Result: 2 16 to 2 10
Minor A League Final – Le Fear Bog Reports
Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-16 St.Vincent’s 2-10
There was a clear illustration that modern hurling is a squad game as Ballyboden won their second Minor A League title in succession at Sancta Maria on Sunday last. Eight of this minor team had played in the vanquished U-21 side less than 24 hours earlier. As this game was proving to be a mighty arm wrestle going down the stretch fresh troops were required to get Ballyboden towards the promised land. The freshness was supplied by the 5 substitutions made in the last 15 minutes and the reinvigorated Boden lads overran a gallant St Vincent’s to add the league crown to the championship shield won earlier in the month. Most notably, numbers 20 and 22, Jacques Dalton and Shane Kennedy respectively, came from the side aisles to score a significant 2-3 between them.
Ballyboden elected to play against the biting breeze in the first half and this policy seemed to have paid dividends as they went in at the sos leading by a point, 0-7 to 0-6. Daniel O’Riordan was as lively as ever in the half forward line and his 3 points on the run in the 5th, 16th and 28th minutes was the main reason Ballyboden had a lead at the half way stage. He was ably assisted by Luke Basquel who added 2 of his total of 4 points in this half.
The winning of the game was set up nicely for Ballyboden as the second half commenced. However, Vincent’s having obviously been re-energized and re-fuelled by their vociferous mentors, stormed back in to the game. Within 5 minutes they had scored 1-2. The goal was the result of some understandable malfunction of concentration within the Boden full back line. From this juncture to the mid way point of the half it was tight, tense and loud. The most striking score of this quarter came from the irrepressible Basquel who threw over a delicious point from out in the left touchline in the 38th minute. The turning of the match came with 20 minutes to go as a trio of subs entered the pitch similar to a replacement of a front row in rugby. The effect was instantaneous as within 5 minutes Boden had scored two goals to put this contest to bed. In the 41st minute Luke McDwyer picked out Jacques Dalton to goal. Shane Kennedy added a further goal in the 45th minute as he waltzed through the Vincent’s defence as only Shane Kennedy can. Vincent’s added a further goal with 5 minutes left but a succession of points from both play and frees, including a monster from goalkeeper Conor O’Donoghue, gave victory to Ballyboden.
Scorers : Shane Kennedy 1-2 (1 free), Luke Basquel 0-4, Jacques Dalton 1-1, Daniel O’Riordan 0-3, Ciarán Cashman 0-2 (2 frees),Kevin Desmond 0-1, Conor O’Donoghue 0-1 (free), Conor Fallon 0-1 (1 free), Ross McCormack 0-1.
Team: Conor O’Donoghue, Ruari MacMathuna, Karl Reddy, Ronan Wallace, Kevin Lalor, Ben Kelly, Sam Lally, Tommy Glynn, Killian Kirwan, Kevin Desmond, Luke McDwyer, Daniel O’Riordan, Ciarán Cashman, Luke Basquel, Ross McCormack. Subs. Ruari Hester, Ciarán O’Reilly, Jacques Dalton, Conor Fallon, Shane Kennedy.