Ballymun's towering display topples Boden in SFC1 decider

Ballymun’s towering display topples Boden in SFC1 decider

Sun, 27th September 2020

DUBLIN SFC1 FINAL

BALLYMUN KICKHAMS 1-19 BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 0-8

Ballymun Kickhams are top-flight Dublin senior football champions for the fourth time after comprehensively defeating last year’s holders Ballyboden St Enda’s in Parnell Park on Sunday.

Kickhams, who had last won the title in 2012, dominated from the 12^th minute of the first half and again on the restart when hitting 12 points without reply to cruise to victory.

Boden had no answer to the power, precision and movement of the Mun as they took control and played the game on their terms.

This victory was a landmark victory for many of their younger seniors, players who graduated out of minor in the 2015-2018 spell, including Evan Comerford, Leon Young, Carl Keeley, Darragh Conlon, Aaron Elliott, Cameron McCormack, Cathal O'Tighe, Paddy Small, Dillon Keating, Brian Ashton and Andrew McCaul.

The sides were level 0-4 each after 11 minutes following a well judged Ryan Basquel score for Boden but they failed to score again until a Colm Basquel free, following a foul on Warren Egan, in the 45^th minute.

During that 35 minute-plus spell Kickhams really put the outcome of their reach with Dean Rock kicking eight first half scores, including three frees and a mark, with Fiach Andrews hitting two of his overall four points from play and Paddy Small slotting a point from play and converting an early mark.

Ballymun ran hard at the Boden defence and linked play well the length of the field, the athleticism of Cameron McCormack was to the fore on several occasions during the first period as Boden were forced back.

Congratulations to @BallymunGAA- #DSFC1 Champions pic.twitter.com/C2pj1XVt7D
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) September 27, 2020

When needed they held possession well and probed intelligently for the openings which arrived more often than not.

At the back John Small controlled the centre while Darragh Conlon, Leon Young and Carl Keeley embellished their developing cv

By the break they were 0-14 to 0-4 to the good and after the break they further extended that lead with two points from Dillon ‘Mini’ Keating – completing their run of 12 unanswered scores.

Boden battled but with such a cushion Ballymun could filter players back and the forced their opponents into some wayward shooting.

Points from Conal Keaney and a Ryan Basquel free cut the gap but it Ballymun to then finished out on top.

Good interplay between subs Brian Ashton and Andrew McCaul resulted in a 60^th minute penalty after McCaul was deemed to have been fouled in the square – Dean Rock drove home to bring his overall tally to 1-8.

Andrews, with his fourth from play, and sub Jason Whelan finished the scoring in the Mun’s 14-point success.

SCORERS – Ballymun Kickhams: D Rock 1-8 (1-0pen, 0-3f, 0-1m), F Andrews 0-4, D Keating 0-3, P Small 0-2 (0-1m), C O’Tighe, J Whelan 0-1 each. Ballyboden St Enda’s: C Keaney, R Basquel (0-1f) 0-3 each, C Basquel 0-2 (0-2f).

BALLYMUN KICKHAMS: E Comerford; L Young, E Dolan, P McMahon; C Keeley, J Small, D Conlon; A Elliott, J McCarthy; C McCormack, F Andrews, C O’Tighe; P Small, D Keating, D Rock. Subs: J Whelan for O’Tighe (50), A McCaul for Keating (53), C McManus for McCormack (58), B Ashton for Elliott (60).

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: M McNamee; S Clayton, K Kennedy, C Flaherty; B Bobbett, D Nelson, R McDaid; MD Macauley, A Waters; R McGarry, W Egan, D O’Reilly; C Keaney, R Basquel, C Basquel. Subs: A Flood for O’Reilly (ht), D O’Mahony for Bobbett (ht), J Holland for Nelson (ht), S Lambert for C Basquel (50), T Hayes for McGarry (55).

REF: S Farrelly (Ballinteer St John’s).