Ballyboden St Enda's 3-17 St Vincent's 1-10:NO FIREWORKS at Parnell Park yesterday, just a burning of any hopes entertained by St Vincent's that their long wait for another county hurling title would end. Instead, Vincent's left Dublin GAA HQ for the short trip back across the Malahide Road in the knowledge that the shift in power to the south of the Liffey – and to Ballyboden St Enda's in particular – is well and truly entrenched.
For sure, Ballyboden – who collected their fourth title in succession, a feat last achieved by Garda back in the 1920s – confirmed their hunger hasn’t been diminished by their recent run of supremacy. Since collecting their first ever senior hurling title in 2007, Ballyboden have proved invincible; and yesterday’s double scores trouncing of the famed Marino institution was clinical and, on occasions, mesmerising.
The quality and diversity of the three goals emphasised their superiority over a Vincent’s team who stuck doggedly to their task but at times must have felt as if they were chasing shadows in their quest for a first title since 1993.
Indeed, the first Ballyboden goal – in the eighth minute – which gave the holders a lead which was never subsequently threatened would have befitted any final. Conor McCormack won possession in the centre of the field and, with an impressive turn of speed, evaded a number of Vincent’s men before dispatching to the net past a helpless Thomas Carroll.
McCormack’s goal gave Ballyboden a 1-2 to 0-1 advantage and the sheer splendour of its execution might have hinted at a feast for one and all to behold. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. The rest of the first half failed to match that grandeur and, instead, the majority of Ballyboden’s scores came from David Curtin’s free-taking as they took advantage of some indiscipline in the Vincent’s ranks.
One wonders how things might have evolved if Damian Russell had managed to take advantage of a wayward puck-out from ’Boden goalkeeper Gary Maguire, but under pressure from full back Darragh Spain, who had a fine game, Russell sent his half-hooked shot wide.
With a 1-11 to 0-8 lead at the break, Ballyboden knew what was coming on the restart. And, in fairness to Vincent’s, they upped the ante from the throw-in and Maguire came to their rescue within seconds when diving full-length to his right to save from Thomas Connolly. Still, points from Cathal Billings and Thomas Connolly gave Vincent’s some hope there might be light at the end of the tunnel.
Such a belief didn’t last long, however. In a whirlwind two -minute spell the destination of the title was decided as Ballyboden scored two goals and a point in the 39th and 40th minutes.
Firstly Niall McMorrow raced on to a deft flick from David Sweeney and raced in to give Carroll no chance and, after Simon Lambert added a point immediately from the restart, the ’Boden supporters in the 2,500 crowd were sent delirious within another minute when Conal Keaney bravely dived to direct a long ball from Malachy Travers to the net.
To all intents and purposes, the destination of the title was decided with Keaney’s goal which moved Ballyboden 3-12 to 0-10 in front.
Thomas Connolly pulled a goal back for Vincent’s with a 42nd minute strike – but they needed more, and when Maguire brilliantly flicked a powerful Diarmuid Connolly strike on to the crossbar and a frustrated Connolly fouled Stephen Nolan before the danger was lifted, it was the last meaningful attempt at a fightback from Vincent’s who failed to score for the remaining 18 minutes.
During that time a succession of Ballyboden players took it in turn to show the gap between the two teams, the pick of the scores being a point from an acute angle by James Doody
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: G Maguire; B Treacy, D Spain, Marty O’Sullivan; S Hiney, S Nolan, M Travers; D Curtin (0-9, 0-7 frees), S Durkin (0-1); C McCormack (1-0), S Lambert (0-3), D Sweeny (0-1); N McMorrow (1-1), C Keaney (1-1), J Doody (0-1). Subs: P Buckeridge for Treacy (50 mins), D O’Connor for Sweeney (55 mins), T Sweeny for Lambert (57 mins).
ST VINCENT’S: T Carroll; R Pocock, D Qualter, M Kirwan; R Trainor, R Fallon, W Lowry; C Fallon, D Connolly (0-2, frees); P Fleury, K Connolly, S Loughlin (0-3); T McGrane (0-1), D Russell, T Connolly (1-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: C Billings (0-1) for K Connolly (20 mins), M Chawke for Fleury (45 mins), I Fleming for C Fallon (50 mins).
Referee: D O’Donovan (St Marks).
