Davis’ the “surprise package” of Senior C’ship for Rainbow
By Hayden Moore
BALLYBODEN St Enda’s manager Anthony Rainbow is approaching this Sunday’s Dublin Senior Football Championship Final with great caution given that their opponents Thomas Davis have already taken two massive scalps in previous rounds.
Boden turned around a six-point deficit at half-time to hold St Jude’s to just two points after the break as they eventually outscored their local rivals 2-10 to 1-10 in the penultimate round of the competition last weekend.
Colm Basquel
Now heading into the final in Parnell Park, former Kildare Intercounty footballer and St Enda’s manager, Rainbow, is wary of the threat that Davis’ possess after they beat reigning champions Kilmacud Crokes in the last four and Castleknock in the quarters.
“They are a very good side” he told The Echo. They would, without a doubt, be the surprise package of this year’s championship and that win over Crokes just showed how good they are,” said Rainbow.
“They are very together, their work rate is excellent and if we want to be in with a chance on Sunday we will have to match that work rate because I think it is their best trait.”
Having just fallen short of the final last year after being beaten by Kilmacud Crokes in the semi-final, Boden have gone 20 games unbeaten and returned to their first county final since their 2015 success.
“Well there has been a lot of comparisons between this year and last year, but I think we laid a lot of the groundwork last year and have worked on our game plan now this year, just improving on the basic skills of gaelic football really,” Rainbow explained.
“Since I started with the team now two years ago, the players attitude has been nothing short of excellent – they drive it on themselves.”
The Firhouse Road men dominated the exchanges after the break last weekend against Jude’s with Michael Darragh Macauley and Colm Basquel finding their footing.
Basquel’s 1-4 in the second-half saw his side ease pass Gareth Roche’s team while his brother Ryan notched up two points.
In the knockout stages against Na Fianna and St Jude’s, the Basquel brothers have managed 4-15 between them and their combination could prove a real thorn for Davis’ on Sunday should they hit their stride.
“Collie and Ryan have been immense this year and have built on every game,” Rainbow said.
“Ryan is our captain; he’s been incredible this year leading the team.
“Collie was away in America, but he wasn’t away for that long, only around six-weeks and he was keeping himself in shape playing decent football over there. His attitude is unbelievable and he has fit back in easy enough.”
