Senior football championship semi-final v St Jude’s in Parnell Park on 8 October 2023
Report by Paddy Walsh
Ballyboden St Enda’s 3 – 13
St Jude’s 0 – 9
This local derby was keenly awaited and very difficult to predict the result. However, Boden hit the ground running and in the first minute, James Holland raced through the Jude’s defence to pop over a point. This was followed in quick succession by further points from Luke O’Donoghue, Ryan O’Dwyer and Alex Gavin, all within the first four minutes. Boden continued to pile on the pressure and Colm Basquel was unlucky not to finish to the net on 8 minutes. Jude’s couldn’t manage the forceful running of the Boden players and when Alex Gavin broke forward again on 11 minutes, his pass to Ryan O’Dwyer was finished to the net to leave the score at 1 – 4 to no score. As the mid-point of the half approached, Jude’s eventually got the scoreboard working with two points (1 free). But back came Boden with two points of their own from Ryan O’Dwyer and Colm Basquel (fist). Jude’s and Ryan Basque (free) exchanged points before Darragh Gogan was called on to make a good save to prevent Jude’s scoring a goal. Jude’s managed two more points before halftime, but these were cancelled out by good points from Colm Basquel and Alex Gavin to leave the halftime score at 1 – 9 to 0 – 5.
The free-flowing football of the first half seemed to have been left in the dressing room at halftime time as it took nearly 20 minutes for Boden’s first score of the second half. Jude’s had scored a point on six minutes, and it could have been worse for Boden only for three good saves brought off by Darragh Gogan on 8, 10, and 14 minutes. While Warren Egan got Boden’s first point of the 2nd half on 18 minutes, Jude’s responded with three points in a row (1 free). This seems to have reawakened Boden as they kept Jude’s scoreless from there on and scored 2 goals and 3 points themselves. First, Ryan Basquel pointed on 22 minutes before he converted a penalty after the marauding Alex Gavin was brought down in the square as he prepared to score a goal himself. This was followed by a good point from Michael McDonald. Then, Warren Egan broke through the Jude’s defence to score a cracking goal. Colm Basquel brought the scoring to an end with a converted free, well into added time. Before this, Darragh Gogan was called on again to make a good save to keep Jude’s out.
Next up is the county final against Kilmacud Crokes in two weeks.
TEAM: Darragh Gogan; Shane Clayton; Brian Bobbett; Cathal Flaherty; Kieran Kennedy; James Holland; Alex Gavin; Céin D’Arcy; Michael Darragh Macauley; Luke O’Donoghue; Ross McGarry; Warren Egan; Ryan O’Dwyer; Ryan Basquel; Colm basquel. SUBS USED: Paddy Dunleavy; Darren O’Reilly; Michael McDonald; Daire Sweeney; Leo McHugh.
Thanks to Eamonn O’Sullivan for photographs.