Leinster Club SFC final: Ballyboden St Endas 2-18 Athy 1-14
Ballyboden St Enda’s claimed a third Leinster club senior football championship after their third-quarter blitz overwhelmed maiden finalists Athy at Croke Park.
Ballyboden’s victory maintains Dublin’s dominance of Leinster club football’s premier competition – not since 2018 has the provincial title spent winter outside of the capital.
And from the moment Dublin hurler Patrick Dunleavy netted Ballyboden’s second goal in the 44th minute at Croke Park on Saturday evening, it was clear the silverware would again be staying in the smoke.
Ballyboden, who previously won the competition in 2015 and 2019, led by three points at half-time in this final but outscored Athy 1-6 to 0-1 in the opening 14 minutes of the second half to end the game as a contest.
RM Block
“We’re very happy up in the dressingroom, it’s a huge achievement for the club,” said Ballyboden manager Eamon O’Reilly.
“We’re just over the moon to get over the line against a very talented Athy side.”
Athy, for their part, will look back with regrets at allowing Ballyboden grab control of the match in those minutes after half-time.
Kevin Feely delivered a towering display for the Kildare champions but they needed him to be all things all too often – the versatile midfielder finished the game trying to wreak havoc at full forward.
None of Athy’s starting forwards scored in the second half, with Feely sending over four points in that second period. Marauding defender Seán Moore also chipped in with two scores – including a two-pointer – while sub Ben Purcell netted a goal after capitalising on a Ballyboden mistake.
However, it was all just window dressing by that stage. Ballyboden led 2-16 to 0-8 by the 52nd minute and were already looking down the road to January’s All-Ireland semi-final against the eventual Munster champions.
The Firhouse side boast strong athleticism around the middle third and on Saturday Céin D’Arcy was like a steam train bombing up and down the pitch.
They also have a decent spread of scoring options and had eight different scorers against Athy. Indeed, the 1-6 Ballyboden registered after the interval was tallied by six different players – and it was in that period the game was decided.
“I’d still say there’s room for improvement with our performance. If you look at the first half, I think we were absolutely smashed on the breaks,” added O’Reilly.
“That was a big thing for us to get on top of in the second half. The boys readjusted at half-time and got on top of that, which was a huge turning point in the game, allowing us that third-quarter drive on.”
The game started with several sporadic pushing and pulling matches taking place across the pitch. Ryan Basquel, jersey ripped and tossed to the ground, even roamed around the pitch briefly with just a GPS vest to keep him warm.
But the danger early on was that Athy would be caught cold, as they appeared almost too fixated on dominating in the aggression stakes. Ballyboden led 0-4 to no score before Moore finally opened Athy’s account in the 13th minute.
The Kildare side settled thereafter and a superb two-pointer from Feely in the 18th minute brought Athy level. A Niall Kelly free soon after edged Athy in front for the first time. But it would also be the only time.
Ryan Basquel scored the game’s first goal four minutes before the break, with Athy goalkeeper James Roycroft’s block unable to prevent the ball from squirming over the line.
Ballyboden led 1-7 to 0-7 at the turnaround but really turned the screw after the restart.
“We are incredibly proud to represent the club,” added O’Reilly. “The club have given every one of us so much.
“It’s a brilliant club and it’s a huge honour for me personally to lead my club to a Leinster championship but that’s because of all the work that goes on in the background right the way through the club.
“There are so many good people within Ballyboden St Enda’s, people talk about super clubs all the time, what makes a super club is super people and we’ve got super people right throughout the club.
“I think that’s a big thing that gets missed when there’s all these negative connotations around the clubs in Dublin. Clubs in Dublin are massive communities and it means an awful lot to all of us to be part of that community, it gives us identity and it gives us a place within a huge city.
“So Ballyboden St Enda’s is a massive part of every one of our lives and we’re so grateful to be part of that.”
With the All-Ireland semi-final scheduled for the weekend of January 3rd-4th, this Leinster success will have to be parked quickly. However, there will also be more reasons for celebrations in Firhouse before the semi-final as Ryan Basquel is due to get married before Christmas.
“This actually shows what type of team we have,” added O’Reilly. “Ryan had his stag last June in order to basically be fully free for the championship.”
And the season is far from over yet for Ballyboden.
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: Hugh O’Sullivan; Brian Bobbett, Cathal Flaherty, Ryan Baynes; Alex Gavin, Peter Healy (0-0-1), Patrick Warren; Céin D’Arcy (0-0-2), James Holland; Patrick Dunleavy (1-0-0), Colm Basquel (0-1-2), Ryan O’Dwyer (0-0-2); Ross McGarry (0-0-5), Daire Sweeney (0-0-4, 3f), Ryan Basquel (1-0-0). Subs: Callum O’Dwyer for R Basquel (47 mins); Harry Donaghy for Warren (49 mins); Shane Clayton for Baynes (54 mins); Kieran Kennedy for C Basquel (59 mins); Darren O’Reilly for O’Dwyer (61 mins)
ATHY: James Roycroft; Michael Spillane, Pádraic Spillane, Darren Lawler; Mark Hyland, Cathal McCarron, Seán Moore (0-1-2, 1 2tpf, 1f); Kevin Feely (0-1-5, 4f), David Hyland; Brian Maher, Barry Kelly, Conor Doyle (0-0-1); Ronan Kelly (0-0-1), Colm Moran, Niall Kelly (0-0-1, 1f). Subs: Ben Purcell (1-0-0) for Moran (42 mins); James McGrath for Hyland (47 mins); Conor Kelly for B Kelly (48 mins); Cian Keaveney for Maher (54 mins); Kieran Farrell for Doyle (57 mins)
REFEREE: Alan Coyne (Westmeath)
