‘Club is Family’ goes the GAA saying, and this was certainly true of Saturday’s meeting of Ballyboden’s U13 hurlers with Waterford’s Ballygunner in the latest instalment of the William Phelan Cup challenge.
Old friends met on the sideline and afterwards in the club to remember tales of tractors rolling off creamery trucks in suburban Dublin, only to be put to immediate use on the pitches around Ballyboden.
On the field, the boys of the 2 clubs did honour to the series with a full blooded encounter at Cherryfield, with the Boden lads racing into an early lead, but with the Ballygunner lads sticking to their task in hand and slowly reeling in the Boden lead by keeping their side of the scoreboard ticking over with some fine point taking. In the end, Boden’s goal tally – including 4 by Evan Moynihan – was a task to far for the Ballygunner lads, with a final score of Ballyboden St Endas6:06 to Ballygunner’s 2:13.
Presentations of sliotars to the winners and grips to the losing team followed, and finally the William Phelan trophy itself was presented to Boden captain Kieran Burke, who also had a penalty save to his name. Afterwards the boys and spectators repaired to the club for a fine spread of sandwiches and cakes put on by the U13 parents, overseen by Barbara Keary.
GRMA to both clubs and to the Phelan family for supporting this great series, and to the Ballygunner lads for travelling, and to our own parents for hosting.
Many thanks to Dave Rusk got the photos. For more pics see here
Well done to our U13 Hurlers on their great win when Ballygunnar came to Firhouse Road for this annual event. For a report, see here.