Boyle GAA Blog ...by Tony Conboy

Sat. 1.40 pm.
THE BIG GAME TODAY (Sat.) IS BOYLE SENIORS V KILMORE IN A MUST WIN GAME (for keeping their Division One status) AT THE ABBEY PARK AT 5.30. HOME ADVANTAGE WILL HELP. GOOD SUPPORT WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATED SO MAKE AN EXTRA EFFORT TO GET THERE. …please!

Friday 12.30am.

Minor Co. Semi-Final. Boyle not at their best but reach their second minor final in a row.

Boyle 1.11 Clann na Gael 0.11.

The positive element is that Boyle ARE IN the County Minor Final for the second year in a row. Also this is a very good team as demonstarted in the classic game v Roscommon Gaels some weeks ago in the Abbey Park.It struggled somewhat tonight against a team not as good as Roscommon Gaels in my view.

The performance was inconsistent tonight and I'm sure that both they and their management will know that the mistakes will have to be reduced, the performance, tempo and will to win bar raised. There were uncomfortable periods and,while Boyle overall were a better side, Clann missed a lot of chances, had goal opportunities and Boyle can thank goalie Jason McDermott for a fine end-of-the-boot save late in the second half when Clann were putting the Boyle rearguard under severe pressure.

While Boyle got off the mark early with a good point from Donal Smith this was cancelled out and Clann went ahead on 14 minutes. It took Boyle nearly 18 minutes before they came good. They added another five points before half time and looked as if they were going on to a comfortable win, leading 7 points to 3 at half time.

While Clann opened the second half with a point a good Boyle move ended with Enda Smith punching the ball across the square for Dylan East to finish it to the net on four minutes. Boyle 1.7. Clann 4 i.e. a six point lead and it looked good for Boyle. However the Boyle performance dropped for the next 15 minutes and the Clann performance improved consideably tacking on points on 5,11,12,16 and 18 minutes. Now the score stood at Boyle 1.7 Clann 0.9. Also during this period only last ditch defending kept the Boyle goal intact. A Micheal Lavin point stemmed the tide followed by a Jake McCrann point and Conor McPaddden's 4th point in the 24th minute. Boyle 1.10. Clann 0.9. Clann didn't give in and a goal was always a danger. A Clann point in the 28th minute left 3 between the sides and still we feared the drawing goal. Boyle had some chances, one of a goal which would have sealed the issue but the chance passed due to the lack of the clinical touch. A point might have been a better option. Substitute Eoin Lavin soothed things with a good point to leave a gap of 4 which Clann brought back with a further point deep in injury time. So while it was a close run thing it was a win that leads to another big occasion on County Final day on October the 9th v Michael Glavey's before the St. Brigid's v Elphin game. Boyle have now overcome two top sides in close encounters which is a good sign of a team that can roll with the punches and come through because it has the quality and top players and players who come through for the occasion. All now need to make the final push in preparation for the final and it looks as if there will be competition for a number of places.

Amongst the things I saw this Friday evening was:1.the sloppy handling 'not securing the ball' in terms of holding onto possession. It was a pinball machine effect at times. Perhaps the conditions were a little greasy but they looked fine on a perfect pitch.2. In the second half especially Clann cleaned up a lot of the breaks at midfield. Young Evan McGrath had done a good deal of work in this department in the first half but in the second half this reduced. Donal Smith was double marked for quite a bit of the second half and the second Clann player cleaned up the breaking ball. (Damo Keenehan was an expert at this, a Richie mcCaw at the breakdown). 3. There were a few times as a forward Enda/Donal or whoever was coming through the middle but the zone in front of the goal was occupied by Boyle players and their defenders.4. The old thing of passes going astray, one particularly around the Boyle 30 yard line at a crucial time in the second half led to a point for a Clann. 5. While I might exaggerate this sometimes, forwards coming out the field with their backs to the kick out bugs me. Judging the bouncing ball on a soild ground is a skill and sometimes a forward could gamble and turn and hope it goes over the back to a clear space behind. Perhaps remedial action in terms of substitutions might be accelerated.

Still having given my observations we ARE in a county minor 'A' final for a second year in a row. That is a great achievement for all involved and a real bonanza for us to look forward to and I hope that the town rises to that occasion.

The team: J.McDermott, L.Brennan, B.Furey, L.Harrington,P.McDermott, T.McKenna, E. McGrath, E. Smith 0.1, D. Smith 0.2, P. Sweeney, C. Goldrick 0.1, C. McPadden 0.4, D. East 1.0, M.Lavin 0.1, L. Roddy with J.McCrann 0.1, M. Goldrick, E. Lavin 0.1 and Conor Tivnan, Dylan Mattimoe, Shane Filan.

Best for Boyle were the goalkeeper McDermott, backs McKenna, Furey and McGrath, the Smiths at midfied, upon whom the team hinges, and in a forward line that is much more potent than it showed tonight the go to player was McPadden with a good contribution from Lavin on his appearance.

Friday 9.30am.

Two big games tonight and tomorrow: The minors take on Clann na Gael in Kiltoom at 8 pm tonight.

The seniors have a vital last home game at 5.30, tomorrow, Sat., against Kilmore. Both teams require a win to stay in Division One so it all to play for. Hopefully home venue will be helpful.

One thing we could look at, in these times, is the travelling arrangements for games. Someimes when I arrive in say Johnstone or worse Woodmount and then see another Boyle car arrive with say two people I think there must be something we can do to coordinate travel arrangements.

I am going and have two seats available tonight for instance if you call me. T.