Senior football v Castleknock, league, 26 June 2021, Páirc Uí Murchú
Ballyboden St Endas 3 – 17
Castleknock 1 – 10
The referee recorded the score as 3 – 16 to 1 – 11 having, it seems, credited to Castleknock a point scored by Ross McGarry late in the 2nd half.
The home team was first to score when Cathal Flaherty scored a point in the first minute. Castleknock quickly responded but then the McGarry brothers scored three quick points, Barra with two and Ross with one, with just 7 minutes gone. Castleknock got the next score on 14 minutes with a pointed free before Warren Egan blasted to the net having waltzed through the Castleknock defence in a fine individual effort. While the visitors quickly replied with another point, the remainder of the half belonged to Boden with Barra and Ross scoring two points each, Conor Dooley tapped in a goal from a cross by Brian Bobbett and Warren Egan kicked a point from a free. The half time score was 2 – 9 to 0 – 3.
Castleknock got the first two points of the 2nd half from frees but Ciarán O’Reilly got one back. When Michael Darragh Macauley was shown a 2nd yellow card with just four minutes gone in the 2nd half, it looked as if Boden might struggle to win this game. Matters got worse a minute later when Castleknock scored a goal, but Ross McGarry settled the home team nerves with a point having taken a fine mark from among a group of players. Castleknock cancelled this out a minute later, but Ciarán O’Reilly came to the rescue when he was on hand to finish to the nett when Ross McGarry’s shot was blocked by the Castleknock goalkeeper. Ross McGarry (free) exchanged points with Castleknock before Luke O’Donoghue finished a fine team move with a point. Two more points by Ross McGarry, each side of a Castleknock point, kept the Boden score board ticking over. A Warren Egan pointed free was cancelled out by Castleknock before Darragh Gogan brought off a great save to deny Castleknock a goal. However, in a follow up move, Castleknock got their last point before Ross McGarry brought the scoring to an end with the last kick of the game.
The game was notable in that two of last year’s minors, Ryan O’Dwyer and Harry Donaghy, made their senior debuts with another, Harry Colclough, among the unused substitutes.
TEAM: Darragh Gogan; Darragh Nelson; Shane Clayton; Cathal Flaherty; Brian Bobbett; James Holland; Tom Hanifin; Michael Darragh Macauley; Declan O’Mahony; Darren O’Reilly; Ciarán O’Reilly; Warren Egan; Ross McGarry; Conor Dooley; Barra McGarry. SUBS USED: Donogh McCabe; Luke O’Donoghue; Ryan O’Dwyer; Mikey Dunne; Harry Donaghy; Stephen O’Connor.
