Senior footballers battle past Ballinteer to make it two wins from two

Senior football championship v Ballinteer St Johns in O’Toole Park on 26 August 2023

Ballyboden St Endas 1 – 17

Ballinteer St Johns 1 – 13

Report by David Rusk.

Boden opened the scoring with a good point from Ros McGarry after a great dispossession by Colm Basquel. Ballinteer levelled matters with a free a minute later. James Holland fired over a point after a pass from Brian Bobbett. Ryan Basquel and Ballinteer converted frees before Warren Egan got his name on the score sheet with a long-range point. Ballinteer then had a golden 13-minute period when they went four points ahead after scoring a goal and three points without reply. Boden didn’t panic and they enjoyed their own period in the sun which began when Michael McDonald fired over from distance. Things could have been much better a minute later when Alex Gavin had a goal bound ball intercepted by an opposition player. However, Boden continued to put pressure on the Ballinteer goal and Luke O’Donoghue added a point. This was followed a minute later by Daire Sweeney. Two converted frees by Ryan Basquel put Boden a point ahead. Ballinteer levelled with a pointed. Then, with three minutes of added time played, Warren Egan broke through the Ballinteer defence, and, while it seemed that he had lost control of the ball, he used his soccer skills to score a goal to put Boden three points ahead. As there had been a long injury stoppage, a lot of added time was played, and Ballinteer had time to score another point to leave the half time score at 1 – 9 to 1 – 7.

Ballinteer got the first two points of the second half (1, a converted 45). Ryan Basquel (free) and Ross McGarry restored the two-point advantage. Each player added a point from play which were cancelled out by Ballinteer, with 20 minutes gone. Ryan scored again to restore the three-point lead but again Ballinteer responded. Céin D’Arcy fired over a point but again it was cancelled out. Ballinteer were putting on pressure and were looking for a goal as added time approached but resolute defending by the Boden backs, and a couple of good saved by Darragh Gogan, kept them out. Michael Darragh Macauley broke through the Ballinteer defence and fisted a good point from distance. With added time now well under way, Warren Egan gave the Boden team, management and supporters an opportunity to relax somewhat when his shot for goal was deflected over the bar to put four points between the sides. The final whistle sounded a short time later much to the relief of the Boden contingent.

Next up in two weeks is Templeogue Synge Street in the final game of the round-robin series.

TEAM: Darragh Gogan; Shane Clayton; Brian Bobbett; Leo McHugh; Kieran Kennedy; James Holland; Alex Gavin; Céin D’Arcy; Michael McDonald; Luke O’Donoghue; Ross McGarry; Warren Egan; Daire Sweeney; Ryan Basquel; Colm Basquel. SUBS USED: Ryan O’Dwyer; Ryan Baines; Michael Darragh Macauley; Paddy Dunleavy; Darren O’Reilly. SUBS NOT USED: Jake Turley; Josh Hayes; Evan Nugent; Harry Donaghy; Ciarán O’Reilly.

Photos by John Kirwan. For more, click here.