Boden cruise into Leinster SFC final

LEINSTER CLUB SFC SEMI-FINAL

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 3-14 GARRYCASTLE (Westmeath) 0-12

Ballyboden St Enda’s moved into the Leinster club SFC final following this impressive semi-final victory over Westmeath’s Garrycastle in Cusack Park, Mullingar on Sunday.

The Dublin champions, who shot just five wides over the hour, will face Carlow’s Eire Og in two weeks’ times (Sunday, December 8, venue tbc), the Carlow champions, including former Dublin minor and Ballymun Kickhams player Colm Hulton, having impressed in their semi-final victory over Portlaoise in O’Moore Park on Saturday night.

Boden led 1-10 to 0-5 at the break with their goal coming from the impressive Robbie McDaid in the sixth minute, before a crowd of 2,500, when he bolted through the centre of the Garrycastle defence before applying a clincial finish with his less favoured left foot.

That score put the southsiders on the front foot with scores from Colm Basquel (two, one free), Alan Flood and Ross McGarry propelling them into a 1-5 to 0-1 lead by the 11^th minute.

Before the interval Ryan Basquel had tagged on three points with Alan Flood and Ross McGarry also adding to their haul.

Garrycastle restarted the second half with three converted frees from legendary Westmeath footballer Dessie Dolan (playing in his last competitive game) but points from Ross McGarry, Robbie McDaid and Darren O’Reilly quelled any hopes the Westmeath side had of raising a comeback.

Boden keeper Daragh Gogan showed great reflexes on several occasions in the second period to keep his goal intact at the Westmeath side battled to get back into the contest.

Inside the last ten minutes goals from Colm Basquel and James Holland, rifling to the roof of the net following a one-two with Seán Gibbons, put Boden out of sight before a Conal Keaney free pushed his side 3-14 to 0-10 clear as the game moved into added time.

SCORERS – Ballyboden St Enda’s: C Basquel 1-3 (0-2f), R McDaid 1-1, R McGarry, R Basquel 0-3 each, J Holland 1-0, A Flood 0-2, D O’Reilly, C Keaney (0-1f) 0-1 each. Garrycastle: D Dolan 0-7 (0-6f), J Dolan, E Monaghan, J Sheerin, J Nugent, G Heneghan (0-1f) 0-1 each.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: D Gogan; B Dwan, S Clayton, K Kennedy; S Gibbons, R McDaid, B Bobbett; D McCabe, D O’Mahony; A Flood, C Basquel, D O'Reilly; R Basquel, W Egan, R McGarry. Subs: MD Macauley for McCabe (43), C Keaney for Flood (45), T Hayes for Egan (50), J Holland for O’Mahony (55), C Murray for R Basquel (57), C O’Reilly for McGarry (60).

GARRYCASTLE: S Brennan; M McCallon, J Gaffey, J Donohue; D Harte, M Guiheen, G McCallon; J Barrett, J Sheerin; A Monaghan, J Dolan, M Monaghan; E Monaghan, A Gardiner, D Dolan. Subs: J Nugent for E Monaghan (ht), C Cosgrove for D Dolan (50), M Greene for A Monaghan (50), E Mulvihill for Donohue (inj 55), G Heneghan for M Monaghan (57).

REF: D Gough (Meath).