Ballyboden St Endas 2.19 Faughs 2.19 (after extra time)

Faughs won 5-4 on penalties

Long Fella Reports from PUM

They say that “timing is everything”, and that was very much the case when the car-park lights came on at HQ to illuminate the close-out of the under 21A hurling semi-final on Saturday afternoon last. Dark clouds and some rain combining with a November wind from the west did not deter the huge crowd from standing shoulder to shoulder on the rail. That is except for one “wise” man who took his leave for the greater comfort of the club-house window declaring “twood freeze the neck-fur of a powlar bear”. Ground conditions were near perfect with an Augusta fairway turf allowing skilled hurlers to show their best touches.

The game had a distinct pattern with the home side setting the pace right through, only for Faughs to claw their way back. This was demonstrated very clearly when in extra-time Boden scored three points in a row, Connell McGlynn from the white-wash, Leon Murphy (Davy Keogh pass) and Cian Kelly. The Faughs response was immediate, a superb point from Liam Mostyn, and a brace from Sean and Conor Kenny, game tied at 2.16 apiece. Again, Boden went in front through arguably their best performer Darragh Ormsby (a free) and Darragh Smyth. Faughs hit back through their top man Liam O’Brien (a free) and a quality finish from Mostyn. And again it happened, Ormsby hitting a free and O’Brien with a masterful finish, level again. Faughs finished on top with a “disputed” ball over the line, a sixty-five or not? The referee took the sensible option and blew up. Boden took the lead on the penalties, but in the lottery that it was, Faughs came back to win in “sudden-death”.

Within the sixty minutes goals were crucial, given that each side only pointed on thirteen occasions, many of which were frees from O’Brien and Ormsby. Boden’s Oisin Byrne bagged a brace of goals, the first when he was muscled away from the scoring area, only to get the minimum stick contact and watch the ball trickle over the goal-line. His second was a beauty, a slick move out of defence fed through Davy Keogh whose disguised pass sent him thundering through. Byrne’s shot was unsavable. Faughs got their goals through Conor Brennan, (a ground-stroke after Boden failed to deal with a dropping-in ball), and a penalty from O’Brien. Ormsby accounted for nine points during normal time and added a brace during the extra. Faughs showed better distribution and had more potent attackers.

Great credit is due to both sides for the sporting nature of this local derby, best demonstrated by the participation of the McConnell brothers, one on each team. Faughs had the quality performances of O’Brien and Mostyn to guide them, both experienced senior players. The referee played his part, allowing plenty of manly physical exchanges. One fifty-fifty body slam close to the rail sent some supporters into retreat, but the play continued without as much as an “ah ref”. With the daylight receding between the sixty minute game and the extra, some on the rail recalled similar circumstances. A Corkonian had a tale of a corner forward “lighting-up” so that he could be seen for incoming balls. Well, it would have to be Cork, so it would.

Thanks to John Kirwan for the photos. Click here for more

Squad; Eoin McPhaidin, Liam Dargan, Barry McGuire, Lee McConnell, Darragh Durkin, Hugh O’Sullivan, Josh Corcoran, Fionn Murphy, David Gannon, Darragh Ormsby, David Keogh, Kevin Byrne, Oisin Byrne, Leon Murphy, Cian Kelly, Connell McGlynn, Mark McGlynn, Conor Casey, Ollie Brophy, Darragh Delaney, Darragh Smyth, Fionn Keating-McDermott, Matthew Ormsby, Sean Bury, Fiachra Codd.