St Oliver Plunkett’s Eoghan Ruadh 2-10
Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-13
Kevin O’Brien reports from Parnell Park
2016 ALL-IRELAND champions Ballyboden St Enda’s were dumped out of the Dublin SFC by St Oliver Plunkett’s Eoghan Ruadh in stunning fashion tonight.
Ballyboden head into the Dublin senior ‘B’ football championship just 18 months after they lifted the ‘A’ county title, while Plunkett’s progress to the second round.
This defeat was a double-whammy for Ballyboden, who will now be unseeded for the opening round of the ‘A’ championship in 12 months’ time.
Ballyboden led by three points at the interval, but Plunkett’s turned things around with a dominant display after the break.
Bernard Brogan was in fine form with 0-6, as goals from Leigh Herron and Gareth Smith (penalty) either side of half-time proved critical for the victors.
Brogan did all the legwork for Herron’s three-pointer in the first-half and left his team-mate with a finish into an empty net, while he was dragged down for the penalty that Smith converted.
All but 0-1 of their 1-4 tally in the opening half arrived in a six-minute burst between the eighth and 14th minute. The Plunkett’s attack clicked into gear after the break but their defence were the real heroes.
Ballyboden led by 0-13 to 2-4, but failed to score after the 40th minute as their forward unit failed to convert any scoring chances from that point in the match.
Plunkett’s could call on the experience and guile of 35-year-old ex-Dublin star Alan Brogan and Fermanagh sharpshooter Tomas Corrigan off the bench, while former Kerry forward Paul Galvin (37) was busy and kicked a fine score as his new club rallied in the fourth quarter.
Worryingly for Dublin U21 boss Dessie Farrell, Shane Clayton went off with an injury after just 17 minutes of action.
It was surprising to see Clayton start after the news broke this morning that the Dublin U21s would be withdrawing from club action this weekend because of their upcoming All-Ireland final against Galway.
Clayton started the game in a man-marking role on Brogan before he left the fray and was replaced by fellow county U21 panellist Colm Basquel. After the precedent that was set tonight it will be interesting to see if many of the rest of the county squad feature over the next few days.
This result was a welcome change for Plunkett’s as the Dublin SFC hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for them in recent years. They were beaten by Kilmacud Crokes in the 2008 final replay by two points and by St Brigid’s by the same margin in the 2011 decider.
Then Plunkett’s lost to reigning All-Ireland champions St Vincent’s by a point in the 2014 final.
In 2015 they lost to Ballyboden by a point in the quarter-final and ‘Boden would go on to lift the All-Ireland title the following March. And 12 months ago Plunkett’s fell in the first round to a Castleknock outfit who ran St Vincent’s close in the county final later that year.
Plunkett’s were unseeded in the opening round of the championship due to their defeat to Ciaran Kilkenny’s side at this stage last year.
Ballyboden, the 2016 All-Ireland champions, will have to wait 12 months before their next senior ‘A’ game in this competition.
Ballyboden raced into a 0-4 to no score lead before Plunkett’s turned the game on its head with a devastating six minute spell.
Brogan slipped his marker and took out the Ballyboden keeper handed a handpass to allow Leigh Herron finish into an empty net. Brogan added a brace of scores and Herron kicked a point as their side moved into a 1-2 to 0-4 lead after 14 minutes.
Ballyboden rounded off the half with five of the last six scores, including three from Molony, to lead by 0-10 to 1-4 at the interval.
Brogan continued to cause problems and he won a penalty two minutes after the restart after being hauled down by Tom Hannifin in front of goal. Gareth Smith buried the spot-kick to leave Plunkett’s trailing by 0-11 to 2-4.
Conal Keaney hit two booming scores for Ballyboden, but the tide was firmly in Plunkett’s favour.
Paul Galvin curled over a fine score from the corner, Brogan added a brace and sub Tomas Corrigan rifled over a long-range free to leave them 2-9 to 0-13 ahead on 50 minutes.
In a tense finale neither team troubled the scoreboard for 10 minutes before a late free from Brogan sealed the win.
Scorers for St Oliver Plunkett’s Eoghan Ruadh: Bernard Brogan 0-6 (0-3f), Leigh Herron 1-1, Gareth Smith 1-0 (pen), Paul Galvin and Tomas Corrigan (free) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Ballyboden St Enda’s: Conal Keaney (0-1f) Sam Molony (0-1f) 0-3 each, Darragh Nelson and Colm Baaquel 0-2 each, Donagh McCabe, Stephen O’Connor and Ryan Basquel 0-1 each.
St Oliver Plunkett’s Eoghan Ruadh
1. Sean Hawkins
2. Rory O’Connor
3. Shane Lyons
4. Eamonn Clarke
5. James Brogan
6. Gary Reynolds
7. David Kelly
8. Ross McConnell
9. Craig Dunleavy
10. Paul Galvin
11. Conor Walsh
13. Gareth Smith
12. Daragh Brogan
14. Bernard Brogan
15. Leigh Herron
Subs
17. Alan Brogan for Daragh Brogan (25)
19. Declan Lally for Reynolds (ht)
20. Tomas Corrigan for Herron (34)
21. Niall Walsh for Kelly (47)
18. Sean O’Connor for Walsh (57)
Ballyboden St Enda’s
1. Josh Kane
5. Shane Clayton
3. Bob Dwan
4. Tom Hannigan
7. Cathal Flaherty
13. Stephen O’Connor
6. Shane Durkin
8. Michael Darragh Macauley
9. Aran Waters
11. Robbie McDaid
2. Darragh Nelson
12. Donagh McCabe
15. Ryan Basquel
14. Sam Molony
10. Conal Keaney
Subs
25. Colm Basquel for Clayton (17)
21. Darren O’Reilly for Hannifin (34, black card)
24. James Holland for Waters (48)
22. Alan Flood for Macauley (50)
Referee: Gary McCormack
The42 GAA / SoundCloud
