Dublin MFC ‘A’ Final 2020

Daire Walsh

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S………4-12 BALLINTEER ST JOHN’S………..2-11

Luke Byrne and Ryan O’Dwyer struck a combined tally of 3-8 in Parnell Park last Wednesday as Ballyboden St Enda’s secured the Dublin Minor ‘A’ Football Championship title for 2020 at the expense of near neighbours Ballinteer St John’s.

In a much-delayed decider – originally set to take place in the same venue all of 12 months earlier – the prospect of extra-time loomed large with the sides tied at 1-10 apiece on the stroke of 40 minutes. That was until O’Dwyer, David Keane and Byrne (his second) grabbed a goal each in a seven-minute spell to effectively place the outcome beyond doubt.

Having claimed the Dublin Minor ‘B’ Hurling Championship crown in recent weeks, Ballinteer were aiming to complete a double triumph. They came up short in the end, but with Liam Fenton, Matthew Lynch and Dublin U20 star Ben Millist delivering excellent performances, the future remains bright in a club that was founded as recently as 1982.

While Boden drew first blood in this eagerly-anticipated affair with a Darragh Kenny point in the second minute, Ballinteer quickly responded through a Luke Breathnach mark. St John’s subsequently edged in front courtesy of Fenton’s first score of the game and held the upper hand for the remainder of the opening quarter.

Byrne and O’Dwyer got their accounts up and running either side of a Lynch point, but an unanswered haul of 1-2 moved Ballinteer firmly into the driving seat. Full-forward Oisín Grady slotted the ball over the crossbar to supplement a Fenton free and also fired to the opposition net at a tight angle on 13 minutes.

Despite O’Dwyer finding the target from the edge of the D, Boden were still four points in arrears at the first half water break (1-5 to 0-4). However, they were much-improved when the play resumed and successfully turned the game on its head in time for the interval.

After O’Dwyer and Fenton traded scores, Byrne capitalised on excellent approach play by inside partner Keane to claim a palmed goal. Even though Lynch looked to settle Ballinteer with his second point of the half, Boden were beginning to flex their muscles.

Thanks to consecutive points from Byrne (two) and substitute Daire Sweeney, Liam O’Dwyer’s charges led 1-8 to 1-7 heading into the second period.

Nonetheless, this tie remained delicately poised and Ballinteer could take plenty of encouragement from the way they had performed up to this point. Colm O’Donnell’s side were full of intent on the restart and immediately forced their southside rivals on the back-foot.

Fenton kicked two points in the space of 60 seconds and when Lynch split the uprights from long-distance in the 36th-minute, there was a sense that their challenges was starting to rise again. Yet, Boden registered white flag scores of their own through the boots of O’Dwyer (free) and Keane to swiftly level matters.

In truth, the Firhouse Road outfit never looked back from this point. Racing onto an Eoin Behan lay-off, O’Dwyer shot powerfully past Aaron O’Halloran Foley with 10 minutes played in the half.

This effectively opened the floodgates for Boden as Keane superbly gathered an exquisite delivery by corner-back Eoghan Gannon and finished home on the turn. This suddenly left Ballinteer six points behind (3-10 to 1-10) for the game’s second water break and in spite of their best efforts, they couldn’t wrestle back control.

When O’Halloran Foley fouled Alex Gavin inside the square with 10 minutes of normal time remaining, Byrne stepped forward to expertly convert the resulting penalty. Ballinteer substitute Oisín Brennan interrupted this scoring sequence with an outstanding three-pointer, but Boden had already done enough to climb the steps of the Donnycarney stand.

In a low-key conclusion to the action, Sweeney and Jack Lundy swapped points before Ballyboden custodian Eoin Donne denied Breathnach a late consolation goal.

MATCHFILE

Scorers – Ballyboden St Enda’s: L Byrne 2-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), R O’Dwyer 1-4 (0-3f), D Keane 1-1, D Sweeney 0-2 (1f), D Kenny 0-1. Ballinteer St John’s: L Fenton 0-5 (3f), O Grady 1-1, O Brennan 1-0, M Lynch 0-3, L Breathnach (mark), J Lundy 0-1 each.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: E Donne; L Mulligan Lynch, J Maguire, E Gannon; H Donaghy, A Gavin, H O’Sullivan; M McDonald, H Colclough; D Kenny, R O’Dwyer, E Behan; D Keane, D Keogh, L Byrne. Subs: D Sweeney for Kenny (22), R O’Halloran for O’Sullivan (55), C McGlynn for Byrne (57), C Hassett for Keogh (59).

BALLINTEER ST JOHN’S: A O’Halloran Foley; C Joyce, L Smith, L Walsh; F Chambers, B Millist, D Murray; A O’Brien, M Lynch; L Fenton, L Breathnach, R Cullen; L Cullen, O Grady, J Lundy. Subs: L Quirke for Walsh (37), C Browne for R Cullen (44), M McNally for O’Brien (46), O Brennan for Grady (50), C O’Dwyer for Joyce (55).

MENTORS – Ballyboden St Enda’s: L O’Dwyer, J Donaghy, D Maguire, A Kerin. Ballinteer St John’s: C O’Donnell, A Field, R Joyce, K Clair, D Chambers.

REFEREE: Darren Delaney (Wanderers).

WIDES – Ballyboden St Enda’s: 8 (3+5). Ballinteer St John’s: 5 (4+1).

CONDITIONS: Dry and breezy throughout.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Ryan O’Dwyer (Ballyboden).