Goals in either half the difference as Ballyboden reach Senior Hurling Final
Ballyboden St. Endas 2-16
St. Vincents 0-18
Despite leading at Half Time, it wasn’t to be St. Vincents afternoon, exiting the 2018 Dublin Senior Hurling Championship after defeat to Ballyboden St. Endas. Paul Doherty and Aidan Mellet goals were enough for the finish four points better than their Semi Final opponents.
Paul Ryan put in another superb shift for Boden, converting eight out of ten dead balls. Vincent’s John Hetherton topped the scoring today with 0-11 but not much coming anywhere else from play the Marino men couldn’t match Ballyboden’s attack.
Thomas Connolly and Rian McBride got Vincents on the board first, and they kept their noses in front for the first 10 minutes of the game. Another brace of scores from McBride were all responded to by Ryan and Mellet before Niall McMorrow pointed to edge Boden ahead. And 2 minutes later Paul Doherty had the ball in the net giving his side a four point cushion.
But Vincents weathered the passage of play and a converted free and 65 from Hetherton closed the gap. McMorrow found his range again but Hetherton responded and Conor Burke obliged a second to bring Vincents back to within a point.
Boden Change Gears to Drive Home
Four more scores from Hetherton (3) and Cian McBride would see Vincents edge ahead of Boden, with Ryan and Paul Doherty making up the first half numbers for the south siders.
Within 2 minutes of the restart, Shane Durkin and Doherty had re-established Boden’s lead before Hetherton levelled for Vinnies. But for every counter Vincent’s Had Ballyboden seemed to have more. Ryan converted two more frees, Hetherton responded. Aidan Mellet put a lovely score over from play, and you guessed it, Hetherton again kept Vincents within reach. The two Ballyboden men added another score each and Hetherton again capitalised with Vincents winning a couple of very soft frees.
The Marino men had to believe there was still a chance with the game clock hitting 30 minutes and knowing they’d have some additional time to push on. But a minute into the extra time Aidan Mellet pounced and raised a vital green flag to put Ballyboden four in front with time running out.
Alan Moore put Vinnies last score over the bar but the last word of the day went to Paul Ryan scoring his eight score over and sealing the victory for Ballyboden and setting up a Dublin Senior A Championship Final with Kilmacud Crokes on October 21st.
St. Vincents Scorers:
John Hetherton 0-11 (10f)
Rian McBride 0-03
Thomas Connolly 0-01
Conor Burke 0-01
Cian McBride 0-01
Alan Moore 0-01
Ballyboden St. Endas Scorers:
Paul Ryan 0-08 (8f)
Aidan Mellet 1-03
Paul Doherty 1-02
Niall McMorrow 0-02
Shane Durkin 0-01
Ballyboden St. Endas Panel:
1. Gary Maguire
5. Shane Durkin
3. Luke Corcoran
18. James Madden
7. Dean Curran
6. Simon Lambert
10. David Curtin
2. Stephen O’Connor
11. Niall McMorrow
13. Paul Ryan
15. Paul Doherty
9. Niall Ryan
8. Conal Keaney
14. Conor Dooley
17. Aidan Mellet
Ballyboden St. Endas Substitutes:
David O’Connor for Stephen O’Connor (HT)
Conor McCormack for Paul Doherty (36)
St. Vincents:
1. Dara De Poire
4. Ciaran Harney
7. Jack Collins
3. Rory Pocock
6. Frankie Power
2. Ruari Traynor
5. Sean McCaw
8. Thomas Connolly
11. Mark O’Keefe
9. Conor Burke
14. Rian McBride
15. John Hetherton
10. Keith Connolly
12. Cian McBride
20. Neal Billings
St. Vincents Substitutes:
Oisin Lanigan for Rory Pocock (29)
Alan Moore for Keith Connolly (38)
Chris McCarry for Cian McBride (Blood Sub 42-44)
Johnny Walshe for Neal Billings (58).