I’m startled to learn that. Back in with Dublin but not even togging for his clubs first team. It’s worse than the Evan Comerford scenario a couple of years ago. I’m sure there’s a team listed in a programme somewhere on Twitter to confirm whether or not he’s playing for Parnells intermediates.
As blatant an act of blackguardism as you’re ever likely to encounter not to tog out with his club team. And to think, some lads get slagged off on here for loving the club game so much they try to play with as many clubs as possible.
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He didn’t play one minute of club action. He was in the stand for the semi final watching.
Which is more treacherous
- Shane Walsh transferring to play with *Crokes
- Cluxton refusing to line out with Parnells
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voters
The final of the Dublin SHC takes place this Sunday with the first time final pairing of Ballyboden St Endas and Na Fianna. The elimination of Cuala and Kilmacud at the QF stages means neither are in the final since 2013. Ballyboden have won 7 finals this millenium since first breaking through after a series of final losses in 2007. Na Fianna are trying to break their final duck at the third time of asking after losing the finals in 2021 and 2022.
This years final seems to be a case of history repeating itself with the tables turning for Ballyboden. When looking for a maiden title in the early 00s they were often thwarted by old battle hardened teams such as Craobh Chiarain. In this final tie BBSE play the role of the old battle hardened veterans on one last dance versus the new upstarts played by NaF.
Ballyboden navigated the knockout stages through the easier side of the draw. They easily disposed of a poor Cuala outfit in the quarter finals before riding their luck to beat St Vincents in the semi final by virtue of a failed last puck penalty in extra time. The team is driven on by veterans, many of whom were mainstays also in their previous two wins in 2018 and 2013. Simon Lambert is pulling the strings at the back at 6/sweeper. Shane Durkin was operating in midfield the last day man marking Dublin centre back Conor Burke well. Conor Dooley, Paul Ryan and Niall McMorrow are the main men in forwards. Two of the first subs in are Timmy Hammersley and Conal Keaney. The seven named above were serious good hurlers in their day and are all serious yokes to be still mainstays at an average age of near 35. They have Dublin panelists in the shape of James Madden who will no doubt fulfill some sort of man marking role. He fully negated the threat of Vincents talisman “Hedgo” the last day out. Aidan Mellet has been around the Dublin panel for a few years. He is a speedster that can operate from midfield upwards. Even the Boden diehards could not deny that the conveyor belt is beginning to dry up. This year Dublin put out senior and under 20 teams without a BBSE representative which would be unheard of in the 15 years past. The boys of today are not of the same vintage of yesteryear. They have a scatter of lads like Luke McDwyer, Kevin Desmond, Conor O Donoghue Paddy Dunleavy and Pearse Christie who would have played Dublin under 2O 2/3 years ago but would be seen as peripheral figures on the team and not really prospects for the IC team. Three impressive lads for them this year as really good club hurlers are corner back Sean McDonnell, veteran midfielder Niall Ryan and wing back Jack Lambert. The younger Lambert has done well at 5 all year. A converted goalkeeper (like the afforementioned Dooley), he has hit some impressive long range points over the year.
At the beginning of the year Na Fianna would have been one of the favourites after getting to the two previous finals. However the news of Donal Burkes season ending injury and the tame nature of theirsubsequent first round group loss to Vincents meant they were written off by many to contest for honours. Burke is the best hurler in the county and a forward to boot. They could always count on him to carry the scoring load in previous years. They had enough quality remaining to get through the group where they got revenge for the previous two finals losses to Kilmacud beating them in the QF. They then overcame Lucan in a fairly turgid SF. The team would be young and backboned by a lot of minor and under 21 success in the middle of the last decade. The core of the team would be between 23-27. Liam Rushe is at 6 since his return from abroad. In the absence of Burke up front Sean Currie has scored well. He played in most of Dublins championship games this year. Shane Barrett who is possibly Dublins equivalent of Austin Gleeson is playing in the forwards these days but seems to be struggling for fitness but has scored goals in games. After that they have a spread of lads who would be on the periphery of the IC panel but not really in the mix to play. Donal Burke’s brothers Kevin and Sean are solid operators at the back as is Paul O Dea. Dual man Conor McHugh has been injured this year and is a loss. Limerick man Brian Ryan has mixed the good and bad at midfield and is joined there by an old school midfielder Peter Feeney. Sean Curries older brother Colin has been in fine form up front as well as crowd favourite AJ Murphy who scored a hat trick in the QF vs Kilmacud.
These teams have met a few times already this year. In early July Boden won the league final comfortably. They then met again in their final group game at which stage both had already qualified for the knockout stages. Na Fianna won by 5 points that day but Boden played for 40 minutes with 14 men.
A win on Sunday for BBSE would be a sweet swansong for a lot of their stalwarts, however I doubt it would be celebrated much outside of Rathfarnam. Na Fianna have put huge work into underage over the past decade and this group are possibly now at an age and of the experience to get over the line. In a 50/50 game with the weather and a tight pitch favouring Boden I hope Na Fianna can do enough to win. They would give Leinster a better rattle than Boden and have a lot more IC prospects/players in their ranks that would benefit from that experience.
The game throws in at the weird time of 4:25pm on Sunday. I think it is shown on tv with that throw in time.
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Lets cut the messing here.
Na Fianna are going to win on Sunday and will give Leinster a serious rattle with Donal Burke coming back into the picture before a final showdown with Ballyhale Shamrocks.
they used to say that about ballyboden back in the nougthies.if only they could get out of Dublin . Then chiarains got old and UCD got fcuked out of the championship and Boden won a rake in a row but never really landed a blow in Leinster .
They fucked one away against an over the hill Birr team in 10 or 11.
Mount Leinster too
O Loughlin gaels went to extra time as well
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I was at that. Had a gale behind them in second half.
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Look if Burke was fit on Sunday, I’d back them to win.
If the game was played on any other hurling county ground in the country I’d back them to win on Sunday also.
The catch is Parnell Park despite being long is a very tight pitch. I think it could be up to 10 metres tighter than other county grounds. This suits the older, slower more physical team at this time of the year. As a consequence it is a 50/50 game. Na Fianna have managed to fuck throw away the last two county finals from winnable positions. The old dogs on this Boden team have it in the memory bank knowing how to win. Whether their bodies will allow them and their younger team mates step up to the plate is a different matter.
I heard Burke isn’t back until the new year also. 
Heard a great piece on Newstalk tonight talking about Cratloe’s recent football success. Didn’t realise Tommy Rooney of OTB fame had transferred down there. Sounds like he almost cost them the semi-final against Éire Óg with two black cards. Got the curly finger at half-time in the final then when on a yellow. Must be a decent enough footballer all the same. More sporty than most of his fellow OTB presenters.
Tommy is living down that direction these days but Cratloe are a bit of cod bringing in all these outsiders.
John Galvin from Limerick and Billy Sheehan from Laois played there at one point.
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Yeah I’d really bought into the Cratloe story after their double in 2014 and the subsequent cracker in Munster against Kilmallock but then they mentioned a former Louth footballer, a former Kerry junior county footballer and my admiration started to wane a bit. Colm Collins has been managing them throughout his years with Clare?
An iconic looking Cooraclare jersey with Pierce Lillis giving him lip. I see they were in a Minor A final this year so they must be on the way back.
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2 men with tenuous Laois connections there so
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Most of them have a connection to Cratloe or live there in fairness, no different to what Ballyea do in the hurling with isolated players.
Billy Sheehan? Teaching and living in Dublin? Married to a Newmarket woman? Laois footballer? Kerry native?
Maybe Billy is of the island of Ireland
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