Ballyboden St Enda’s (Dublin) 2-16

Castletown (Wexford) 0-13

THIS WASN’T QUITE a game of two halves but when Ballyboden St Enda’s moved up a gear after the break, they sped to victory and an anticipated Leinster club SFC semi-final spot.

Dublin clubs traditionally dominate this competition and while Eamon O’Reilly’s side lived a little dangerously early on, hitting the interval on level terms, the nine-point win didn’t flatter them.

All of their big guns fired important scores with Dublin trio Colm Basquel, Ross McGarry and Alex Gavin accounting for 2-9 of the team’s tally.

Galway senior Cein D’Arcy came into the game strongly at midfield too, helping to fire the Firhouse Road side through to a last four clash with Tullamore.

No Wexford club has ever played in a final at this level and Ballyboden ensured that it stayed that way, outscoring the hosts by 1-12 to 0-6 in the second-half.

A week after the Wexford hurling champions, St Martin’s, took care of reigning Dublin, Leinster and All-Ireland champions Na Fianna, Castletown plotted a similar coup on the same pitch.

And they did make life difficult for the raging favourites initially at least, establishing a defensive shape and forcing Ballyboden into long stretches of keep ball just outside the arc.

Jack Higgins is tackled by James Holland. Andrew Conan / INPHO Andrew Conan / INPHO / INPHO

The terms of engagement were set early with Ballyboden holding possession for almost the first three minutes after the throw-in before eventually working an opening that ended in a wide.

Daire Sweeney fisted wide on that occasion and having filled his boots in Dublin – hitting 2-24 in the knock-out stages of the county championship alone – it was clear he’d have to be patient and bide his time here.

Basquel wore number 11 for ‘Boden and flitted between the half and full-forward lines, tracked by Joe Ahern all the time.

Former All-Star Basquel won an 11th minute free that Sweeney converted before sniping a terrific breakaway goal in the 22nd minute.

Castletown’s Liam Coleman spilled possession at midfield and when Antrim man Peter Healy gathered up the loose ball, it began a rapid counter-attack that ended with Basquel’s goal.

That tied the game up at 1-2 to 0-5 but even with Ross McGarry clipping three first-half points, Ballyboden couldn’t shake off a Castletown side that lived, and profited, on scraps.

Goalkeeper Darragh Brooks drilled three two-point frees in the opening half, helping the hosts to hit the interval locked on 0-7 points apiece.

Still, Ballyboden had the wind after the break and the presumption was that they would kick on and belatedly impose themselves.

They did precisely that, dominating the third quarter to leave themselves in a commanding position with 15 minute to go.

The second-half was only four minutes old and already ‘Boden had as many points tallied; one each from McGarry and Ryan O’Dwyer and a Basquel two-pointer.

Former Dublin forward Ryan Basquel, Colm’s big brother, got in on the action with two points before the team’s second goal arrived in the 42nd minute.

O’Dwyer and Patrick Dunleavy combined, working the ball into the goalmouth for Gavin to palm in from close range.

Castletown mustered a couple of scores in response and both Robbie Brooks and Coleman punched the air in celebration each time.

But not even Darragh Brooks’ fourth two-pointer of the game, from another free, gave them any great traction.

Tullamore, meanwhile, booked their place in the 29 November semi-final with a 3-13 to 4-8 quarter-final win over The Downs.

But it was a nervous final quarter for the Stephen Rochford coached Tullamore who, leading by 11 points at one stage, ended up with just two to spare.

Harry Plunkett nailed the first Tullamore goal, helping them to lead by 1-8 to 1-2 at half-time. Niall Furlong added their second goal in the 40th minute.

A third goal from rising star Cillian Bourke stretched Tullamore’s lead to 11 points with less than 10 minutes remaining but a Tom Tuite goal ignited Westmeath champions The Downs who added a fourth from Charlie Drumm late on. Two subsequent Luke Loughlin two-pointers narrowed the gap even further but Tullamore held on.

Portarlington overcame Louth’s Naomh Mairtin by 0-14 to 1-8, setting up a semi-final against Kildare’s Athy.

Port’ led by 0-9 to 0-4 at half-time but a Tom Gray goal for hosts Naomh Mairtin in Drogheda tied it up in the 36th minute at 1-6 to 0-9.

From there, the Laois champions showed all their quality to retake the lead with the very next score and hold onto it all the way until full-time.

Ballyboden St Enda’s scorers: Colm Basquel 1-4 (1 tp), Ross McGarry 0-5, Alex Gavin 1-0, Daire Sweeney 0-3 (0-1f), Ryan Basquel 0-2, Ryan O’Dwyer 0-1, Callum O’Dwyer 0-1.

Castletown scorers: Darragh Brooks 0-8 (4 tpf), Liam Coleman 0-2, Robbie Brooks 0-1, Donnacha Holmes 0-1, Brendan Halpin 0-1.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S

16. Hugh O’Sullivan

19. Ryan Baynes
6. Cathal Flaherty
2. Brian Bobbett

5. James Holland
7. Patrick Warren
4. Peter Healy

8. Cein D’Arcy
9. Alex Gavin

14. Ryan O’Dwyer
11. Colm Basquel
21. Patrick Dunleavy
13. Ross McGarry
23. Ryan Basquel
15. Daire Sweeney

SUBS:

17. Kieran Kennedy for Healy (51)
20. Darren O’Reilly for Ryan Basquel (51)
26. Callum O’Dwyer for Sweeney (56)
24. David Keogh for Colm Basquel (58)
18. Michael O’Gara for O’Dwyer (58)

CASTLETOWN

1. Darragh Brooks

2. Sean O’Hagan
4. Joe Ahern
19. Ross Cody

5. Killian Pierce
7. Stephen Moloney
10. Jack Higgins

8. Rory Heffernan
9. Liam Coleman

12. Gavin Kelly
11. Conor Carty
13. Donnacha Holmes

15. Robbie Brooks
14. Jonathan Bealin
17. Brendan Halpin

SUBS:

21. Gavin McNulty for Kelly (52)
20. Doran Daly O’Toole for Holmes (52)
18. Joe Gardiner for Heffernan (57)

REF: Kevin Williamson (Offaly).