over and Darragh Ormsby hit a brace to even matters. Midfield man Fionn Murphy was dominating the middle ground and along with a meaty shoulder, he finished a move with a quality point. It got better for Boden when a three pass move got James Norris into space and he finished to the Vins net. The next Boden attack met with some stern Vincents defending, too robust for the referee’s liking….RED card and only twenty minutes gone. The scoring continued, Vins brace, Darragh point, Fionn point, Vins free, Darragh and Callum superb brace, Vins brace from frees, and another Vins converted free. The final scores of the half were shared, a long one from Darragh Delaney and yet another Vins free. Half Time 1.11 to 0.10.
Early in the second half Boden opened a five point lead through Norris and Delaney. A series of scored frees favoured Vincents, but Ormsby hit back with a similar reply. Score now 1.15 to 0.13. The margin barely changed over the next five minutes with Murphy and Ormsby exchanging scores with their northside rivals. From this point Vincents took over and started winning the 50/50 exchanges. The scores came from across the attack and inevitably the levelling score came, 1.17 to 0.20. Norris squeezed Boden back in front, but Vins reply was a well worked goal followed by a quality point. With time running out, Boden went after a levelling goal and Under 16 man Sean Culleton hit a speculative shot from an angle and somehow found the net, game tied. The next attack from Vincents came from the southern wing and into the midfield area. Despite having plenty of work to do, the attacker found the posts. Boden failed to get a final shot away and the final whistle was blown to total confusion.
The scene was a gathering, firstly of the players, followed by the mentors, followed by men on mobile phones, and finally shouts of celebration from happy Vincents players. The best of luck to them in the championship
Squad: Tiernan Kennedy, Sean Homan, Coady O’Reilly, Alan Gannon, Johnny Corr, Jamie Mahon, Daniel O’Connor, Liam Dargan, Fionn Murphy, Darragh Ormsby, James Norris, Darragh Delaney, Simon Norris, Callum O.Dwyer, Fiachra Codd, Ben Herbert, Evan McCabe, Sean Culleton, Alan Delaney, Alan Holland, Liam Clarke, Darragh Durkin
Thanks to John Kirwan for the photos. Click here