Result: 1 14 to 1 12
Good Start to Campaign for Boden
There was an air of nervousness about this first round championship clash akin to a learner driver attempting a hill start in heavy traffic. Lucan had dished out a hurling lesson earlier in the season and while Ballyboden gained revenge in the corresponding away league tie in mid-summer all concerned knew that there was very little to separate these 2 sides. And so it came to pass at Pairc Ui Murchu on Sunday last. The tie was made all the more tricky by a slippery pitch which had been treacherously greased by the early morning light mist.
The difference between the sides was wafer thin and indeed by the 10th minute this equality was striking as both sides were level, 3 points apiece and 1 yellow card each. Throughout the half Ciarán Cashman proved unerring with his free taking and he accounted for 3 conversions and 1 from play by half time. Emmet Allen was causing havoc as he roamed across the Ballyboden full back line and he accounted for the first 4 Lucan points. The sides went to the half time sos level at 7 points each and the Lucan lads would have been the happier as they had played into a tricky breeze in that first half.
A further free from Cashman in the 33rd minute restored Ballyboden’s lead and the game remained tight up to the three quarter mark. The decisive scores in this game came between the 18th and 21st minutes of the half as Ballyboden built what was ultimately a winning lead. Firstly Ben Kelly worked his way past the Lucan full back line to fire home a precious goal. This major was followed by points from Daniel O’Riordan and another Cashman free to leave 5 points between the teams. As was typical of this tie there was a further twist as Lucan bombed in for a goal with 7 minutes left to leave just a point in it. Ballyboden finished strong and Shane Kennedy finished the tie with a sweetly taken point a minute into injury time to record an invaluable championship victory.
