Opening Championship Weekend

The weekend opened with a maiden voyage for Trinity Milton who fielded a team in the junior B football championship after starting the club 12 years ago with a small group of 6 and 7 year-olds.  The youngsters faced an experienced Kerry team that taught them a lesson or two and ran out 3-17 to 0-4 winners.  Lessons learned for the young Americans, whereas Kerry have been knocking on the door of the junior B championship title.  Over the last few years the Kingdom has built a solid base to launch a challenge.  For Trinity it was a big night with a large support, and getting a team on the field was a victory for the club in itself.  It was the first championship game played on the main field, which was in immaculate condition, since August 2019. Full match report is available on the Kerry Boston Website (https://kerrybostongfc.com/2021/06/07/726/).

Boston Shamrocks won the Orla Benson Cup on
Sunday v a combined Connacht Ladies/Sean Og's.

Saturday saw Canton stuck in dead 90 degree heat and there were 4 games on.  Two hurling matches were played on the main field.  The first saw another team of Home Grown players, Sean Og’s, take on the Worcester Fenians.  The Fenians held the lead for most of the game with old hands Liam Kelly, Tom Lind and Conor Greene keeping them just about in the lead.  Sean Og’s struck late, however, and a couple of excellent points from Aidan O’Malley were followed with a goal at the final whistle by Mike Moylan that propelled Sean Og’s to a 2-13 to 1-13 win.

Junior C Hurling action followed with Portland traveling from Maine and Hartford from Connecticut to meet in a game that Portland always looked like the side that would claim the spoils.  A couple of first half goals put Portland in the driver’s seat to lead by 2-8 to 0-6 at the break. Hartford managed to put some respectability on the scoreboard with some late scores, final score 4-14 to 2-9 for the boys from Maine.

Football action on the back field saw the Sean Og’s footballers in another close game with a solid looking Christopher’s team.  With the game in the balance throughout it was Christopher’s who edged it by a score of 3-8 to 3-7.  Junior C football saw Worcester field for the first time in the big ball game against the Portland Fomorian footballers.  It was another victory for the Mainers as they defeated the newcomers by a score of 3-7 to 2-4.     

Sunday

We then had the start of the Senior Championship, where we saw 2019 Senior Champions Donegal take on Galway. In what started out as an evenly balanced match, with Galway being unlucky with a number of wides, while Donegal chipped away at the score. 2 great saves from the Galway shot stopper further aided their survival ambitions, however, as the match went on, Donegal’s Shane Carthy and Cory Gallagher slotted away a number of goals and points to run away with the match. Galway managed to score a few consolation points but conceded the match 4-20 to 0-05. 

In the next match of the Senior Football Championship, we saw Shannon Blues face Cork, in what was a repeat of the 2019 Intermediate final. Both teams started strong, scoring a point each from play, however, as the match went on, the Shannon Blues kept racking up the scores, eventually winning 5-18 to 0-05.

Next to come was the start of the Senior Hurling Championship, with once again, the finalists from 2019 facing each other, as Fr Toms faced Galway. The game started off even, with both teams starting strong and going point for point, with John Moylan doing the weight of the scoring for Galway, and Jason Costello doing likewise for the Toms. The deadlock was eventually broken by Chris O’Donoghue who scored the first goal of the game. As the game went on, it got very heated, and tempers started to flare as a skirmish ensued which saw Danny Burke for Galway and Jack Martin for Toms get their marching orders. With a game full of action the start of the 2nd half saw Galway save a penalty, and a highly attacking game as each team added to their tallies in a closely contested battle, in which the Toms prevailed with a 3-18 to 2-17 victory.

By Evan McDonagh and Rory O’Donnell

Photos by Rachel O'Driscoll

Cup Finals Saturday; Championships at the Irish Cultural Center begin June 4 Weekend

An unseasonably warm May Saturday afternoon saw hurling action begin at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton.  A 7-a-side tournament with 6 clubs was played, and there were 2 Cups up for grabs.  The Pat Kenneally Cup and the Kieran Sheehan Cup.

Tom's Captain Jason Costello presented with the
Pat Kenneally Cup by Peter Murray

Games started at 10:00 am with Sean Og’s taking on Providence.  Next was Fr. Tom’s v Worcester, and Galway v NH Wolves.   Each team played 4 games and at the end of the round robins it was Tom’s and Galway first and second, with Worcester and Providence Third and fourth.  

The Sheehan Cup was contested by current Junior B USGAA champions, Worcester, and Providence.   The game was won by Worcester by a single point coming from a last free of the game.

The Pat Kenneally Cup final was Tom’s and Galway.  Tom’s won by a score of 5-4 to 0-4 against a Galway side that featured many young home grown players.   

Sheehan Cup Winners,
Worcester Fenians

The Pat O’Brien Cup competition has been going the last 3 weeks with 8 teams divided into 2 groups.  At the end of the day, it was both Donegal teams that topped each group and played a final game with white jerseys v gold jerseys.  The game was well contested with the “Donegal White” winning on the end of the day.  All in all it was a big step back for the GAA in Boston to have both competitions run off and teams back on the field.  Roll on the Championship, all home based teams, starting Friday June 4. 

Donegal Captain, Sean Doherty with the 
Pat O'Brien Cup presented by
Greg Lundy.

By Rory O'Donnell, 

PRO Boston Northeast GAA

 

Schedule

Fri June 4

Irish Cultural Center, Canton Ma

6:00 Junior B:  Kerry v Trinity Milton

Sat June 5

Irish Cultural Center, Canton Ma

Field A

2:30 Junior B Hurling: Worcester v Sean Og’s

4:00 Junior C Hurling: Portland v Hartford

Field B

4:00 Junior B Football:  Sean Og’s v Christopher’s

5:30 Junior C Football:  Portland v Worcester

Sun June 6

Irish Cultural Center, Canton Ma

12:30 Senior Football: Galway v Donegal

2:00 Senior Football:  Shannon Blues v Cork

3:30 Senior Hurling; Galway v Fr. Tom Burke’s

5:00 Aidan McAnespies v Wolfe Tones

Sr Hurling: Fr. Tom's v Galway - July 26

Galway 0-10 Fr. Tom Burke’s 4-13

Tom’s needed the win to get their challenge for a playoff place off the ground, and playing old rivals Galway provided plenty of motivation. Galway had some notable absences from their lineup and stuttered and stammered and never got any flow going while Tom’s displayed more conviction up front and in defence, as well as having the Maurice Callinan scoring machine to rely on. Two late goals in the first half put Tom’s into a comfortable lead at the break, and Galway never looked like making a game of it in the second.

Fr. Tom's Cahir Healy and Galway's Evan Daniels contest a puckout.

Tom’s got off to the best start possible with a goal after two minutes from Maurice Callinan. Playing at wing forward, Callinan proved to be a lucrative scoring outlet for Tom’s both from play and from the dead ball. Callinan followed up the goal with a pointed free after James Kinsella got Galway off the mark with a fine point. After Cahir Healy added to Tom’s lead with a point, Galway put a couple of chances from frees wide of the posts, a measure of how the afternoon would go for the maroon and white. There were yellows issued for a dangerous challenge from Tom’s Darryl Dooley and the reaction of Galway corner back, Peter Buckredge. The sides traded scores before Tom’s hit with a second goal from John Cuddy as Tom’s took advantage of some hesitation in the Galway defence. Shortly afterwards, Eanna Murphy, a goalscorer in Tom’s last outing, made it three in the goal column for Tom’s. Tom’s rode the wave until the half time whistle adding three more points from Callnan (2) and a fine long range strike from Cuddy.

Trevor Kelly bursts through the Galway cover.

The Gap between the teams remained unchanged for the next fifteen minutes. Galway made a better first of it in the second period and matched Tom’s in the points column, but a much needed goal did not come for the tribesmen. It almost did as Danny Fitzgerald first kicked the ball off the underside of the bar, and in the ensuing scramble Galway won a penalty. John Moylan took it well, but again, the crossbar denied Galway. Evan Daniels mopped up with a point, but that was not what Galway needed. John Moylan pointed twice, but as if to rub the salt in, substitute Ger Hennelly goaled for Tom’s with minutes left on the clock. A good day for Tom’s and one that Galway would rather forget as Tom’s junior’s also inflicted a heavy defeat on Galway’s reserves earlier in the day.

Galway: N. Roberts, A. Horan, P.Buckredge, J. Kinsella (0-1), G. Lyons, D. Craven, E. Daniels (0-1), D. Lynch, S. Kelly (0-1), D. O’Dwyer (0-1), D. Fitzgerald, J. Byrne, J. Moylan (0-6). Tom’s: A. Bendon, S. Staunton, P. Callinan, J. Dowling, D. Dooley, D. Moore, F. Keenan (0-1), C. Healy (0-1), S. Howley, T. Kelly, M. Callinan (1-10) J. Cuddy (1-1), E. Murphy (1-0). Sub: G. Hennelly (1-0)

By Rory O'Donnell

Senior Hurling: Tipperary v Fr. Tom Burke's - June 7

Tipperary 2-18 Fr. Tom Burke’s 3-11

Tipperary prevailed in a very entertaining opening game of the senior hurling championship. With scoring aces Pat Howard and Barry McFall in the ranks, Tipp proved to have the edge in a close game where the lead changed hands numerous times. It was a Darragh Kealy goal in the last 5 minutes that sealed the game for Tipp.

Barry McFall Proved a Very Effective Aquisition for Tipp.

Tipp got off to a great start as Pat Howard converted a penalty, and that propelled the Premier County into a 1-2 to 0-4 lead. Barry McFall impressed with his early touches and the Antrim man put a couple of points over early. With Tipp ahead by a goal Frank Keenan put a point over from the wing for Tom’s, which was answered by Cronan Dempsey with as equally an impressive score. As the game flowed up and down the field, James Moore buried the ball for Tom’s just before half time to give the green and black a 2-point lead to protect for the next 30 minutes.

Pat Howard also.

Tipp took control of the game in the second half. Pat Howard moved into corner forward and he and McFall accounted for eight of Tipp’s scores between them. After Darryl Daly extended Tom’s lead to three points, Howard and McFall (2) brought the sides to parity. Again Tom’s got their noses ahead through Frank Keenan points, but Mark Jordan and McFall pointed three times between them to put Tipp one to the good. As the sides vied for the advantage, Michael Moore pulled on a loose ball to send Tom’s ahead once again with 15minutes to go as the game ebbed and flowed. Again Tipp came back, this time the scores came from Pat Howard (2) and Andrew McRedmond. Frank Keenan brought Tom’s level again, but in the final 10 minutes Tipp would not be denied. Howard pointed twice, and the second would have been a goal had it not been for a fine save from David Hession who tipped the rasping shot over the bar. With Tipp three points to the good, and the way the game was going one almost expected a Tom’s goal to level matters. A goal came alright, but it was in the Tipp column. Darragh Kealy finished well from 14 yards to seal the deal. Trevor Kelly goaled late for Tom’s to narrow the gap, but time was called almost immediately afterwards. A good win for Tipp, but with a little help Tom’s could be a force this year.

Tipp: M. Daly, M. Heffernan, N. Ryan, E. Ryan, J. Heffernan, C. Dempsey, M. Jordan, N. O’Grady, A. McRedmond, D. Kealy, P. Howard, B. McFall, B. Lonergan. Tom’s: D. Hession, N. Callnan, S. Staunton, J. Lyons, D. Moore, J. Dowling, T. Kelly, D. Daly, J. Cuddy, M. Moore, F. Keenan, J. Moore, C. Moore.

By Rory O'Donnell

June 15 - Tipp v Wexford

Wexford 1-15 Tipperary –0-13

While Dublin and Wexford played to a draw in the Leinster senior hurling championship Saturday evening, 2 players who might have faced each other in that game had circumstances been different, ended up facing each other in Canton on Sunday afternoon. Tipp fielded with Dublin and Craobh Ciaran hurler Alan McCrabbe at wing forward, while Richie Kehoe, who was on the Wexford panel fielded for Wexford in the middle of the field. In the end it was Wexford and Kehoe who took the spoils with a good display of hurling.
Wexford owned the first half, which included a strong display from Kehoe. Wexford seemed to be better at supporting the play and the man with the ball, and picked up most of the breaks. Wexford had 4 points on the board before Tipp recorded a score. Cillian Starr, Kehoe (2), and Peter Ryan notched up points before Phillip Donnellan put one over for Tipp. The sides traded scores for the remainder of the half. Tipp kept in touch through the free-taking of McCrabbe, while Wexford recorded scores from Christopher O’Connor, and Kehoe. With Tipp needing a score before half time to put them in position to try and turn the tables in the second half, it was Wexford that struck with a goal. Kehoe took the first shot that was parried by Mark Daly in goal for Tipp, and Cillian Starr was on hand to put the rebound into the net. At the half Wexford held a seven point advantage.

Tipp introduced a few subs in the second half in an effort to raise their game, and it worked to a certain extent. Tipp worked harder and displayed a greater sense of urgency, but could not eat into Wexford’s lead. McCrabbe, Niall McCormack, and Cronan Dempsey pointed for Tipp, but Wexford maintained their advantage through the scoring of Christopher O’Connor, Cillian Starr, and a massive booming point from Kehoe. Towards the end of the game Tipp went in search of a much-needed goal, but the Wexford defence held out. Two points for Wexford as they embark on their defence of the Boston championship.

Wexford: E. Spruhan, B. Dalton, P. Holden, D. Redmond, D. McGill (0-2), D. Brennan, N. Quinlan, Richie Kehoe (0-8), J. Clarke, Peter Ryan (0-1), A. Murphy, Cillian Star (1-2), Christopher O’Connor (0-2). Tipp: M. Daly, D. O’Driscoll, J. McGrath, J. O’Sullivan, J. Coughlan, C. O’Mahoney, M. Jordan, S. Power, P. Donnellan (0-3), Cronan Dempsey (0-3), Alan McCrabbe (0-5), D. Buckley, Niall McCormack (0-2).