“I’m just very proud of my lads”
Fortune remains upbeat after his Ballyboden team fall just short in Senior Hurling Championship decider
CUALA………………………………………………….2-20
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S………………………….1-18
By Daire Walsh
DESPITE the obvious disappointment of losing out 2-20 to 1-18 to Cuala in a tense Dublin Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship decider at Parnell Park last Sunday, Ballyboden St Enda’s manager Joe Fortune was able to keep things in perspective.
Having started the competition playing in front of a small crowd, ‘Boden’s latest county final appearance was played behind closed doors. The rise of Covid-19 cases around the capital led to a surreal atmosphere in the Donnycarney venue and Fortune is hopeful the country can return to a semblance of normality before too long.
“I’m just very proud of my own lads,” Fortune remarked in the aftermath of the game. “They really gave everything they had. I thought a couple of decisions coming towards the end just went against us. Maybe we gave away a couple of frees at a critical time as well. We’d a couple of chances at the end where the ball was scrambled off the line.
“It has been a strange year, a tough year for an awful lot of people. This hurts, but it’s not the most significant thing in everybody’s lives at the minute. We hurt today and we move on in the next couple of weeks, please God. I hope everybody is safe and sound after today.”
Once they crossed the white line, however, ‘Boden were solely focused on trying to secure an eighth county hurling title. After leaking an early point to Cuala sharpshooter David Treacy, the Firhouse Road outfit responded with unanswered contributions from Paul Ryan (two), Conor Dooley and Niall Ryan.
Niall Carty and Treacy (free) were later on target for the holders, before Paul Ryan (‘Boden’s scorer-in-chief with eight points) and Aidan Mellett raised white flags at the opposite end. Sean Moran angled a superb strike beyond the reach of opposition custodian Finn McGarry in the 11th-minute, but it was ‘Boden who gained a foothold either side of the first-quarter mark.
After Paul Ryan and Cuala’s Jake Malone traded scores, the dependable inside forward edged his team back into the ascendancy with a coolly-converted ’65’. Niall Ryan and Dooley found the range once again, with another Treacy point sandwiched in between.
The evergreen Conal Keaney announced his presence with a well-worked single on 23 minutes and when Paul Ryan had a penalty turned away by Sean Brennan two minutes later, the dual player scooped the rebound to the Cuala net.
The Ryans – Niall and Paul – enhanced their personal tallies before the half was out, but with Treacy, Colm Cronin, Mark Schutte and Con O’Callaghan all raising white flags, Cuala had reduced their arrears to four (1-13 to 1-9) in time for the interval.
Given there was going to be a slight breeze at their backs, the Dalkey outfit were expected to step up their challenge on the resumption. Within two minutes, Treacy (who finished with 0-11 to his name) had thrown down the gauntlet with a brace of points.
Similar efforts from Paul Doherty and Paul Ryan helped ‘Boden to settle, only for a ravenous Cuala to come back for more. The Treacy and Moran double act produced a score each and while Paul Ryan’s dead-ball accuracy was once again on display, Moran ensured Willie Maher’s defending champions were just one point adrift (1-16 to 1-15) during the second half water break.
The pivotal moment of the game then arrived in the 52nd-minute. Dublin senior footballer O’Callaghan had the ball in the ‘Boden net, but referee Sean Stack called the play back for a foul.
Moran duly dispatched his penalty past the helpless McGarry to give his team the upper hand at a vital juncture. ‘Boden twice brought their deficit down to the bare minimum in the closing minutes, but unanswered points courtesy of Nicky Kenny, Moran and Treacy (two) ultimately propelled Cuala to their fifth county title in just six seasons.
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: F McGarry; S O’Connor, L Corcoran, J Madden; S Durkin, D O’Connor, S Lambert; S McDonnell, N McMorrow; N Ryan, P Doherty, C Dooley; A Mellett, C Keaney, P Ryan. Subs: D Curtin for Lambert, P Christie for McDonnell (both 47), P Dunleavey for S O’Connor (52), L McDwyer for Mellett (56), C McCormack for Doherty (60).
CUALA: S Brennan; O Gough, Cian O’Callaghan, M Conroy; D O’Connell, J Sheanon, J Malone; N Carty, S Treacy; D O Floinn, D Treacy, C Cronin; Con O’Callaghan, M Schutte, S Moran. Subs: C Sheanon for Carty (27), S Timlin for Conroy (36), N Kenny for D Treacy (36-38), N Kenny for O Floinn (45), L Murphy for Con O’Callaghan (52-53), L Murphy for Cronin (65).