Boden hold nerve to edge out Clontarf

Mon, 26th October 2015

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 0-12 CLONTARF 0-10

Ballyboden St Enda’s had to call on all their experience to find a way past Clontarf in Sunday’s Dublin SFC semi-final at Parnell Park.

Boden trailed 0-9 to 0-10 going into the concluding five minutes but showed the value of having finished strong in tight finishes in previous rounds when points from Andrew Kerin (two frees) and David O’Callaghan saw them into next Sunday’s final (4.0) against St Vincent’s.

Clontarf will be bitterly disappointed as they carried the fight to their more vaunted opponents and were in the driving seat going down the home straight.

Boden had to play the entire second half with 14 men after Michael Darragh Macauley was dismissed in the 30^th minute on a black card having already picked up a yellow meaning he could not be replaced.

The southsiders had made the better opening to the game and led 0-4 to 0-1 but Clontarf were not going to be overawed with the likes of Andy Foley, Jack McCaffrey, Maitias Mac Donncha and Ciarán Johnson to the fore.

By the interval the sides were level, 0-6 each, after a well-contest opening 30 minutes.

Jack McCaffrey nosed Clontarf in front on the restart before Boden wing-back Stephen O’Connor finished off a move involving Colm Basquel, Sam Molony and Andrew Kerin.

Points from Morgan Walsh and a Johnson free, following a foul on Foley, put Clontarf two up, 0-9 to 0-7.

But Boden battled back to level matters with points from Seán Gibbons and a Kerin free, following a foul on Conal Keaney.

With five left Clontarf were one ahead and still creating chances but it was Boden who showed the greater nerve to kick the last three scores and emerge victorious.

SCORERS - Ballyboden St Enda’s: A Kerin 0-7 (7f), R Basquel, S Hiney, S O’Connor, S Gibbons, D O’Callaghan 0-1 each. Clontarf: C Johnson 0-3 (2f), M MacDonncha 0-2 (1f), D Monaghan, M Walsh, J McCaffrey, A O’Neill, I O’Dwyer 0-1 each.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: C Dooley; B Dwan, S Hiney, S Clayton; S O’Connor, D Nelson, D O’Reilly; MD Macauley, D O’Mahoney; S Gibbons, R Basquel, S Gibbons; C Basquel, C Keaney, A Kerin. Subs: D McCabe for Davey (ht), S Molony for C Basquel (44), D O’Callaghan for Gibbons (49), R McDaid for Dwan (54).

CLONTARF: R O’Hanlon; S Coen, A O’Halloran, D Monaghan; F Dodd, J McCaffrey, P Breen; A Foley, M Walsh; C Cronin, M MacDonncha, R McCullagh; A O’Neill, C Johnson, M Dufficy. Subs: K McGrath for O’Neill (35), I O’Dwyer for Dufficy (37), M Hughes for McCullagh (46), P Synon for Walsh (56).

REF: G McCormack (Naomh Barróg)