Ballyboden St Enda's 2-13 St Vincent's 1-5:It was hard to deny the sense of history surrounding last night's Dublin hurling final, with Ballyboden St Enda's looking to make it, and St Vincent's looking to recreate it. In the end, it felt more like destiny than history as Ballyboden easily won their first senior title after many years of trying and several near misses.
Yet, for a supposedly historical night, it proved a largely one-sided and forgettable game. Both teams came loaded with incentive; Ballyboden looking to make up for losing three of the last five finals; St Vincent's looking to pull off the rare hurling-football double - and win a first hurling title in 14 years. Throw in the north-south rivalry and you had the perfect mix.
Clearly, St Vincent's will want to forget this half of that double as soon as possible, their 11-point defeat as crushing as it appears in print. They're back in Parnell Park on Monday night to play St Brigid's in the football decider, and with five dual players the reality is they can't afford to dwell too long on this one.
For Ballyboden, the celebrations should continue for a while, maybe not for another 80 years, but at least until they play Wexford's Oulart-the-Ballagh on November 11th.
In front of around 5,000 spectators they gradually put some gloss on to the game, starting with Conal Keaney's goal four minutes into the first half, which was promptly followed by another 1-4 without reply. The return of the Dublin county footballer gave Ballyboden the extra edge they needed, but it was far from a one-man show.
Wexford hurler Malachy Travers, a new edition this year, lorded midfield as the game progressed, with David Sweeney, Michael Griffin and Emmet Carroll all hitting key scores when they counted. In fact, the more game progressed the more comfortable Ballyboden looked, limiting St Vincent's to only three points in the second half, and that was about all they deserved. They hit 11 wides in the end, and had no excuses.
In ways this was Ballyboden finally delivering on long-standing potential. Their defence proved particularly experienced in closing out the game once the winning advantage was established, most notably with their two class wing backs Stephen Hiney and Daragh Spain.
Yet, for the opening 15 minutes both sides appeared to be overwhelmed with nerves, finding it far easier to shoot wide of the posts than inside them. Ballyboden were winning more possession, but on five minutes St Vincent's scored first against the run of play when Ian Fleming took on a licence to kill and shot at goal, which this time hit its target.
Ballyboden hit three wides before registering their first points from lively forwards Carroll and Sweeney. A free from Tomas McGrane kept Vincent's in front, but the sides were level again on 25 minutes when Travers' 65-metre free followed a nice score from Griffin.
Suddenly, there was a bit more bite to the game, with points exchanged in quick succession, before Ballyboden deservedly went in front with a long-range point from Travers and a brilliant sideline from Sweeney.
After the break it was all about Ballyboden. Keaney's goal had all the old look of a natural hurler, turning his man with great pace, and within five minutes they had their second goal when James Doody set up Enda Kinsella for his close-range finish.
It was mere target-practice after that, with substitutes Shane Durkin and David Curtin also getting in on the act. When you've waited this long for a county title it's nice to win it in style.
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA'S:G Maguire; C Ryan, S Perkins, M O'Sullivan; S Hiney, T Sweeney, D Spain; M Travers (0-3, one free, one 65), B Kennedy; D Sweeney (0-4, one sideline), E Kinsella (1-0), M Griffin (0-3); E Carroll (0-1), C Keaney (1-0), J Doody. Subs: S Lambert for Spain (48 mins), D Curtin (0-1, a free) for E Carroll (57 mins), S Durkin (0-1) for Doody (57 mins),
ST VINCENT'S:D Feehan; R Traynor, T Russell, G Cullinan; R Brennan, R Fallon (0-1), C Billings; N Bishop (0-1), D Russell; G Boyle, D Qualter, D Connolly; I Fleming (1-0), T McGrane (0-2, two frees), S Loughlin (0-1). Subs: C Meehan for Traynor (half time), S O'Neill for Qualter (35 mins), C McBride for Boyle (10 mins), R Drumgoole for Brennan (45 mins).
Referee: C Fitzpatrick(Fingallians).
