GOALS KEY FOR ‘BODEN
St Enda’s hold out for MHL win
DUBLIN MHL DIVISION 1
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S……………………… 3-14
NA FIANNA………………………………………… 1-18
Daire Walsh
GOALKEEPER Conor O’Donoghue produced an inspired performance at Sancta Maria College on Sunday, when Ballyboden St Enda’s secured a two-poiint victory over Na Fianna in Division One of the Minor Hurling League.
As well as making a string of fine saves throughout the course of the contest, O’Donoghue contributed an impressive 1-2 from placed balls for the victorious ‘Boden. Sean Currie and Micheal Murphy kept Na Fianna in contention with some fine scores, but thanks to additional goals by Kevin Desmond and Conor Fallon, it was ‘Boden who ultimately claimed the spoils in the end.
‘Boden had kick-started their league campaign with a 1-17 to 0-8 triumph against Castleknock in the same venue on February 19, while Na Fianna suffered a 0-12 to 0-14 reversal to Lucan Sarsfields on the same day at Arthur Griffith Park.
The Mobhi Road outfit were playing with the aid of a strong breeze in blustery conditions, and with Sam Fraughen playing as a spare man in defence, they were aiming to build an attacking platform. They fell behind in the opening minute to a Conor Fallon free, but thanks to scores from 2016 Dublin minor hurler Sean Currie and centre-back Donal Ryan, Na Fianna held a one-point advantage with just eight minutes of play gone.
‘Boden’s Fallon was off-target from his second effort of the game, but when his 12th-minute free dropped short, referee Pat Murphy awarded a penalty after spotting a foul inside the square. The aforementioned O’Donoghue (who turned away early strikes by Eoin O’Dea and Colm Gray) stepped forward to negotiate this set-piece, and he clinically fired beyond the reach of Kevin O’Sullivan.
This was a major boost for the hosts as they faced into the elements, and although they conceded another score to the reliable Currie, they quickly responded with back-to-back points from Fallon (free) and the industrious Rob Donohue.
A Currie brace reduced Na Fianna’s deficit to the bare minimum, but on a day when goals would have a major bearing on the final outcome, ‘Boden grabbed their second of the game. A long delivery was gathered by Fallon, and following a short hand-pass by the inside forward, current county minor panelist Kevin Desmond found the bottom left-hand corner of the Na Fianna net.
This looked like being another hammer blow for the northsiders, before they finally developed a significant purple patch in the final stages of the opening period. Currie split the posts in the 23rd and 28th minutes, and courtesy of points by Murphy and Nicholas King in between, they had levelled matters for the third time.
With their tails now up, Na Fianna search for further scores, and well-worked contributions from Currie and Murphy (two) ensured they brought a 0-12 to 2-3 lead into the interval.
Ballyboden were still in the reckoning, however, and they wiped out Na Fianna’s lead within 60 seconds of the restart. Fallon was looking for his third point of the tie when he stepped up to take another free, but at the final moment, the ball dropped into the Na Fianna goal for yet another major.
‘Boden’s challenge was now re-energised, and unanswered scores from Desmond, half-back Karl Reddy and Fallon (free) opened up a three-point gap in this top-tier encounter.
Na Fianna received a potential lifeline in the 39th-minute, as they were also awarded a penalty for a foul on attacker Niall Brennan. Currie’s subsequent shot from 21 metres was subsequently saved by the excellent O’Donoghue, before the ever-dependable corner-forward brought the ‘Boden scoring sequence to an end with another pointed free.
Yet, a confident ‘Boden sensed that they could add significantly to their overall tally. Luke Basquel (a cousin of All-Ireland club winners Ryan and Colm Basquel) switched from full-forward to a new position on the ’40’, and he added points either side of a similar effort by Ciaran Cashman.
There were ominous signs for Na Fianna as the final-quarter beckoned, but despite seeing O’Dea denied by ‘Boden’s O’Donoghue on 43 minutes, Murphy secured a much-needed goal from the resulting rebound.
This set-up a gripping finale, but a composed ‘Boden responded with a monstrous free by O’Donoghue, and a neat point from play by substitute Ciaran O’Reilly. Swapped scores by Currie and Fallon meant that ‘Boden were four points in front (3-12 to 1-14) with 10 minutes remaining, but a resilient Na Fianna refused to thrown in the towel.
Three points in succession by Currie cut the gap to one, but in spite of a second point from Ryan deep into second-half stoppage-time, earlier scores from O’Donoghue and Cashman made certain of Ballyboden’s hard-earned win.
Tom O’Donoghue’s charges will be seeking to maintain their current form when they face Whitehall Colmcille at the beginning of April, whereas Na Fianna are hoping to get the better of Kilmacud Crokes in their upcoming fixture.
MATCH FILE
Scorers – Ballyboden St Enda’s: C Fallon 1-4 (1-4f), C O’Donoghue 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), K Desmond 1-1, C Cashman, L Basquel 0-2 each, K Reddy, R Donohue, C O’Reilly 0-1 each. Na Fianna: S Currie 0-12 (11f, 1 ’65’), M Murphy 1-3, D Ryan 0-2, N King 0-1.
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: C O’Donoghue; R Mac Mathuna, R Wallace, K Lalor; K Reddy, T Glynn, C Kelly; S Lally, J Dooney; K Desmond, L McDwyer, R Donohue; C Cashman, L Basquel, C Fallon.
Subs: K Kirwan for Lally (h-t), C O’Reilly for Lalor (39), A Kelleher for Fallon (50).
NA FIANNA: K O’Sullivan; S Fraughen, D Bergin, P Skelly; K Burke, D Ryan, A Buggy; E Potter, R Mackey; M Murphy, N King, E O’Dea; C Gray, N Brennan, S Currie.
Subs: C Berigan for Skelly (h-t), A Berigan for Potter (42).
MENTORS – Ballyboden St Enda’s: Tom O’Donoghue, Mick Kennedy, Ray McKenna. Na Fianna: Dermot Moran, Billy Bergin, Philip Kelly, Greg Whooley.
REFEREE: Pat Murphy (Thomas Davis).
WIDES – Ballyboden St Enda’s: 8 (1+7). Na Fianna: 9 (7+2).
CONDITIONS: Wet and windy conditions for the most part, but with some sunny spells as well.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Conor O’Donoghue (Ballyboden St Enda’s).