Judes & Boden Share The Spoils In Go Ahead AFL Encounter

GO AHEAD ADULT FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH

ST JUDE’S 0-12

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 1-9

By Daire Walsh

Niall Coakley converted a 71st-minute free at Tymon Park on Wednesday evening to earn St Jude’s a draw against Ballyboden St Enda’s in a tense Go Ahead Adult Football League Division One South encounter.

Five points in the ascendancy just shy of the interval, the Templeogue outfit were on the verge of their second defeat of the campaign when they trailed 1-9 to 0-10 at the end of normal time in the second half. However, a Diarmuid McLoughlin score gave them hope and when the hosts were awarded a free-kick out towards the right-hand touchline, it presented Coakley with the perfect opportunity to restore parity.

An injury to ‘Boden half-back Brian Bobbett led to an eight minute delay, but when the action resumed, the Cork native expertly split the posts to give Jude’a share of the spoils.

This was Ballyboden’s second draw of the season, following their opening day stalemate with Lucan Sarsfields in 12th Lock. Centre half-forward Ciaran O’Reilly led the way in attack for the visitors with an impressive haul of 1-3, while Ross McGarry also knocked over three points for Anthony Rainbow’s charges.

Coakley was as reliable as ever from placed balls, amassing 0-5 to keep Jude’s in the running throughout. Alan Connolly was the only other player to contribute multiple scores, but it was thanks to a committed team effort that Gareth Roche’s men garnered something from the game.

This was the first midweek league outings for both teams since 2019 and it proved to be an incident-packed affair. Although these southside rivals took to the field without a plethora of inter-county stars, there was significant quality on display nonetheless.

From a distance of 35 metres, Jude’s inside forward Tom Devlin superbly dissected the ‘Boden uprights inside the opening minute. The 2020 Dublin SFC finalists issued a quick response to falling behind with a brace of frees from Devlin’s opposite number, Ross McGarry, helping them to settle.

Jude’s had suffered a set-back in the fifth-minute, when midfielder Seamus Noone was forced off through injury. Niall O’Donovan took his place in the middle-third and combined to good effect with Antrim’s Mark Sweeney.

Despite being off balance at the end of a powerful run, Dara Kavanagh found the target to bring Jude’s back on level terms. They were guilty of wayward shooting at times, but the longer the half wore on, the more accurate the Wellington Lane brigade became in front of goal.

Sweeney rounded off a patient move with a firmly-struck point, before Coakley opened his account to give Jude’s a 0-4 to 0-2 lead at the first half water break. Given the humid conditions on the night, these brief interludes were welcomed by both sets of players.

Marauding corner-back Oisin Manning was the next man to add his name to the scoresheet, cutting in from the left-wing to kick a fine point on 23 minutes. Whereas the ‘Boden attackers were often forced into taking on shots at difficult angles, Jude’s continued to find the range.

Connolly and Coakley (free) stretched their side even further ahead, only for their Firhouse Road counterparts to match them at the far end. After a barren spell inside the opposition ’45’, half-forward duo Ciaran O’Reilly and Warren Egan raised white flags to boost the ‘Boden prospects.

This reduced their arrears to three points at the midway stage in the contest (0-7 to 0-4). Within four minutes of the restart, they had turned the game on its head and put themselves in line for a second successive top-flight win.

Less than 60 seconds after fisting over at a tight angle, Ciaran O’Reilly executed a swift one-two with centre-fielder Donogh McCabe before firing beyond the reach of Paul Copeland for the first and only goal of the game.

There was no reason for Jude’s to panic, however, and a Connolly point immediately cancelled out the slender ‘Boden cushion. Chris Guckian and Colm Murphy were subsequently added to the mix, but their opponents were beginning to play with considerable confidence.

Ciaran O’Reilly, half-time substitute Ryan O’Dwyer and Egan (his second) fired over unanswered scores to move ‘Boden into the driving seat approaching the third-quarter mark. Traded points between Coakley and Ross McGarry helped them to establish a three-point buffer (1-9 to 0-9) at the second water break, though there was reason to be wary of a surge from Jude’s in the closing minutes.

A Coakley free offered them renewed vigour on the stroke of 50 minutes and the home team generated a host of chances in the dying embers of the play. Coakley, Guckian and full-back Jack McGuire posted wides prior to McLoughlin’s excellent point from the left - moments after his entrance to the fray.

A Cathal Flaherty foul - which resulted in a second yellow card being issued to the ‘Boden corner-back - presented Coakley with a scoreable free in stoppage-time, but the elbow injury sustained by Bobbett was the greatest cause for concern at this juncture. Fortunately, the dependable defender - an All-Ireland senior club winner with ‘Boden in 2016 - was eventually able to walk towards the sideline for additional treatment.

The ice-cool Coakley made no mistake off his trusty left-foot from the ensuing dead-ball strike and with a minute still to play, there was one last opportunity for St Jude’s to snatch a victory. Yet, McLoughlin’s ambitious long-range shot drifted past the post and the sides were ultimately inseparable in the end.

There won’t be much time for these near neighbours to rest in the aftermath of this hard-fought tie. St Jude’s will play host to Castleknock at Tymon on Saturday (throw-in 6.30pm), with Ballyboden St Enda’s welcoming Thomas Davis to Pairc Ui Mhurchu at the same time.

Scorers - St Jude’s: Niall Coakley 0-5 (5f), Alan Connolly 0-2, Oisin Manning, Mark Sweeney, Dara Kavanagh, Tom Devlin, Diarmuid McLoughlin 0-1 each. Ballyboden St Enda’s: Ciarán O’Reilly 1-3, Ross McGarry 0-3 (2f), Warren Egan 0-2, Ryan O’Dwyer 0-1.

ST JUDE’S: Paul Copeland; Oisin Manning, Jack McGuire, Sean Kavanagh; Rob Martina, Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Ciaran McLoughlin; Mark Sweeney, Seamus Noone; Pat Spillane, Simon King, Dara Kavanagh; Tom Devlin, Niall Coakley, Alan Connolly. Subs: Niall O’Donovan for Noone (5), David Sheehy for Devlin (half-time), Chris Guckian for Fitzpatrick, Colm Murphy for C McLoughlin (both 38), David Walsh for Manning (46), Diarmuid McLoughlin for King (59).

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: Darragh Gogan; Darragh Nelson, Shane Clayton, Cathal Flaherty; Brian Bobbett, James Holland, Tom Hannifin; Donogh McCabe, Declan O’Mahoney; Darren O’Reilly, Ciaran O’Reilly, Warren Egan; Ross McGarry, Conor Dooley, Barra McGarry. Subs: Stephen O’Connor for Hannifin, Ryan O’Dwyer for D O’Reilly (both half-time), John Murphy for Dooley, Mikey Dunne for B McGarry (both 46), Harry Colclough for C O’Reilly (61).

Referee: Darren Delaney (Wanderers).