BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 0-19 LUCAN SARSFIELDS 0-18
Reigning champions Ballyboden St Enda’s just about kept their dream of the four in-a-row intact as they held off a battling Lucan in Sunday’s opening Evening Herald Dublin SHC ‘A’ quarter-final at Parnell Park.
Lucan were firing on all cylinders in the closing minutes and grabbed points through Johnny McCaffrey from long range, a Kevin O’Reilly free, and two monster frees from McCaffrey to keep the outcome alive to the final whistle.
Boden were first to settle in the first half and led 0-5 to 0-1 inside 11 minutes as they threatened to move well clear. The freetaking of Paul Ryan was doing most of the damage for the champions while Conor McCormack’s eighth minute point from the pick of the opening salvo as Tim Sweeney and Ryan combined slickly before the hard-working wing-forward slotted over.
Lucan though rallied with points from Peter Kelly and an 80-metre strike from Mick May but as the half wore on Conal Keaney began to exert a greater influence and he added three points to the Boden tally before the break to see them hold a 0-11 to 0-6 advantage at the interval.
By the 42nd minute Boden had extended their lead to 0-16 to 0-9 but a second long-range May score lifted Lucan and points followed from McCaffrey (80-metre free), and two gems from Aidan Roche and O’Reilly to reduced the deficit to three points.
A Ryan free stalled the Lucan momentum before sub David Curtin hit two points on his introduction to establish a five-point lead 0-19 to 0-14.
The last five minutes Lucan held the upperhand to score four unanswered points but time ran out on them as the champions progress to face O’Toole’s in their semi-final.
SCORERS – Ballyboden St Enda’s: P Ryan 0-8 (0-7f, 0-1 ‘65’), C Keaney 0-3, S Lambert, D Curtin 0-2 each, M Travers, S Durkin, C McCormack, T Sweeney 0-1 each. Lucan Sarsfields: K O’Reilly 0-6 (0-5f), J McCaffrey 0-4 (0-3f), A Roche 0-3, M May 0-2, P Kelly, P Brennan, T Sommers 0-1 each.
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S – G Maguire; J Duffy, D Spain, M O’Sullivan; S Hiney, S Nolan, B Treacy; M Travers, S Durkin; C McCormack, T Sweeney, S Lambert; P Ryan, C Keaney, J Doody. Subs: D Sweeney for Lambert (43); D Curtin for Duffy (46); S Perkins for T Sweeney (51); D O’Connor for Ryan (60).
LUCAN SARSFIELDS – D Cunningham; P Tansey, N Gleeson, C Dooley; M May, B Aird, K Fitzgerald; P Kelly, J McCaffrey; R Lambert, P Carroll, P Brennan; A Roche, T Somers, K O’Reilly. Sub: J Gleeson for Brennan (43).
REF – D Ryan (St Pat’s, Palmerstown).
