Senior A Hurlers Reach League Final

Lambert delivers the Right Note – Long Fella Reports – Pictures from Miriam and Clíona

Ballyboden St Endas 1 16 Kilmacud Crokes 1 13

During the early years of this decade the annual Senior Hurling league clash between Kilmacud Crokes and Ballyboden was sometimes advertised as ‘El Classico’. If the evidence of the 2019 clash held at Ballycullen on Wednesday evening is to be taken as a yardstick, that title is consigned to history. The teams had to contend with a ‘hairy’ pitch, and a rain storm that turned a sweet 20 degree July evening on its head. The substantial attendance were attired in all forms of dress, from the summer shorts and T-shirt to the full track-suit. By half-time, the spectators were taking shelter under the tree-line cover when hurling PRO Eamonn Treacy spotted Denis Kelleher ‘bucking the trend’ by attiring in North Sea oil-skins complete with wooly cap and rain hat. “Be jazzzzz Denis you have come prepared for the worst”……….”Eamonn, I’ve been around for a long long time”.

There’s no answer to that…. except to quote the age-old maxim. “Tis a wise one who takes a coat on a fine day and a fool who doesn’t on a wet day”.

The background to the game was that Boden were almost certain as qualified for the league final, and Crokes arrived with a view to perhaps ‘keeping their powder dry’ until the championship, due to resume on September 6^th. The opening half at times resembled a training session with the home side using wind energy to fire over a selection of points. Paul Doherty looked to be the liveliest of the Boden forwards, showing well for decent passes out of defence by Simon Lambert, Shane Durkin and many more. Others who showed well were Luke McDwyer and James Roche who seemed to be dropping deep to pick up possession. For Crokes Fergal Whitley did well and set up a few decent scores for the visitors. In defence Dublin star James Madden seemed to enjoy the outing and used his catching skills to set up a series of opportunities for Boden. By the half Boden’s forwards had all contributed as well as Durkin from the dressing room….almost. Boden’s centre-back Stephen O’Connor did the basics well as well as getting on the score-sheet. Conor McKeown bagged a quality point for the home side after McDwyer had created space and the right pass. Niall Ryan picked up another of the best of the points after robbing a Crokes defender. Former Dublin star Ryan Dwyer tried hard to stem the tide of Boden attacks and use the possession to feed his corner man Fionn O’Ceallaigh. Half time had it at 11 points to 8 for Boden.

The pace of the game lifted for the second half and Whitley and O’Ceallaigh closed the difference between the teams to a single. Next up came the Boden goal when Ryan anticipated that a delivery to the Crokes forty would break into his patch. He ran unopposed before firing past the Crokes goalman. Score now 1.12 to 0.12. Roche did well in possession and found Ryan who added his second point. A minute later McDwyer was unlucky when his flick to the net from a Lambert line-cut came off the post and safety for the Crokes defence. Lambert was again the provider after a surging run when he fed McDwyer for a peach of a point, Boden now six clear. But Crokes were not giving up and they pressurised Boden possession to finish to the net off O’Ceallaigh. The sides exchanged points, with McDwyer matching a free with his best of the evening. A further exchange of points finished the scoring with Ryan completing the Boden tally with a beauty.

By a fair margin Lambert was the most influential on the field with his range of catching, blocking, tackling, passing and general leadership. Others to shine were Ryan, O’Connor and McDwyer. Christie made his senior debut and added his contribution to another league win and retention of an unbeaten sequence of league games.

Squad….Garry Maguire, Sean McDonnell, David O’Connor, James Madden, Stephen O’Connor, Simon Lambert, Shane Durkin, Darragh O’Reilly, Conor McKeown, Niall Ryan, Paul Doherty, James Roche, Luke McDwyer, Finnian McDonagh, Kevin Desmond, Kenny Wigglesworth, Shane Kennedy, Mark LAmbert, Pierce Christie