Boardsmill 3-22. Kiltale 0-7

Boardsmill advanced to the Junior B Semi-Final with a clinical victory over Kiltale’s third team. Following a draw against Kildalkey in their opening round fixture, Boardsmill required a win of twelve points or more to reach the semi-finals. The game was played on a beautiful warm sunny Sunday morning, the only issue for both sides was the gale force breeze that was blowing down the field. Luckily for Boardsmill they started with the breeze and over the course of the first ten minutes they failed to capitalize on it as they registered five wides in succession. Eric Cribbin opened the scoring with a well taken point, he would finish the game without a yellow card for only the second time in his thirty-five-year career.

Boardsmill had youth on the side of their next three scorers as Tom Eivers, Vinny Guy and Mark Flood all registered white flags. Kiltale opened their account from a dead ball but this was counteracted by a point a piece from Jim Bird and Keith Hamilton. Once again, the men in blue were guilty of bad wides as they would have sixteen of them by the end of the first half. Bert McLoughlin who was guilty for ten of those wides registered five of the last six first half scores. The half ended with Boardsmill swapping a Hamilton point with a Kiltale free to leave the score Boardsmill 0-12 Kiltale 0-2.

Changes were made at halftime and goalkeeper Alan Ashe suffered an injury that would prevent him from hitting puckouts against the wind. Boardsmill were in luck as they had the experience of the county goalkeeping coach Vinny Guy, to call upon. Playing against a strong breeze Kiltale opened the scoring with a well taken point from the middle of the field, Bert McLoughlin registered a point to respond for the ‘Mill men. The next score was to prove crucial and would in effect put the result beyond doubt, Cavan hurler Bona Leonard grabbed the ball near the side-line and headed for the corner flag. Bona got lucky with a fancy flick as the ball landed at his feet on the edge of the square before he doubled on it to score the game’s first goal. Boardsmill had not to wait long for their second goal as Eric McKay used his strength and agility to evade a few big hits before finishing the ball to the back of the net.

The game’s result was all but guaranteed after the second goal but to Kiltale’s credit they kept fighting to the very end and registered three scores in quick succession, Bona and McLoughlin responded with points from play. Boardsmill’s next score was to be their third and final goal, Cormac Ryall striked a ball across the square only for Eric McKay to miss a batted goal from five yards out. McLoughlin kept the ball alive and worked the ball across the square again for Ryall who doubled on it first time and left the goalkeeper without a chance. Boardsmill pushed on to score seven unanswered points and win the game 3-22 to 0-7.

It was a great all-round team performance for the men in blue as all over the pitch they dominated their battles, credit to Kiltale who had the bare fifteen players, and all died with their boot on. The use of the substitute bench was a major difference between the sides and the fresh legs killed off the Kiltale challenge. Boardsmill can now look forward to a semi-final against their dearest of neighbours, Trim, which should be an entertaining battle.  

Congratulations to our four leaving cert students who all got their preferred college courses and best wishes to our Junior D Ladies Football team in the final against Ashbourne. Best for Boardsmill were Jim and Eamonn Roche, James Durkan, Bona Leonard, John Corrigan, Bert McLoughlin and Sean Newman.

Boardsmill: Alan Ashe, Jack Dixon, Jim Roche, Eamonn Roche, Mark Flood (0-1), Jim Bird (0-1), James Durkan, Thomas Leonard (1-3), John Corrigan, Keith Hamilton (0-3), Vinny Guy (0-1), Bert McLoughlin (0-8), Sean Newman (0-1), Tom Eivors (0-1) and Eric Cribbin (0-1).
Subs used were John Flood, Cormac Ryall (1-0), Stephen Gibbons, Sean Dixon (0-1) and Eric McKay (1-1).

Referee: Gerry O’Brien
 

 

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