Sunday morning was the making of a bit of history . Our Intermediate  team who won the Junior 1 Championship last year, played their first game in the Intermefdiate Championship. It was a first for the club for a second team. 

We came up against a strong St Judes team ,who have played at this level for many years. However we were strengthened greatly by the payers coming down from the senior team , having gained a lot of experience playing AFL 1 over the previous months. Playing down the hill we started very slowly , with poor quality ball going into the  full forward line. Judes were 4 points up before we got our first score, a point from a free in the 16th minute, From the kick out Jack Long kicked a great point from play. However an unforced error gifted Judes another point. On the 20th minute a good point from the veteran of the team Niall Dunphy left the score 0-5 to 0-3 after 20 mins. Then the game really took off. Eoghan Seoige hit a point from play but Judes hit back with a goal. We responded with a great goal when Pat Colemen carried the ball 30 metres , before a lay off to Eoghan Seoighe , who buried it in the back of the net. We exchanged points before Judes went in front with another point. However we finished the half with an outstanding point from Jack Long near the sideline. HT score 1-6 each

We started the second  half with an excellent score when a good delivery from Eamon Cloonan to Niall Dunphy resulted in a point. Disaster then struck when we had comfortable control of the ball 20 m out from goal, then lost position and conceded a goal . We got the next point when Fionnan Chambers was fouled after a strong run to leave a point in it on the 45th min. He followed up with a point himself when carrying the ball along the end line, he manged to handpass over the bar. Then we got a timely break when after a strong run by Eamon Clonan , his shot was blocked but the rebound was finished to the net by the inrushing Senan Phelan. The last 7 minutes were exciting but equally chaotic. We lost Patrick Colemen earlier through injury and Oisin Cronin brought off a great point blank save. We took a black card , stopping a Judes goal chance in the process. With the supporters pulling their hair out due to unforced errors , only 2 points up , players going down with cramp ,one man really stood out. Despite the best efforts of Judes, Eoin Byrne won four outstanding kick outs in a row . Judes pulled it  back to a point in injury time , but we held on to win  by a point on a scoreline of 2-12 to 2-11.

It was a great team performance but best for BSJ were Oisin Cronin in goal, Gavin Fahy at full back, Eamon Naughton who cleaned up a lot of ball around our 45m line, Fionnan Chambers who put in a good attacking display from wing back, Eoin Byrne at midfield, Jack Long at centre half forward who covered every blade of grass on the field and Niall Dunphy.

Next up is away to Ballymun on Saturday 6th September at 18-15 where  a win will guarantee us a home QTR final. 

 

 The Seniors opened their championship campaign in what is a very tough group, against St Vincents and finished comprehensive winners on a scoreline of  1-23 to 1-11. We came up against a very strong and impressive Ballyboden St Endas in the second round  last Saturday , who in their  first round game comprehensively beat a fancied Na Fianna team. This was always going to  be a very tough assignment for our lads but  we did not make our job easy when conceding three very soft goals. Boden  ran out deserving winners by 4-18 to 1-14. Next up is Na Fianna on Sunday 7th September at 16-00 in O Toole Pk. This is a big match for us, where a draw will see us through to the QTR Final, and if we play to the level we are capable of, we can win it.

The Junior A team , fresh from promotion from Div 8 , came up against a mid-Div 6 team St Margarets. We lead from the start with 2 early goals and finished very impressive winners 5-17 to 2-4. Next up is an away match V Castleknock on Sunday 7th September at 11-00 . A win will again give us a home QTR final spot.

 

Our Junior B team met Ballyboden St Endas in their first round match In Ballycullen on Sunday. Last year we got to the Semi Final stage where we were unlucky to lose. Like in the league match earlier in the season, we ran out easy winners 4-16 to 0-7. Lucan Sarsfield failed to field in the other group game V Crokes . Our next game will therefore be against Crokes 21st September in Malay at 15-00. 

We entered a fifth team in the Championship to give all players some game time. They met a very strong Clanna Gael team in the  Junior 5 All County Football Championship and were heavily beaten .