Under 21A football championship semi-final v St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh on 12 November 2022

Ballyboden St Endas 0 – 11      St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh 0 – 10

This game, played in Martin Savage Park, went to extra time after the sides finished level on 9 points each after the end of normal time. Overall, although it was a low scoring game, it was very exciting, with some good football played. It took 11 minutes for the first score to come and this went to
Plunketts. They scored again 4 minutes later before Boden got their first score on 17 minutes when Hugh O’Sullivan pointed a free. Daire Sweeney scored the next two points (1 free) to put the visitors a point ahead. Malachy Codd was next on the score board and with normal time almost up, Daire
Sweeney pointed another free. The home team scored the last two points to leave the half time score at 0 – 5 to 0 – 4 in Boden’s favour.

Plunketts were quickly off the block in the second half with a point within a minute to level the scores. They also scored the next two points to put them two points ahead with less than 10 minutes gone. Then, what seemed like disaster, Plunketts are awarded a penalty. But Hugh O’Sullivan was up for the challenge and made an excellent save. Boden’s first point of the second half arrived on 18 minutes when Rob Cullen pointed. Plunketts responded quickly and restored their two-point lead. In the next five minutes Boden scored three points, two by Daire Sweeney and the other by Rob Cullen to put Boden one point ahead. Two minutes into added time, Plunketts levelled the match with a converted free. The referee played 8 minutes of added time and both teams had chances to win the match but failed to do so and extra time was needed instead.

During extra time there were more missed opportunities than scores. Boden missed three good goal chances in the first half of extra time. Plunketts scored one point after 9 minutes to give them the lead. In the second half of extra time, Ryan O’Dwyer scored two great points in the first two minutes to put Boden a point ahead. Late in this half, Plunketts had a chance to draw level but hit the post when it seemed easier to score a point. Boden then held out for a well-deserved win and now face Ballinteer St Johns in the final.

TEAM: Hugh O’Sullivan; Evan Nugent; Jack Lambert; Eoghan Gannon; Harry Colclough; Harry Donaghy; Ryan Baynes; Conor Lowe; Michael McDonald; Robbie O’Reilly; Malachy Codd; John McGuire; Daire Sweeney; Ryan O’Dwyer; David Keane. SUBS USED: Rob Cullen; Luke Byrne; Pearse Christie; Ciarán Duggan; Oisin Byrne.

More pics on FB here