Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-12
Clontarf 0-10

Paul Keane reports from Parnell Park

HOT FAVOURITES BALLYBODEN St Enda’s lived dangerously at Parnell Park before escaping with a first Dublin SFC final place in six years thanks largely to county hurling star David O’Callaghan.

Trailing underdogs Clontarf by a point with five minutes to go, and without dismissed Dublin midfielder Michael Darragh Macauley, ‘Boden looked in real trouble.

But they finished strong with three points in a row including one from substitute O’Callaghan and another from a free that ‘Dotsy’ won.

Their third point in that late charge was engineered by another Dubs hurler, Conal Keaney, who won the free that Andrew Kerin converted.

Kerin shot seven points in total, all from frees, having hit the match winner last weekend in the quarter-final win over St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh.

That win, and the fact that Clontarf hadn’t reached a final in 30 years, meant ‘Boden were 1/16 favourites to progress to next weekend’s decider and they moved 0-4 to 0-1 ahead early on.

The south-siders look sharp and focused but surprisingly slipped out of the game for the next 20 minutes as Clontarf took over.

Five Clontarf points in a row including a second from Maitias MacDonncha, who had a strong influence from centre-forward, moved them ahead for the first time and then into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead.

Ballyboden looked rattled and lost 2013 GAA Footballer of the Year Macauley in the 30th minute to a red card for a black card offence that followed an earlier booking. In truth, he’d struggled to affect the game.

Ballyboden at least went in level at the break after late points from Kerin and former Dublin hurling captain Stephen Hiney, 0-6 to 0-6.

Clontarf were two up at one stage in the second-half and led by 0-10 to 0-9 with 55 minutes on the clock. They were expertly led by 2015 Footballer of the Year nominee Jack McCaffrey, who scored a point but did his best work as a sweeper.

But Clontarf ultimately lacked a killer instinct in attack and couldn’t put daylight between the sides despite a number of chances, a failure that the more experienced ‘Boden punished in the closing minutes.

Scorers for Ballyboden St Enda’s: Andrew Kerin 0-7 (0-7f), Ryan Basquel, Stephen Hiney, Stephen O’Connor, Sean Gibbons and David O’Callaghan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clontarf: Ciaran Johnson 0-3 (0-2f), Maitias MacDonncha 0-2, Aidan O’Neill,
Declan Monaghan, Jack McCaffrey, Morgan Walsh and Padraic Syron 0-1 each.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S

1. Conor Dooley

2. Bob Dwan
3. Stephen Hiney
4. Shane Clayton

5. Stephen O’Connor
6. Darragh Nelson
7. Darren O’Reilly

8. Michael Darragh Macauley
9. Declan O’Mahoney

12. Sean Gibbons
11. Ryan Basquel
10. Daniel Davey

14. Conal Keaney
13. Colm Basquel
15. Andrew Kerin

Subs
19. Donogh McCabe for Davy (h/t)
17. Sam Moloney for Colm Basquel (44)
21. David O’Callaghan for Gibbons (49)
20. Robbie McDaid for Dwan (54)

CLONTARF​

1. Ross O’Hanlon

2. Stephen Coen
3. Aidan O’Halloran
4. Declan Monaghan

12. Ian O’Dwyer
7. Conor Cronin
5. Paddy Breen

8. Andy Foley
9. Morgan Walsh

10. Jack McCaffrey
6. Maitias MacDonncha
11. Ross McCullagh

15. Aidan O’Neill
13. Ciaran Johnson
14. Kevin McGrath

Subs
18. Ciaran Delargy for O’Neill (h/t)
19. Padraic Syron for McGrath (38)
17. Martin Dufficy for McCullagh (47)
20. Gareth Johnson for Walsh (56)

Referee: Gary McCormack (Naomh Barrog).

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