Dublin MHL Div 1 South

Daire Walsh

WING-FORWARD Rhys McDonnell fired over seven points at Silver Park on Sunday afternoon to give Ballyboden St Enda’s a narrow victory against Kilmacud Crokes in a low-scoring Minor Hurling League Division One South affair.

Outscoring their opponents by a single point in both halves, Ballyboden picked up their first win of the competition, having lost out to Commercials and St Jude’s in the opening two rounds. Aside from McDonnell, ’Boden were well served by excellent defensive performances from the likes of Josh Corcoran, Seán Bury and David Gannon.

Hosts Kilmacud were entirely reliant on Conor Hughes and Seán Purcell for scores, with the latter contributing an impressive tally of 0-6 over the course of the hour. Despite this set-back, Crokes remain two points clear of ’Boden in the league table.

They enjoyed a convincing 2-22 to 2-12 win at the expense of Faughs in Tymon North just three days earlier and also had the measure of St Jude’s at home on June 27. Indeed, Kevin Coakley’s side remain at the summit of Division One South – ahead of Faughs and Jude’s on score difference – with just two rounds left to play.

In stark contrast to the blistering conditions that greeted the capital on Saturday, wind and rain descended upon the Leopardstown venue for this game. It was thankfully only damp for patches of the contest, but it did make life difficult for both sets of players.

Despite facing into a stiff breeze, ’Boden made good headway during the early exchanges. Crokes may have opened the scoring through Hughes, but the visitors responded with three points of their own.

Complimenting a brace of place-ball efforts by McDonnell – one ’65 and one free – half-back Corcoran strode forward to dissect the uprights and give his side a two-point buffer. There was a lot of hurling still to be played, however, and Crokes got themselves back on level terms by the 11th minute.

After converting a free from a distance of 40 metres, Purcell gathered a low delivery into the right corner and proceeded to knock over a fine score on the turn. Yet ’Boden maintained their composure with another McDonnell strike offering them a slender 0-4 to 0-3 lead at the first-half water break.

Crokes generated a plethora of scoring opportunities either side of the first-quarter mark, but struggled to turn their industry into accuracy. An excellent driving run from Corcoran subsequently drew a foul inside the opposition half and ’Boden’s ace marksman McDonnell pointed off the resultant free.

The dangerous Purcell bore down on goal in the 22nd minute, but rival netminder Eoin MacPháidín was equal to his effort. When the inside forward’s long-range delivery dropped short just shy of the interval, Hughes was on hand to rifle the rebound between the posts.

This left Crokes a single point in arrears at the break (0-5 to 0-4) and although the elements were against them on the resumption, the game was still very much there for the taking. ’Boden also had reason to be confident of success and began the second period in bright fashion.

Evan Welsh superbly found the range on the right wing before Purcell added his third point of the tie from an awkward angle. Scoring was proving to be quite intermittent as the play progressed, with both rearguards largely on top of the opposing attacks. Still, there were some close shaves and ’Boden custodian MacPháidín was twice forced into action to deny Conan McSweeney.

The Firhouse Road outfit created daylight with a two-point McDonnell salvo – including his sole contribution from play – but Purcell’s routine dead-ball offering ensured Crokes were just two behind (0-8 to 0-6) moving into the final quarter. McDonnell’s seventh of the day provided ’Boden with additional breathing space though, as expected, the Crokes challenge gathered significant pace as the final whistle approached.

Purcell executed a neat one-two with Patrick Corbett for a point on the stroke of 50 minutes and his 55-metre free cut the gap to the bare minimum three minutes later.

However, ’Boden produced their 10th score courtesy of Conor Casey in the dying moments and this left Crokes needing a goal to salvage a positive result from the game.

Hughes was close to grabbing one in stoppage-time, but MacPháidín once again came to the rescue to squeeze Ballyboden over the line.

SCORERS – Ballyboden St Enda’s: R McDonnell 0-7 (5f, 1 ’65’), J Corcoran, E Welsh, C Casey 0-1 each. Kilmacud Crokes: S Purcell 0-6 (4f), C Hughes 0-2.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: E MacPháidín; M Ormsby, S Bury, C Kiely; J Corcoran, D Gannon, S Sudway; D Keogh, O Byrne; R McDonnell, E Welsh, C Casey; J Farrington, S O’Sullivan Magne, T Culleton. Subs: O Brophy for Culleton (h-t), T White for Brophy (55), K Smith for Farrington (60).

KILMACUD CROKES: H Moran; L O’Gorman, D Geraghty, O Kirwan; R O’Mahony, B O’Donoghue, C McCann; L O’Loughlin, C Crean; C Ryan, C Hughes, C McSweeney; S Purcell, P Corbett, D Crowley. Subs: M Brennan for Crowley (41), Crowley for O’Donoghue (60).

MENTORS – Ballyboden St Enda’s: T Keogh, R Casey, N Sudway. Kilmacud Crokes: K Coakley, M Crowe, P Halpin, D Crowley, D Kirwan.

REFEREE: Philip Carr (RT Clondalkin).

WIDES – Ballyboden St Enda’s: 8 (2+6). Kilmacud Crokes: 15 (8+7).

CONDITIONS: Spells of rain.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Josh Corcoran (Ballyboden St Enda’s).