Red-letter day for Ballyboden St Enda’s
By Daire Walsh
IT WAS a red-letter day for the Ballyboden St Enda’s U16 ladies footballers at Sancta Maria College on Sunday as their ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides enjoyed magnificent championship successes.
Originally set to take place on the club’s main pitch at Pairc Ui Murchu, overnight rain ensured these games were subsequently switched to the nearby Ballyroan Crescent venue.
‘Boden’s first-string outfit faced neighbours St Jude’s in the Division One championship decider and took an early lead courtesy of a two-point salvo from Cara Cosgrove. However, Jude’s recovered from a shaky start with dead-ball specialist Anna Marie Durkan (who finished the game with a personal haul of 0-7) very much coming to the fore.
Emma Fogarty and Emma Moran did find the target for ‘Boden just before the interval, but their Tymon Park rivals ultimately led 0-5 to 0-4 moving into the second half. Although Jude’s doubled the lead on the resumption, a superb solo goal from substitute Sarah Furlong moved the hosts back into the driving seat.
Fogarty and Karrie Rudden added to their side’s tally, but a Durkan-inspired Jude’s rallied and found themselves on level terms (1-6 to 0-9) by the third-quarter mark.
An outstanding Grace Rooney three-pointer subsequently edged the visitors into the ascendancy once again, only for Moran to also rattle the net at the opposite end with the final whistle fast approaching. The sides had looked destined to be inseparable at this point, but it was ‘Boden who would have the final say in an engrossing contest.
After she was picked out close to the target by Maggie Donaghy, Rudden displayed great composure to slot home a stoppage-time and propel her side towards a 3-7 to 1-10 victory.
Later in the same afternoon at Sancta Maria, the Ballyboden ‘B’ team secured the Division Seven championship with an emphatic 4-9 to 1-3 triumph over Kilmacud Crokes ‘B’. With Ella O’Rourke, Ella McCabe, Izzy Onslow and Corinne Power providing a strong foundation in defence alongside netminder Charlotte Gallagher, the ‘Boden attack were afforded ample opportunities to flourish.
The Firhouse Road outfit also had strong performers around the middle-third in the shape of Grace Quinn, Sophie Reilly, Allie Nealon and Kate Brosnan.
While Crokes had some strong moments of their own, ‘Boden possessed the midas touch in front of the posts. Over the course of the hour, Gillian Best, Ciara Allen, Ruth Ryder and Tara Meaney all chipped in with a goal apiece.
These efforts were perfectly supplemented by 0-6 from the superb Sienna Murphy, with Grace Callan and Tara Meaney also getting their names on the scoresheet. It was a real team performance throughout, however, as Ava Downey, Laoise Cahill, Karla Cosgrove, Emily Menton and Rebecca Ryan also put their shoulders to the wheel.
In the aftermath of the game, it was fitting that Brendan Ryan was on hand to lift the trophy with the squad. Ryan had managed this team before falling ill last year and was a welcome presence on the sideline for this memorable victory.