22 Aug 2020

Castleknock 1-21 Ballyboden St. Enda’s 1-17

The win Castleknock so badly needed after a disappointing Championship campaign came courtesy of a hard-fought four-point victory over Ballyboden in Round 1 of the new Senior ‘B’ Hurling Cup in wet and windy Somerton this evening (Aug.22).

Once again Cian Boyle who received much close attention throughout was the scoring star, knocking over 14 Castleknock points which makes his ‘reactionary’ Red Card in the final action of the game all the more significant as Castleknock will sadly be forced to field without him next time out.

In all 4 players saw Red, two from each side but other than the two flare-ups which led to those dismissals this really wasn’t an unsporting game.

Having played into the strong wind in the first-half Castleknock must have felt satisfied to reach the interval on level terms 0-10 0-10. There was a tendency to play the ball in too high in the first 20 minutes but once that was rectified Castleknock came much more into the game.

At the first Water-Break Castleknock trailed by 0-4 0-7, their early scores coming from Cian Boyle (2). Ciaran Carey and Conor Chawke.

However, in the final 10 minutes of the half, the low ball into the forward line produced 5 points from play and one pointed free. Conor Chawke pointed after being put through by Eoin Sawyer and then James Tolan cut through the Ballyboden defence before firing over while Cian Boyle scored 2 from play and 2 from frees to leave it 0-10 each.

A minor flare-up early in the second half resulted in Luke Whelan receiving a Red Card and both teams being reduced to 14 a-side.

In the first 28 minutes of the second-half Castleknock used the wind well, constantly putting pressure on the Ballyboden backs and winning a string of frees as a result, eight of which Cian Boyle sent arrowing between the uprights to give the home team a 4 point lead for the first time in the game 0-18 0-14.

The game still wasn’t won at that stage and it took a terrific Jack Banks save and some really dogged defending by both the full and half back lines to prevent a Ballyboden breakthrough.

Even a well taken Tadgh Kelliher goal on 30 minutes didn’t guaranteed a Castleknock victory as in the 5 minutes of time-added-on Ballyboden grabbed a late goal and it took two fine points from Conor Chawke and a massive effort from distance from midfielder Conal Purcell to finally settle the issue.

Then right on the final whistle the game’s second flare-up saw both teams reduced to 13 a-side. A welcome if somewhat costly win nonetheless.

Castleknock: Jack Banks; Max Byrne; Jack King; Ciaran Murphy; Ronan Conway; Cian O’Dulaing (Capt.); Davy Bohan; Conal Purcell (0-1); James Tolan (0-1); Colm Breslin; Luke Whelan; Conor Chawke (0-4); Eoin Sawyer; Ciaran Carey (0-1); Cian Boyle (0-14). Subs: Liam Quinn; Darragh McCormack; Sean Ryan; Ed Dalton; Tadgh Kelliher (1-0).

Manager: Emmet O’Carroll
Report: Kevin Mallon