Result: 3 06 to 1 11
Barton late strike delivers Minor C Title to Boden
A well taken goal in the last minute of extra time was the crucial score in this Minor C Hurling Championship Final at a windy O’Toole Park on Sunday morning. The Malahide side had sent the game to extra time with a fine point from Bryn Redmond, despite facing a gale of a wind. However it was the determination and application of Mick Kennady’s side that won the day, leaving Sylvesters with just the honour of having contested a fine finale to the season.
Boden drew the task of facing the wind for the opening half and found the going tough against the free flowing play from Syls. Dan Murphy, their man from the frees, bagged all of the points for his side, three frees, two 65’s and a fine angled point when under huge pressure from Ruairi Kirwan. But the honours for the score of the half broke down evenly, Eoin Conway for Sylvesters with a peach of a goal, and matched by Mikey Dunne for Boden. Dunne had a long run to the shooting zone before he found the net. Boden’s other first half scores came from Rory Knight and a free from Barton.
With the half time score at 1.06 to 1.02, Boden may have felt that with the strong wind for the second half, the job was as good as complete. Sylvesters had different ideas and entered the half with a determined approach. The scoring went, Knight from play, Barton from a free and followed by Murphy and Barton again from a free. 1.07 to 1.05 with seventeen minutes left. Boden only two behind and in the driving seat!
Barton, now warming to the task, struck for the first of his two goals and allowed Boden to tack for the line in the ever rising breeze. But Sylvesters got going at midfield through the efforts of Patrick Denneher, and finished the sixty the better. He bagged a fine point and Murphy landed another free, Boden’s only response was from Barton, a free. The last score of the half was Redmond’s, a beauty to send the game to the extra twenty minutes.Boden chose the wind for the first ten of extra time, but with the blocking and hooking from Slys, they restricted the scoring chances. At the other end the Boden defence was well marshalled by Kirwan and kept the marksmen scoreless. Also to the fore were Kevin O’Flaherty and Rob Keegan, responsible for a fine block earlier when the sliotar was goalbound.
With the teams still tied the combatants dragged weary legs out for the last period. Within a minute the writing appeared to be on the wall, Murphy landing a fine free with the following wind. He followed it with another similar score and the Syls tails were up! There followed a few minutes of stirring pressure from Boden, but without reward. With the clock in the last minute a speculative ”lobber” of a ball was gathered by Barton and he bravely took on the responsibility to bury the ball off the post from a tight angle. He finished as top scorer and deservedly can claim the honour as MVP.Great credit is due to both sides and the sizeable crowd who braved the elements.
Squad; Oisin Carolan, Roibeard MacAogain, Ruairi Kirwan, Conor Barton, Barry Lyons, Hugh Kelly, Mark McGee, Micheal O’Broin, Mikey Dunne, Eoin Monahan, Sean Gorman, Sean Choy O’Bhroin, Thomas Deane, Kevin O’Flaherty, Sam Lally, Kevin Lawlor, Eoghan Featherstone, Hugh Kelly.