Doherty strike separates the saints in derby joust – Long Fella reports from Tymon
Naomh Jude 1.14 Ballyboden St Endas 3.13
A fiftieth minute ‘screamer’ of a goal by Ballyboden’s Paul Doherty proved to be the seminal score in the Senior Hurling League match played at Tymon Park on Wednesday evening. Conditions were like glass on the surface after several thunder showers doused the area in the hours before the game. With the sides tied on equal scores, Boden’s Luke McDwyer managed to dis-possess a Judes player and send his pass onto an in-charging Doherty. His unstoppable shot opened up the way for Boden to remain unbeaten in the Division One League. Either side of this goal Boden’s James Roche had pointed after McDwyer had done some of the ‘donkey work’ on the forty and Doherty completed the Boden scoring with a superb point of his own.
The opening half was very much a case of getting used to the difficult conditions and both sides played cautiously by dropping players off the attack lines. Predictably, defences looked to be on top. That said, Judes Dublin Star Danny Sutcliffe was flying and causing some havoc for the Boden defence. Another Judes forward Dermot McLoughlin was also on fire, but Boden’s swift response came from McDwyer and another newcomer to senior hurling Kevin Desmond. Indeed, it was Desmond’s goal after a great pass from Conor Dooley that opened up the first significant advantage for the visitors. Boden’s Simon Lambert added further to his side’s tally with a pointed free from truly eighty metres. Boden’s Aidan Mellett added further misery to Jude’s ambitions with a fine contribution. The final minutes of the half brought a three-pointer to each side, both being from placed balls by O’Broin and Dooley. The half score was 1.06 to 2.05.
With a fair drop of ‘dirty diesel’ blown out by both sides, the second half was a more open affair. Boden’s engine-room of Finn McGarry and Shane Durkin began to show some dominance in the middle third of the field. However, it was Dooley who was now to prove just as effective in attack as the still flying Sutcliffe. Desmond freed McDwyer with a fine pass, but the final shot from an angle was easily blocked when perhaps the ‘gimme’ point was the other option. Sutcliffe was equally guilty in the same manner and his shot was brilliantly deflected away by Garry Maguire for a 65. Dooley bagged some quality points and seemed to enjoy the high tempo of the contest. Judes stuck to their task and responded with great scores on the run from Sutcliffe and Ciaran Mangan. On the three-quarter mark, the home side went in front for the second time, but Boden responded with two Dooley white flags. Entering the last twelve minutes, Judes drew level with an O’Broin 65, but that was to be their pen-ultimate score. Boden held control of the game for the final ten minutes with Dooley always to the fore and Roche and the McDwyer/Doherty combination capturing the winning scores.
Dooley had a very effective second half and was well challenged for the MVP tag by McDwyer and another of the teenagers Desmond. In defence David O’Connor made light of the difficult conditions and David Curtin broke up some threatening Jude’s attacks. The mid-field combination of McGarry and Durkin finished strongly and contributed well to the league win. The essential difference between the sides was in the better link-up qualities that Boden brought to the contest. The three goals came from well worked passing within the inner goal getting sanctum.
Squad was Garry Maguire, Sean McDonnell, Adam Jermyn, David O’Connor, Stephen O’Connor, Simon Lambert, David Curtin, Shane Durkin, Finn McGarry, Niall Ryan, Paul Doherty, Conor Dooley, Luke McDwyer, Aidan Mellett, Kevin Desmond, Conor O’Donoghue, James Roche, Paul Ryan, Rob Leddy, Cillian Wall, Finnian McDonagh, James Madden, Darragh O’Reilly, Ronan Cleary, Conor McKeon.