Ballyboden make winning start against Plunkett’s in SHC ‘A’

First-half goals from Shane Kennedy and Aidan Mellett put Ballyboden St Enda's on their way to victory over St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh (4-19 to 1-16) in Friday night's Go-Ahead Dublin SHC 'A' Group 4 encounter at Parnell Park.

Shane Kennedy's goal came just before the first water stoppage which pushed his side into a 1-5 to 0-4 lead.

Good anticipation by Boden full-back Luke Corcoran intercepted a long ball down the terrace side and he switched the play crossfield to his keeper Finn McGarry, the netminder's long delivery was brilliantly judged by Niall McMorrow who slipped a pass to his corner-forward team-mate who made no mistake from ten metres.

Ballyboden had opened impressively with the first five points of the contest through Conor Dooley (two, one free), James Roche and two from Niall Ryan. Dooley had also missed a penalty.

However, points from Cillian Hayes (two), Niall Arthur and Jack O'Shea saw Plunkett's reel in their opponents before Kennedy's three-pointer.

Boden held the upperhand in the second quarter and had moved seven points clear before Aidan Mellett showed great pace to score Boden's second goal in the 27th minute. He added a point from halfway immediately after and suddenly the Firhouse Road side were 2-10 to 0-6 clear.

By half-time Malachy Travers' men were 2-13 to 0-8 ahead and at the start of the second period Conor Dooley, who tallied 0-9 (0-8f) overall, converted a free before Pearse Christie hit Boden's third goal following good interplay between James Madden and John Maguire to make it 3-14 to 0-8.

In the 52nd minute Cian Boland scored an excellent individual goal when coming in from the terrace side before firing to the net.

Plunkett's battled back to within seven points (3-17 to 1-16) in the final minutes but Boden added on scores with Simon Lambert, Conor Dooley (two frees), and a Paul Ryan goal - a penalty following a foul on Aidan Mellett - to run out 12-point winners.