Senior Hurlers Surrender Title

Hetherton Haul Sinks the Champions

Ballyboden St. Endas 2 15 St. Vincents 1 29 (AET)

The Long Fella Reports from Parnell Park. Photos from John Kirwan

Reality bites!  Knock-out season came to Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon with the running-off of the Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Finals. Runners up in Ballyboden group, Lucan Sarsfields were first up but had to give way to Craobh Chiaráin. Boden took the field full of hope that they would join the Craobh in the next round of the competition. Alas, it was not to be but  they had to go to the extended playing time of 80 minutes before St. Vincents emerged as the victors by a whopping 11 points.

A start to finish performance of quality from John Hetherton was Boden’s undoing. He checked it with a personal tally of 19 points with 3 from play. He showed the presence of an American style stand up fridge but that’s where the comparison ended. Some of his scores particularly during extra time were of the highest quality. His over the shoulder brace from out on the whitewash had even the modest Boden support nodding in appreciation. He not alone led the attack but in the process he became almost unmarkable.

Boden could have actually taken the tie in normal time but the concession of several frees allowed Hetherton to keep the challengers very much in the game.  It must be said that his counterpart on the Boden side, Paul Ryan threatened to outdo his fellow Dublin star with a sparkling performance during the first 60 minutes. Paul had the ball in the net after 2 minutes after a passing movement involving Aidan Mellett, Connor Dooley and Niall Mc Morrow. A clever point was added by Niall Ryan to put Boden 4 up with Vincents still to score.  Rian McBride then opened his sides account with a brace after (you’ve guessed it!!) some assistance from Hetherton. The half continued with Ryan and Simon Lambert showing best for the Champions. Gary Maguire excellently saved a rasper from Alan Moore and with the half- time mark approaching Boden led by 4 points. (1 09 to 0 08)

The second half was very tight but Vincent’s opened better getiing 5 or the six opening points of the 3^rd quarter. They had got their noses in front with scores from Hetherton and Brian Bulge when  a fine individual goal from Connor Dooley but Boden back in front. As the clock ran it was nip and tuck with the lead changing hands. Boden thought that they had done enough going into injury time but a Vincents free levelled the match.

That was as good as it got for Boden. Within a minute of the resumption Vincents had the ball in the net after Stephen McCarry reached furthest  to bat a high ball into the Boden net. They quickly followed with a point and  Marino men, smelling blood, did not hold back from there. They tortured Boden with a further 9 point over an 18 minute period – At half time in extra time, Vincents were in total control, leading by 5 points.  Boden’s only response in Extra time was a free from Paul Ryan who finished with a tally of 1 12.

The final score of 1 29 to 2 15 shows an eleven point win for Vincent’s.  Whilst thoroughly deserving of their victory, the gap at the end did not do justice to their efforts and, as stated earlier, Boden came up just short of the line as the game entered the final moments of normal time.  Good luck to St. Vincent’s who will surely revel in toppling the 2018 champions.

This game ends the Championship season for our Adult hurlers. It is a strange feeling  to be out of all Championship hurling by mid September. Only two weeks ago we had four Quarter Finals to look forward and the record books will show we lost all four.  Such is the uncertainty of sport!   We now look forward to our Minor Hurlers and our Under 21 Hurlers keeping  the hurling flag flying.

The Senior A team have been wonderful County Champions and exceptional ambassadors for our club and for Dublin.  They deserve huge credit for the way they went about defending their title. Many of these players have given years of proud service to the club and no doubt  will be back for more in 2020.

SCORERS – St Vincent’s: J Hetherton 0-19 (0-16f), R McBride, B Bolger 0-3 each, S McCarry 1-0, C Burke 0-2, C McBride, J Walsh 0-1 each. Ballyboden St Enda’s: P Ryan 1-12 (0-7f, 0-1 sideline), C Dooley 1-0, S Lambert 0-2, N Ryan 0-1.
ST VINCENT’S: D de Poire; M O’Keeffe, R Pocock, R Trainor; T Connolly, M O’Farrell, R Fallon; M Sweeney, R McBride; B Bolger C Burke, J Hetherton; A Moore, C McBride, C McCarry. Subs: J Walsh for C McCarry (ht), E O’Neill for Fallon (45), McCarry for Moore (56); (Extra-time) W Moloney for Bolger (77), C Harney for O’Farrell (79).
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: G Maguire; D O’Connor, J Madden, L Corcoran; D Curran, S Durkin, S Lambert; D Curtin, N Ryan; A Mellett, L McDwyer, N McMorrow; C Dooley, P Ryan, C Keaney. Subs: S O’Connor for Curtin (ht), P Doherty for McDwyer (38), K Desmond for Mellett (49), F McGarry for N Ryan (58), E O’Neill for Keaney (60+2); (Extra-time) Keaney for Desmond (61), Mellett for O’Neill (61), N Ryan for Lambert (69), O’Neill for Dooley (77). C. McKeown for Luke Corcoran (78)