Ballyboden begin to believe

Leinster Club HC First round/ Ballyboden St Enda's 1-17 Oulart-the-Ballagh 0-15: Monday morning and we are entitled to review all the permutations of this competition.

Ballyboden, an unfolding conundrum, posted further evidence they are the real deal yesterday when a fine second-half performance sent home an Oulart side who had travelling in confidence and left in despair.

Oulart's fourth expedition out of Wexford since their maiden voyage 13 years ago ended as did the others without a Leinster title. Ballyboden, exploring these waters for the first time, submitted a nervous and tactically wrong-headed first-half performance but got it right for the second half and won pulling away, outscoring Oulart by 1-13 to 0-6 after the break.

The rate at which Ballyboden improved and the quality of the substitutes they were able to introduce suggests further exposure to this level of competition should hold no fears.

They closed out the game scoring four of the last five points, all from play and each one a sweeter expression of confidence than the one before. As well as the mercurial veteran Emmet Carroll, Ballyboden were able to introduce county underage stars of recent years when they needed to shore things up. Their effectiveness is best judged by a little cameo in the second half when Simon Lambert struck a long-range point only to be laid out seconds later by Darren Stamp. The Wexford man got a red card. Ballyboden just cruised home.

At half-time, with Ballyboden trailing by five points and struggling to contain the pace of Rory Jacob, Nicky Kirwan and Des Mythen, the main point of conversation in the stands was how the rain had held off.

Boden, after an enthusiastic but prodigal start, had been given a little lesson in hurling by Oulart. The Dublin club withdrew Dave Curtin, a surprise starter given his recent hand injury, to midfield and Oulart declined to tail him and left Paul Roche, their full back, as a free man in defence.

Boden needed to play just then like Oulart were. Oulart slotted and slid dinking little balls out to the corners for Rory Jacob to chase or for Mythen or Kirwan to scoop and head for goals with. It looked for a while as if goals would not only come for Oulart but that they'd come in a torrent. Boden held reasonably firm but the quality of the ball into their full-forward line was so poor and hasty that Paul Roche became magisterial in his command of the realm just in front of goal.

The second half prompted a revision and Boden introduced Lambert and Shane Durkin to kick-start their team. David Curtin scored a fine point virtually from the throw-in and Michael Griffin, a young hurler delivering on the promise of a few years ago, added another within 60 seconds.

Oulart were in trouble. Liam Dunne was starting to struggle and Boden were beginning to figure ways to bypass Keith Rossiter and Roche.

Boden's scheming brought Conal Keaney away from the full-forward position and out into the thick of things and you could see the old Keaney emerging with each passage of play. He had registered a sublime score in the first half but now he was a strong influence as the attack snapped and crackled with energy and pace.

The game hinged on a little spell with 10 or 11 minutes remaining. Dave Curtin had just spliced the posts with another 65 to take Boden level again when Des Mythen scooted away for a fine score down the other end.

Boden recovered and an attack down the right saw the ball scrambled away to Dave Sweeney who was now operating at full forward. He pulled on the ground and didn't make the sweetest connection. But Oulart's goalkeeper Gary O'Leary, expecting a haymaker, was wrongfooted and a fairly harmless ball crept over the line. Boden were two points up and the questions were being asked of Oulart.

The next two scores went to Boden however, Curtin landing a free and Simon Lambert hauling in a tremendous point which prompted Darren Stamp into his moment of stupidity.

Oulart pulled back a couple of points through Kirwan frees but Boden had introduced Emmet Carroll and his two quick points were expressive of his best qualities and ended the game as a contest. It was left to Keaney to supply the grace notes with two wonderful points. Boden face Camross of Laois next Sunday and as they left to hit the M50 yesterday they were suffused with a sense of the possible.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA'S: G Maguire; C Ryan, S Perkins, M O'Sullivan; S Hiney, T Sweeney, D Spain; M Travers (0-1), B Kennedy; D Sweeney (1-0), E Kinsella (0-2), M Griffin (0-2); D Curtin (0-4, one free, two 65's), C Keaney (0-3), J Doody (0-1). Subs: S Lambert (0-1)for Spain (half-time), J Duffy for O'Sullivan (half-time), S Durkin (0-1)for Doody (38 mins), P Ryan for Kinsella (45 mins), E Carroll (0-2)for Griffin (54 mins).

OULART-THE-BALLAGH: G O'Leary; D Morton, P Roche (0-1, free), D Redmond; D Stamp (0-1), K Rossiter, L Prendergast; L Dunne, M Jacob; S Doyle (0-1), D Nolan (0-2), R Jacob (0-4); N Kirwan (0-2, frees), W Whelan (0-1), D Mythen (0-3). Subs: A Kavanagh for D Nolan (39 mins), F Cullen for L Dunne (43 mins).

Referee: James McGrath(Westmeath).