Update 15th February

Young guns step up to the plate.

Boyle 2.13 Padraig Pearse’s 3.9.

We travelled to Woodmount outside Ballinasloe neither optimistic or pessimistic just wondering what the story would be in the opening game of this year’s Senior League/O’Rourke Cup. We were a little late and if we were there for the start and realised just how many regular senior players were missing from the Boyle team we would have been pessimistic. Anyway is was 3 points each at that stage, holding our own not bad. The young Boyle forward line were doing very well as was the midfield of Thomas Halligan and Kieran Cox. Colin Goldrick with three frees kept the scoreboard ticking over aided by a fine save by Pat Goldrick in goals on 18 minutes. Cian McKeon and Goldrick again stretched Boyle’s lead to Boyle 8 points to 4. Boyle’s defence was somewhat porous and Pearse's created plenty of space for an easy goal on 23 minutes and a second on 28 to undo the point-scoring of Goldrick and McKeon. However after a good move Evan McGrath got a Boyle goal on 24 minutes to give Boyle the narrowest of leads at half time. The half time score Boyle 1.9 Pearse’s 2.5.

In the second half it was Goldrick and McKeon who posed the main threat for Boyle with Seanie Purcell contributing a fine point also. The Pearse’s goal threat seemed to be stemmed and after a cracking goal from Cian McKeon on 24 minutes Boyle were in a match-winning position leading by on the score of Boyle 2.13 Pearse’s 2.8. However a mistake in extra time led to a Pearse’s goal followed by a point leaving just a point between the sides. We feared the worst, that a game won was now to slip away but time came to the rescue and Boyle had held out for a very good win at a venue where we have regularly found it difficult to get positive results.(It should be noted that Pearse’s were also missing a lot of key players).

The McGovern Directional Drilling Boyle team today, which will have even regular Boyle supporters scratching their heads, was as follows; Pat Goldrick, Aaron Sharkey, Cillian Cox/Gareth Gilmartin/Ml. Hanmore/Seanie Purcell (0.1)/ Cian Beirne/ Thomas Halligan (0.2)/ Kieran Cox/ Jim Suffin/ Evan McGrath (1.0) / Ben Kerins/ Cian McKeon (1.3) / Colin Goldrick (0.7 fr. 4/ Conor Flanagan. Substitutes used Ciaran Beirne/ Cathal Horan/ Mark Goldrick with Karl Kelly.  This must be the youngest Boyle senior team ever. In terms of performers Goldrick did fine in goals The back line after lapses in the first half came good later and had fine performances from Gilmartin, Purcell and Cian Beirne. Halligan and Cox did well at midfield with star turns from McKeon and Colin Goldrick in the forwards. If one were choosing a ‘Man of the Match ‘ today it would be difficult to choose. Leaving Purcell out of the equation the contenders were Cian Beirne, Gareth Gilmartin, Cian McKeon and my choice today Colin Goldrick whose point scoring from frees and play were excellent.

Missing, through injury mostly, were; 1. T. Lowe/ 2. T. McKenna/ 3.4 E. and D.Smith/ 5. R. Hanmore/ 6. M. O’Connor/ 7. D. O’Connor/ 8. C. McGowan/ 9. D. East / 10. M. O’Donohoe/ 11. M. O’Connor 2/ 12. C. Deery/ 13. S. Tonra/14. A.N. Other   

Overall it was a very good win and great credit is due to the young lads today for getting the side off to a winning start and collecting two valuable points.

The fixtures from here are as follows; Away. Kilmore Feb. 21^st  / A. v Elphin March 20^th/ Home v Strokestown April 17^th/ H. v Oran Apr. 24^th/ A. v Clann na nGael Wed. May 25^th/  H v St. Brigid’s Sat. June 4^th/ H. v Ros. Gaels July 3^rd/ and finally H v Western Gaels August 21^st.   Ten teams, 9 games 4 away 5 home.   t.c.