Leinster Senior Club Football Championship final: Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-18 Athy 1-14
ALRIGHT boys, keep a-rockin’ now… The strains of Bruce Springsteen’s classic ‘Glory Days’ blasted out at Croke Park as Ballyboden celebrated regaining the Leinster title after a six-year gap.
The Dubliners won it playing within themselves against an Athy side that gave the ball away too cheaply and the issue was decided well before the final whistle. At half-time there was only a kick of the ball in it but Ballyboden put their foot down after the break, hitting 1-6 in the third quarter with Athy unable to live with their pace, power and slick movement.
Deserved celebrations were brewing as the players returned to their dressingroom with the Sean McCabe Cup and they’ll enjoy their victory before they turn their attention to meeting the Munster champions (Kerry’s Dingle or Cork’s St Finbar’s) on the first weekend of the New Year.
“We’re very happy, it’s a huge achievement for the club,” said manager Eamon O’Reilly.
“Lots has gone into this so we’re just over the moon to get over the line against a very talented Athy side.
Ballyboden were favourites for the All-Ireland even before the Leinster final but O’Reilly refused to speculate about winning the Andy Merrigan Cup.
“We haven’t earned the right to talk about All-Irelands,” he said.
“We’re lucky to be in an All-Ireland semi-final and that’s it.”
The game never quite caught fire but there was carnage from the throw-in as the Leinster rivals literally ripped into each other. Athy’s Barry Kelly was on the grass and Ryan Basquel had his jersey torn off in the opening skirmishes.
Colm Basquel scored and referee Alan Coyne halted play to allow his brother to get a new jersey on and rejoin the action.
Meanwhile, Athy’s Kelly had recovered from his early knock but his blood was up and he shot well wide in his club’s first attack. Ballyboden, who settled quicker, won the kickout and Ryan O’Dwyer kicked a point that just about scraped inside the post.
The early hits were flying in and after Barry Kelly and Ross McGarry clashed in midfield, the Dublin champions were awarded a free which was moved forward for dissent. Daire Sweeney kicked it over and his side led 3-0 after five hectic minutes.
Niall Kelly blazed wide for Athy and when Colm Moran was crowded out after dwelling too long on the ball, Galway’s Cein Darcy, who formed a physical midfield pair with James Holland, kicked another point for the Dubs.
Kevin Feely’s free dropped just short but Sean Moore did better when he opened the Athy account after almost 13 minutes and Feely got the distance with his next free.
Athy began to find some rhythm and Colm Moran broke out in front of Brian Bobbett to win a long kick pass and recycle the ball to Feely who split the posts with a two-pointer.
At the other end, ’Boden’s scoring touch had deserted them. O’Dwyer hit their third wide in-a-row and from the kickout another raking pass saw Ronan Kelly get out quickest. He was fouled by Holland and Niall Kelly whipped over another free.
Antrim star Peter Healy was involved in the build-up as Ross McGarry levelled for Ballyboden and, with the teams now looking well-matched, Daire Sweeney and Ronan Kelly swapped scores to leave it 0-6 apiece after 25 minutes.
Ballyboden put some daylight between them when Ryan Basquel raced onto a McGarry’s through-ball and drove a low shot that squirmed under James Roycroft and ended up in the net despite the best effort’s of Tyrone All-Ireland winner Cathal McCarron to clear it off the line.
Healy’s turnover paved the way for another ’Boden score. He nipped in to intercept a pass and the ball was worked forward quickly to McGarry who scored his second.
After Conor Doyle replied for Athy, another Healy break began the move that led to a goal chance for Colm Basquel. His shot was well saved by Roycroft but the Dubliners went in 1-7 to 0-7 ahead at the break.
Antrim’s Peter Healy scored a second half point for Ballyboden in the Leinster final. Picture Mark Marlow
The second half was a one-sided disappointment. O’Dwyer extended the lead to four points with the first score of the second half and it took some composed defending from McCarron prevented McGarry from adding another.
But Daire Sweeney did score in Ballyboden’s next attack and Colm Moran’s shot dropped short as Athy failed to respond.
Bobbett’s block and Healy’s diving clearance blunted the next Athy attack and, with a five-point lead, Ballyboden were able to work the ball forward patiently until Healy got forward and left half-a-dozen in it.
Feely pulled a point back but Ballyboden broke for home with a Colm Basquel two-pointer followed by their second goal. D’Arcy’s handpass sent McGarry through and he squared the ball for unmarked Patrick Dunleavy who thumped it into the roof of the net and points from Colm Basquel and McGarry opened a 14-point chasm.
Needing goals, Athy pushed Feely up to the edge of the square and he caught a long ball and drilled in a shot that clipped the post.
Play was called back for a free which Feely clipped over and then Ronan Kelly slipped in substitute Ben Purcell whose low finish found the back of the ’Boden net.
Sean Moore’s point and another Feely free cut the arrears to eight (2-16 to 1-11) with three minutes left and raised slim hopes of a famous comeback that would have been told around Kildare forever.
Four minutes of injury-time were signalled and Sean Moore (a two-point free) and Feely did claw some ground back but there was just too much to do.
Ballyboden kept their cool and cantered home and they’ll plan to do what ‘The Boss’ recommends when next year’s All-Ireland semi-final comes around: Keep a-rockin’ now…
Athy: J Roycroft; S Moore 0-4 (0-1f, 0-2tpf), M Spillane, D Lawlor; P Spillane, C McCarron, M Hyland; K Feely 0-7 (0-4f, 0-2tp), D Hyland; B Maher, B Kelly, C Doyle 0-1; R Kelly 0-1, C Moran, N Kelly 0-1f
Subs: B Purcell 1-0 for Moran (42), S Bride for Hyland (47), C Kelly for B Kelly (47), C Keaveney for Maher (54), K Farrell for Doyle (54)
Yellow cards: Feely (27), B Kelly (47), D Lawler (64)
Ballyboden St Enda’s: H O’Sullvan; B Bobbett, C Flaherty, P Healy 0-1; P Dunleavy 1-0, A Gavin, P Warren; C D’Arcy 0-2, J Holland; R Baynes, C Basquel 0-4 (0-2tp), R Basquel 1-0; R McGarry 0-5, R O’Dwyer 0-2, D Sweeney 0-4 (0-3f)
Subs: C O’Dwyer for R Basquel (47), H Donaghy for Warren (47), S Clayton for R Baynes (54), K Kennedy for C Basquel (60), D O’Reilly for O’Dwyer (60).
Referee: Alan Coyne (Westmeath)