Enda’s too strong for Good Counsel
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S……………………..4-17
GOOD COUNSEL/LIFFEY GAELS………………1-4
By Daire Walsh
The attacking triumvirate of Cian Bates, Ruairi Kirwan and Barra McGarry turned on the style at Sancta Maria College on Sunday morning to give Ballyboden St Enda’s the perfect start to their Adult Football League Division Three campaign.
Between them, the impressive full-forward line amassed a combined tally of 2-11 as ‘Boden comfortably overcame the challenge of Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels. Midfield Luke O’Donoghue also chipped in with a brace of goals to cap a powerful individual performance.
Wing-back Dylan Kearns led the way for their Galtymore Road counterparts – his 1-2 haul offering them some form of solace at the end of the hour. Dean Blood also worked hard throughout, but they ultimately came off second best to a formidable ‘Boden outfit.
While the effects of Storm Jorge had generally subsided by Saturday evening, the hosts nevertheless played with the aid of a strong breeze in the opening period. Counsel/Gaels consequently deployed Adam Skelly as a sweeper with centre-back James O’Hara operating as a spare man at the opposite end.
McGarry has featured for ‘Boden at the senior championship grade in the recent past and he showcased his class during the early exchanges of this contest. With just under two minutes gone on the clock, he curled a superb effort between the posts to get his side up and running.
Centre-forward Enda Cashman proceeded to convert a free before McGarry added his second point of the tie. Bates and the increasingly-influential Cashman subsequently found the target to stretch ‘Boden five points clear on the first-quarter mark.
McGarry later had a goal-bound strike turned away by Counsel/Gaels netminder John O’Brien as they continued to pile on the pressure. The visitors had struggled to make inroads in attack and didn’t register their first wide until the 19th minute.
Yet, they were given a potential lifeline when Kearns’ deceptive left-footed strike crept past opposition netminder Mark McNamee. Though this was a wake-up call of sorts for ‘Boden, their eventual response was emphatic.
The excellent McGarry recorded a two-point salvo to reinforce their authority in the Rathfarnham venue. After the inside forward rattled the woodwork off another shot, O’Donoghue drilled home the rebound to create additional daylight between the teams.
Cashman and Mark Walsh points kept the scoreboard ticking over in advance of Bates’ clinically-taken goal on 27 minutes. Kirwan used his vision to release Bates for a nice point and then bagged a major of his own on the stroke of the interval.
This propelled ‘Boden into a 3-10 to 1-0 cushion, effectively placing the final outcome beyond doubt.
Despite having a comprehensive cushion at their disposal, ‘Boden continued to play with real conviction. At the end of another intricate move, O’Donoghue found the bottom right-hand corner 32 minutes.
Counsel/Gaels eventually fired back with a Dean Blood free, but it only temporarily halted the ‘Boden charge. McGarry and Kirwan split the posts in quick succession, while Cashman was on hand to traded place-ball scores with Dean Blood to leave the home side 20 points in front.
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: M McNamee; F Maguire, F Haran, C Hanrahan; K Sweeney, J O’Hara, T Burke; M Walsh, L O’Donoghue; L Cawley, E Cashman, C Archibold; C Bates, R Kirwan, B McGarry. Subs: S Keane for Archibold (42), D Walsh for M Walsh (49), J McGuire for Cawley (52), J Lambert for F Haran (55).
GOOD COUNSEL/LIFFEY GAELS: John O’Brien; M Kenny, P McMahon, N O’Hare; D Kearns, R Kelly, L Blood; D Murphy, V Eivers; G Dunne, A Quinn, Josh O’Brien; R Ryder, D Blood, A Skelly.
Subs: D Hodnett for L Blood (25), C Dowling for Eivers (35), L Dolan for Josh O’Brien (38), J Murphy for John O’Brien (39), M Potts for Kenny (52).
Referee: D Murphy (Robert Emmet’s).