Ballyboden St Enda's 2-16 Castletown 0-13
A devastating third quarter burst saw 2019 provincial kingpins Ballyboden St. Enda’s launch their latest assault on the Leinster Club SFC crown with a comfortable dismissal of Wexford champions Castletown at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday.
Castletown were seeking a first victory over Dublin opposition in the competition since downing St. Vincent’s in a quarter-final in 1971.
And Jimmy Fogarty’s charges were well positioned at the interval, on level terms, before a burst of points from the Basquel brothers, Colm and Ryan, together with a 42nd minute Alex Gavin goal (2-13 to 0-11) put paid to the prospects of a shock outcome.
Ballyboden are back on the road on 30 November for a penultimate round joust in Offaly against Tullamore.
Castletown withstood a couple of early advances by the Dublin champions – Daire Sweeney kicking an early Ballyboden wide – before the home-side struck first with a seventh minute point from captain Liam Coleman after fine work by Jack Higgins.
Sweeney made amends when levelling from an 11th-minute free, but Castletown were boosted after a breach of the three-up rule saw 'keeper Darragh Brooks loft the first of his hat-trick of first-half two-pointer frees on 13 minutes (0-03 to 0-01).
Brooks raised his second orange flag on 20 minutes – after Higgins was fouled – in response to a Ross McGarry score as the Wexford men seemed to be settling nicely (0-05 to 0-02).
But they were stung in the 22nd minute when Colm Basquel struck to transform matters with a goal after Peter Healy latched onto a break around midfield and hurtled through before offloading to Ryan Basquel who in turn found his brother to round the advancing ‘keeper and finish to an empty net (1-02 to 0-04).
The Castletown response was reassuring, with Brooks lofting them back in front by 0-07 to 1-03 with another two-pointer free – Brendan Halpin forcing the concession out on the extreme right – before Ross McGarry’s third single of the opening period forced parity at the change-of-ends (0-07 to 1-04).
Ballyboden resumed with meaning as they seized upon wind advantage to burst clear by 1-08 to 0-07 after 34 minutes with a Colm Basquel two-pointer sandwiched between Ross McGarry’s fourth and Ryan O’Dwyer’s first point.
And while Robbie Brooks pegged one back, the Basquels flourished when adding two points apiece amid a Ballyboden torrent between the 37th and 40th minutes to ease clear by 1-13 to 0-09, with Daire Sweeney also chipping in.
Satisfaction for the Castletown goalie as he slotted a fourth two-pointer free quickly turned to disappointment when his net was sent bulging in the 42nd minute when Alex Gavin palmed home Darren O’Reilly’s cross from the right end-line (2-13 to 0-11).
Eamon O’Reilly’s men saw it out comfortably from there, adding to Wexford’s sorry record in the competition, with only three wins over the last 25 stagings – St. Anne’s (2001), Starlights (2004) and Shelmaliers (2021).
Ballyboden St. Enda’s: Hugh O’Sullivan, Brian Bobbett, Cathal Flaherty, Ryan Baynes; Alex Gavin (1-00), Patrick Warren, Peter Healy; Céin Darcy, Ryan O’Dwyer (0-01); Ryan Basquel (0-02), James Holland, Patrick Dunleavy; Ross McGarry (0-05), Colm Basquel (1-04, 0-01 tp), Daire Sweeney (0-03, 1f).
Subs: Darren O’Reilly for Healy (51), Kieran Kennedy for R. Basquel (51), Callum O’Dwyer (0-1) for Sweeney (56), Michael O’Gara for R. O’Dwyer (58), David Keogh for C. Basquel (58).
Castletown: Darragh Brooks (0-08, 4 tpf); Seán O’Hagan, Joe Ahern, Ross Cody; Killian Pierce, Stephen Moloney, Gavin Kelly; Rory Heffernan, Liam Coleman (0-02); Jack Higgins, Conor Carty, Donnacha Holmes (0-01); Brendan Halpin (0-01), Jonathan Bealin, Robbie Brooks (0-01).
Subs: Doran Daly-O’Toole for Kelly (51), Gavin McNulty for Holmes (51), Joe Gardiner for Heffernan (56).
Referee: Kevin Williamson (Offaly).
