BALLYBODEN St Enda’s Under-14 hurlers landed the Dublin Division 1 Feile title in some style last Sunday in Parnell Park, concluding the weekend-long tournament with a flourish.
Their epic journey began on Saturday morning at Silver Park where Kilmacud Crokes played host to a group consisting of the hosts, Lucan Sarsfields and St Vincents.
In horrendous weather conditions, their opening game against Vincent’s ended in a draw, 1-3 apiece.
Wind and heavy rain persisted throughout the morning, making playing conditions difficult.
However, Boden prevailed to win their next two matches, beating Lucan Sarsfields followed by Crokes in their final game to top the group with Vincent’s taking runners up spot.
A well-deserved rest allowed time to dry off and rest ahead of their semi-final on Sunday morning, again in Silver Park where the Firhouse Road club saw off Whitehall Colmcilles 0-7 to 0-2
It meant all roads to led to Parnell Park for a final showdown with Castleknock, who narrowly defeated St Vincent’s in their final four tie.
Playing against a swirling wind, Boden did manage to start firing on all cylinders and were a point up in magnificent fashion when Adam Kelleher pointed from the left flank.
And the west Dublin club were given little time to settle when a goal soon followed, with Charlie Harper on the mark.
Castleknock’s Conor Chalke was kept busy dealing with the threat from Boden’s Conor Lowe and Pearse Christie, while Davey Bohan won some important possession. Boden, though, were always in the ascendancy as they ran up a 2-4 to no score half-time lead.
Ronan McCann got his name on the score sheet for Castleknock but constant pressure from Ballyboden was to take its toll.
They won out by 12 points in the final reckoning as their spread of talent proved too much.
