Ballyboden St Endas claim the AIB Leinster Senior Football Title

Image Courtesy John Kirwan

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 2-18 

ATHY 1-14

Ballyboden St Enda’s turned on the style after the break to ease past Athy by seven points in their AIB Leinster Senior Club Football Championship decider at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon. 

In doing so, the Firhouse Road outfit picked up their third ever provincial title and ensured that the Seán McCabe Cup remained in the capital for the sixth successive season. 

It was Ballyboden that held the upper hand at the interval with Ryan Basquel’s 26th minute goal building a deserved 1-7 to 0-7 lead. 

A 44th minute goal from Patrick Dunleavy was just reward for Boden’s supremacy in their third quarter and while they took their collective foot off the pedal in the closing stages, they were full value for the victory. 

A frantic opening minute saw Colm Basquel cut inside the kick the opening score inside forty seconds while Ryan O’Dwyer doubled the advantage as he popped over from twenty metres three minutes later. 

While there was a relative parity in terms of possession, the St Enda’s defence were far tighter on their direct opponents as Athy struggled to make much of an impression in attack. 

A straightforward free from Daire Sweeney allowed the Dublin champions to stretch their lead in the 5th minute and they enhanced their dominance through a Céin D’Arcy point as the contest evolved. 

However, their general play lacked precision by the end of the first quarter, allowing Athy to remain in the hunt through unanswered scores by Sean Moore (free) and Kevin Feely. 

The latter kicked an inspirational two-pointed score in the 18th minute to restore parity and St Enda’s found themselves in arrears as Niall Kelly added an Athy free four minutes later.  

Ross McGarry kicked a smart levelling and settling score for Boden soon after and his side pounced for the game’s opening goal in the 26th minute as Ryan Basquel’s low shot did just enough to roll into the net despite the best efforts of Athy goalkeeper Shane Jackman. 

McGarry curled over his second point in injury time and St Enda’s could well have put further daylight between the teams but Jackman was seen in a better light as he saved smartly from Colm Basquel. 

A stylish O’Dwyer point edged Ballyboden four points clear within a minute of the restart and Sweeney’s first point from play in the 33rd minute ensured the momentum was firmly in their favour. 

A period of patience was rewarded in the 38th minute when Peter Healy timed his run from deep to split the uprights before their opponents registered their first score of the half two minutes later through Feely. 

That score proved an isolated moment of encouragement for Athy as a two-pointer by Colm Basquel saw them fall further behind and their fate was effectively sealed by the end of the third quarter as the influential McGarry unselfishly passed to Dunleavy for Boden’s second goal. 

Some complacency in defence allowed Athy substitute Ben Purcell to fire home past Hugh O’Sullivan in the 54th minute but that score held nothing but nuisance value to Ballyboden as they eased to victory despite a flurry of late frees by their opponents.  

Scorers – Ballyboden St Enda’s: R McGarry 0-5; C Basquel (1 P2), D Sweeney (3f) 0-4 each; R Basquel, P Dunleavy 1-0 each; C D’Arcy, R O’Dwyer 0-2 each; P Healy 0-1. Athy: K Feely 0-7 (4f, 1 P2); S Moore 0-4 (1 F2, 1f); B Purcell 1-0; R Kelly, N Kelly (f), C Moran 0-1 apiece.

Ballyboden St Enda’s: H O’Sullivan; B Bobbett, C Flaherty, R Baynes; J Holland, P Healy, P Warren; C D’Arcy, A Gavin; R O’Dwyer, R McGarry, P Dunleavy; R Basquel, C Basquel, D Sweeney. Subs: C O’Dwyer for R Basquel (47), H Donaghy for Warren (49), S Clayton for Baynes (54), K Kennedy for C Basquel (60), D O’Reilly for R O’Dwyer (61). 

Athy: S Jackman; M Spillane, P Spillane, D Lawler; M Hyland, C McCarron, S Moore; K Feely, D Hyland; B Maher, B Kelly, C Doyle; R Kelly, C Moran, N Kelly. Subs: B Purcell for Moran (42), S Bride for M Hyland (47), C Kelly for B Kelly (48), C Keaveney for Maher (54), K Farrell for C Doyle (57). 

Referee: Alan Coyne (Westmeath).