Boden earn promotion
By Hayden Moore
DRAFTED up from Junior ‘A’, Eoin McKenna helped catapult Ballyboden St Enda’s intermediate hurlers into the senior ranks with a goal in the second-half as the side beat Parnell’s 1-26 to 0-13 to scoop the AHL Three title on Saturday.
With the Ballyboden ‘A’ team contesting a league final on the same day, some of the ‘B’ squad regulars where required to line out for the squad, McKenna among those who stepped up.
Ballyboden players celebrate winning the AHL Division Three title.
Staring relegation in the face, Parnell’s put up a massive fight in the first half, but Boden through the laser-like accuracy of Mark Lambert from frees and doggedness of James Enright, headed into the break 0-11 to 0-7 up.
Following their promotion to Division Two, St Enda’s ‘B’ team manager Brendan Moran spoke of how Parnell’s were gunning for victory in that opening half.
“Parnell’s were facing relegation so we knew that it was going to be a tough game and they fought with great tenacity for the first half,” he said.
“In the second-half though, our superior fitness and skill, I would say, prevailed and Parnell’s just wilted. They weren’t able for the pressure.”
Indeed, after the break the Firhouse Road men outscored their opponents 1-15 to 0-6, with goal-keeper Conor O’Donoghue splitting the posts on three occasions from placed balls.
Dispatched from the bench, McKenna picked up the sliotar just 20 yards out from goal and unleashed a strike on goal off his left.
Reflecting on the successful season that saw Ballyboden win 10 games out of 12, with their only loss coming against Castleknock in June, Moran said “We have had a great campaign, a solid tough campaign and we’re very happy to have won the league,” he said.
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