Ballyboden St Endas reach PTSB Dublin SFC1 last four after epic battle against Clontarf

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 0-17 

CLONTARF 0-14

Ballyboden St Enda’s took another progressive step towards defending their PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship as they overcame Clontarf by three points in their quarter-final clash at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon. 

The holders trailed by 0-9 to 0-5 at half-time with Clontarf availing of the wind at their backs to seize the early initiative courtesy of four Benjamin Kelly points. 

St Enda’s gradually found their collective feet after the break and finished like champions through two pints apiece from Ryan O’Dwyer and Ross McGarry to prevail after a titanic struggle.   

Clontarf were quickest out of the blocks with Kelly offering them early encouragement with a two-pointer in the 2nd minute before Kieran McKeown added to their tally with a straightforward free soon after. 

The champions gradually settled into the encounter through Daire Sweeney’s point in the 8thminute while Colm Basquel doubled their tally a minute later to leave the bare minimum between the sides. 

Neither side were covering themselves in glory in terms of their attacking output but Kelly made Hugh O’Sullivan pay for a sloppy kick-out to kick his third score of the first quarter. 

Clontarf’s defending was hugely effective and disciplined during this period, forcing a number of momentum-building turnovers while McKeown added another free in the 17thminute to reflect his side’s overall wellbeing. 

While Sweeney clipped over a free at the opposite end, Clontarf made the most of the possession that came their way with Liam Howley and Andy Foley pointing in quick succession as the half evolved. 

Ross McGarry and Sweeney cancelled those scores soon after but a brilliant turnover from Jack McCaffrey to dispossess Ryan O’Dwyer culminated in Luke O’Boyle scoring to leave his team four points to the good at the interval.   

O’Dwyer made a bright start to the second-half when fisting over within thirty seconds but Matias MacDonncha restored Clontarf’s four-point buffer following another well-worked move from deep. 

Their lead could and should have been enhanced in the 35th minute but Darragh Fagan dragged his low shot wide of O’Sullivan’s left-hand upright with the goal at his mercy. 

That miss looked particularly costly as Ryan Basquel kicked a cracking two-pointer to bring Boden to within two points before they were awarded a penalty following a trip on O’Dwyer. 

Colm Basquel telegraphed the resultant kick however, allowing Brian Dufficy to repel his effort with a fair degree of comfort but Basquel put that miss behind him as he kicked a two-pointer to edge his team in front by the end of the third quarter. 

The stalemate returned as O’Boyle jinked through for his second point but with the Clontarf threat in attack lessening into the wind, the holders restored their lead in the 52nd minute thanks to an instant impact by substitute Paddy Curry. 

Sweeney and McKeown (free) exchanged points midway through the final quarter and we were set for a grandstand finish when Clontarf substitute Sean Horkan levelled matters in the 57th minute.

It was at this stage that the experience of St Enda’s began to tell with O’Dwyer fisting over two scores while McGarry matched that tally to stamp their authority on the contest by the final whistle.  

Scorers – Ballyboden St Enda’s: D Sweeney 0-5 (1f); C Basquel (1 P2), R O’Dwyer, R McGarry 0-3 each; R Basquel 0-2 (P2); P Curry 0-1. Clontarf: B Kelly 0-4 (1 P2); K McKeown 0-3 (3f); L O’Boyle, M MacDonncha 0-2 each; L Howley, A Foley, S Horkan 0-1 apiece.

Ballyboden St Enda’s: H O’Sullivan; B Bobbett, S Clayton, C Flaherty; H Donaghy, P Healy, A Waters; C D’Arcy, C Duggan; R O’Dwyer, J Holland, R McGarry; R Basquel, C Basquel, D Sweeney. Subs: P Curry for Waters (50), J Madden for Duggan (58). 

Clontarf: B Dufficy; P O’Grady, C Aherne, D Devilly; DJ O’Flaherty, L Howley, J McCaffrey; A Foley, L Cunningham; S Ryan, M MacDonncha, L O’Boyle; K McKeown, B Kelly, D Fagan. Subs: S McCann for O’Flaherty (Temp, 31), C Meehan for Ryan (41), S Horkan for Fagan (47).

Referee: PJ Murray (St Finian’s Swords).