THE STORY COMING into today’s game in O’Connor Park was that Ballyboden might not be as intimidating as a Cuala or Kilmacud Crokes team would have been, and that a Tullamore side that pushed Cuala to the limit in Parnell Park last year were that bit more mature and ready to take the next step in their development on their home field.
That story had to be rewritten as Ballyboden St. Enda’s produced their best performance of the year so far in Tullamore this afternoon, blowing their hosts out of the water with a sensational first half display that left the Offaly side out of range by the change of ends.
Ryan O’Dwyer terrorised the Tullamore rearguard, Ryan Baynes and Cathal Flaherty were to the fore as the visiting full-back line kept their direct opponents under lock and key but it was across the middle, with Céin Darcy to the fore, that ‘Boden really put the squeeze on their opponents.
Australia-bound Cillian Bourke will fly out to join Essendon in the morning and he left nothing behind in what was his last outing for the club for the foreseeable future, however Darcy was a formidable opponent while around him, it was blue-and-white striped jerseys who seemed to be on top of all the physical exchanges.
A deceptively strong breeze favoured the away side while Tullamore were rocked by the loss of centre back and county star John Furlong due to injury with just 17 minutes played, but there was so much more than that to Ballyboden’s dominance. After Tullamore got off to a bright start with points from Niall Furlong and Harry Plunkett to take an early lead, a slick attacking move saw Colm Basquel slip in Ross McGarry for a goal, and Ballyboden didn’t look back.
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Corey White’s kickout was being squeezed by the high press from the Dubs, forcing two restarts out over the sideline, while two more were chipped straight to a Ballyboden player, leading to easy points.
Pressure on Luke Plunkett forced an overhold from the attacker and a lightning fast breakaway move that led to the Ballyboden fire raging out of Tullamore’s control. A handpass over the top into O’Dwyer saw him through on goal where he was brought down by Michael Brazil.
Colm Basquel placed the penalty perfectly into the bottom right corner and there was no let-up as the lead was pushed out to 2-12 to 0-4 by half-time.
Just as Ballyboden attacked Tullamore kickout in the first half, the home side did the same after the interval and for the third quarter they chipped away gradually at the lead. A series of wides and the lack of a two-point threat undermined their chances of asking too many questions of the opposition but Niall Furlong and Bourke both fared well, adding points and winning frees that Harry Plunkett converted.
A narrow-angle shot for the net from Luke Bourke was parried to safety by Hugh O’Sullivan to deny Tullamore a goal that they badly needed and once Ballyboden finally broke out of their own half, they hit two points in a minute from Daire Sweeney and then slipped right back into their scoring groove, easing over the finish line to set up a meeting with Athy next Saturday.
Scorers for Ballyboden St. Enda’s: D Sweeney 0-9 (1tp, 0-3f), R O’Dwyer 0-5, R McGarry 1-1, C Basquel 1-0 (pen), R Basquel 0-3 (0-1f), C Darcy 0-1.
Scorers for Tullamore: H Plunkett 0-5f, N Furlong 0-2, C Bourke 0-2, L Plunkett 0-1.
Ballyboden St Enda’s
1 Hugh O’Sullivan
19 Ryan Baynes, 6 Cathal Flaherty, 2 Brian Bobbett
5 James Holland, 7 Patrick Warren, 4 Peter Healy
8 Céin Darcy, 9 Alex Gavin
13 Ross McGarry, 11 Colm Basquel, 21 Patrick Dunleavy
12 Ryan Basquel, 14 Ryan O’Dwyer, 15 Daire Sweeney.
Subs:
Harry Donaghy for Gavin (36)
Luke O’Donoghue for Dunleavy (51)
Callum O’Dywer for C Basquel (52)
Kieran Kennedy for Healy (56)
Darren O’Reilly for R Basquel (58).
Tullamore
1 Corey White
3 Declan Hogan, 4 Daire McDaid, 2 Ben Heffernan
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5 Cormac Egan, 6 John Furlong, 7 Oisín Keenan Martin
8 Cillian Bourke, 9 Aaron Leavy
10 Diarmuid Egan, 11 Michael Brazil, 12 Niall Furlong
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Ballyboden overpower Tullamore by 15 points to reach Leinster final
Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-19 (2-1-17)
Tullamore 0-10 (0-0-10)
Kevin Egan reports from Glenisk O’Connor Park
THE STORY COMING into today’s game in O’Connor Park was that Ballyboden might not be as intimidating as a Cuala or Kilmacud Crokes team would have been, and that a Tullamore side that pushed Cuala to the limit in Parnell Park last year were that bit more mature and ready to take the next step in their development on their home field.
That story had to be rewritten as Ballyboden St. Enda’s produced their best performance of the year so far in Tullamore this afternoon, blowing their hosts out of the water with a sensational first half display that left the Offaly side out of range by the change of ends.
Ryan O’Dwyer terrorised the Tullamore rearguard, Ryan Baynes and Cathal Flaherty were to the fore as the visiting full-back line kept their direct opponents under lock and key but it was across the middle, with Céin Darcy to the fore, that ‘Boden really put the squeeze on their opponents.
Australia-bound Cillian Bourke will fly out to join Essendon in the morning and he left nothing behind in what was his last outing for the club for the foreseeable future, however Darcy was a formidable opponent while around him, it was blue-and-white striped jerseys who seemed to be on top of all the physical exchanges.
A deceptively strong breeze favoured the away side while Tullamore were rocked by the loss of centre back and county star John Furlong due to injury with just 17 minutes played, but there was so much more than that to Ballyboden’s dominance. After Tullamore got off to a bright start with points from Niall Furlong and Harry Plunkett to take an early lead, a slick attacking move saw Colm Basquel slip in Ross McGarry for a goal, and Ballyboden didn’t look back.
Corey White’s kickout was being squeezed by the high press from the Dubs, forcing two restarts out over the sideline, while two more were chipped straight to a Ballyboden player, leading to easy points.
Pressure on Luke Plunkett forced an overhold from the attacker and a lightning fast breakaway move that led to the Ballyboden fire raging out of Tullamore’s control. A handpass over the top into O’Dwyer saw him through on goal where he was brought down by Michael Brazil.
Colm Basquel placed the penalty perfectly into the bottom right corner and there was no let-up as the lead was pushed out to 2-12 to 0-4 by half-time.
Just as Ballyboden attacked Tullamore kickout in the first half, the home side did the same after the interval and for the third quarter they chipped away gradually at the lead. A series of wides and the lack of a two-point threat undermined their chances of asking too many questions of the opposition but Niall Furlong and Bourke both fared well, adding points and winning frees that Harry Plunkett converted.
A narrow-angle shot for the net from Luke Bourke was parried to safety by Hugh O’Sullivan to deny Tullamore a goal that they badly needed and once Ballyboden finally broke out of their own half, they hit two points in a minute from Daire Sweeney and then slipped right back into their scoring groove, easing over the finish line to set up a meeting with Athy next Saturday.
Scorers for Ballyboden St. Enda’s: D Sweeney 0-9 (1tp, 0-3f), R O’Dwyer 0-5, R McGarry 1-1, C Basquel 1-0 (pen), R Basquel 0-3 (0-1f), C Darcy 0-1.
Scorers for Tullamore: H Plunkett 0-5f, N Furlong 0-2, C Bourke 0-2, L Plunkett 0-1.
Ballyboden St Enda’s
1 Hugh O’Sullivan
19 Ryan Baynes, 6 Cathal Flaherty, 2 Brian Bobbett
5 James Holland, 7 Patrick Warren, 4 Peter Healy
8 Céin Darcy, 9 Alex Gavin
13 Ross McGarry, 11 Colm Basquel, 21 Patrick Dunleavy
12 Ryan Basquel, 14 Ryan O’Dwyer, 15 Daire Sweeney.
Subs:
Tullamore
1 Corey White
3 Declan Hogan, 4 Daire McDaid, 2 Ben Heffernan
5 Cormac Egan, 6 John Furlong, 7 Oisín Keenan Martin
8 Cillian Bourke, 9 Aaron Leavy
10 Diarmuid Egan, 11 Michael Brazil, 12 Niall Furlong
13 Mike Fox, 14 Harry Plunkett, 15 Luke Plunkett.
Subs:
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).
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All-Ireland Club Football Championship Ballyboden St Enda's GAA GAA Gaelic Football marching on Tullamore GAA