After suffering a one point defeat to St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh, 1-14 to 1-13 on May 7th, losing a few balls on the way, and a 2-16 to 1-9 loss to Crumlin on May 11th also losing a few balls on the way, The St Brendan’s Football 1st XV, sponsored by Dynamic Safety Solutions bid to get the show back on the road with a Wednesday Evening Road Trip to the grounds of Sancta Maria College and a meeting with Ballyboden St Endas. 

Before we see how the Football 1st got on at the Sancta Maria grounds, here is another round up with the other St Brendan’s teams during the week. 

On Tuesday the 13th The St Brendan’s Camogie team, sponsored by Comtech Engineering and Ryans of Camden Street faced Erins Isle. Camogie has been in the news headlines recently with inter county players wanting to wear shorts rather than skorts and both teams here had planned to join in the protest by wearing shorts. Unfortunately, the referee did not turn up and the fixture, and the protest was called off. However, the message was clear, Let Them Wear Nicks, as Erins Isle and Dublin legend Charlie Redmond calls the item of clothing the camogs want to wear. 

On Wednesday the 14th The St Brendan’s Ladies Football 1st XV, Sponsored by McGowans, saw their unbeaten start to LGFA Go-Ahead Adult League Div 3, end in spectacular fashion with a comprehensive defeat away to high flying table toppers Kilmacud Crokes. 

The Ladies Football 2nd XV, sponsored by Bartra Healthcare fared better but were still defeated 1-10 to 3-8 at home to Whitehall Colmcilles LGFA Go-Ahead Adult League Div 7. 

The Ladies Football 3rd XV, sponsored by FTI Consulting suffered back to back comprehensive defeats on Monday 12th at home against Templeogue Synge Street in LGFA Go-Ahead Adult League Div 11 and on Monday 19th away to Ballyboden St Enda’s. 

The Hurlers, sponsored by Bodibro, managed to get 16 players available for their AHL 6 grudge match away to Trinity Gaels, but still were defeated, this time by 5 points 2-9 to 1-17. 

On Thursday the 15th, the St Brendan’s Football 2nd XV, in partnership with Stoneybatter Pride Of Place finally registered a win for the club last week when defeating Fingal Ravens in a match played as a 14 a side, Dont worry, The Darkest Force had 19 players available. 

The final score was 3-11 to 1-12 with Cathal ‘Patrick Mahomes’ O Donnell scoring two goals and Brian Hobbins the other goal. The Shoeman Brendan Brogan and The Clare Shout Niall Pender were amongst the point scorers. 

Now, onto the grounds of Sancta Maria College and St Brendan’s fixture against Dublin’s 2nd Super Duper Club Ballyboden St Enda’s in Go Ahead AFL5. 

During the warm up, Shane Feeney was anxious about more O’Neill’s Size 5’s being lost, considering that there was a housing estate behind one of the goals with no way of retrieving lost balls. 

It took 5 minutes before The Dark Force to get on the scoreboard after Boden opened the score with a free in. The Return Of The Mack Cillian Morrison scored from open play after about two dozen hand passes in a show of possession. Brian Marley won a turnover in the 20 meter line, The Golden Mullet Conall Morgan went on a daring solo run, a pass to Eoin Fallon and finally onto The Bombscare Donal Clarke who shot went over the bar and the lead for St Brendan’s 0-2 to 0-1. 

The kickout was won by Kevin ‘76’ Berry and a mid flight hand pass to Ger Bannon and onto Morrison whose rasping shot just went over the bar and a two point lead, which only lasted barely a minute as Boden kicked their second score of the evening. 

In fact that would be the first of four consecutive points for the home side, the third of which was a two pointer, and lead 0-6 to 0-3 by the 14th minute. Despite a bad miss early on, Diarmuid ‘Dempsey’ Cooney hit a brace of free in’s, Morrison was fouled for the first, Morgan the second in which he nearly got the left arm taken off him. 0-6 to 0-5. 

Cooney completed his hat trick of points from play after Washington Sean Whelan won Eoghan ‘The Bridge’ Clogher’s kick out and resulted in the point. 0-7 to 0-6. 

Boden hit their eighth point in a patient build up with about 40 hand passes. Cooney made it a four timer after Clarke was tripped whilst receiving a Morgan hand pass, 0-8 to 0-7. 

Another Boden point ensured a half time two point lead at half time 0-9 to 0-7. 

St Brendan’s got off to a positive start to the second half, thanks to a vigorous half time team talk from John ‘Tesla’ Tuffy, with a point from Donal Clarke, seconds after Ger Bannon won the throw in. The game was level, 9 points each from an ostentatious shot from Harry ‘1991’ Beggy.  

But soon Boden got their foothold in the contest with an easy goal which the scorer almost walked it in. But St Brendan’s responded well with a Morrison snapshot which skimmed the crossbar but went over, following good play from Whelan and Fallon. 

It was back to a one point game after Scatman John Dorrian won a turnover on the 13 meter line, Liam ‘The Lumberjack’ Atkinson made a daring solo run and pass to Beggy for the score. 

Both sides traded points, Brian Marley won a turnover on the 20 meter line, and in the end it was Morrison who turned this way and that, and was in danger of overcarrying but still got his shot over the bar and back to a one point game, 1-10 to 0-12. 

But that was as good as it got as Boden appeared to have the contest wrapped up when winning a penalty which was promptly converted to make it 2-10 to 0-12. 

But Washington Sean Whelan made Boden work hard for the win with an outrageous shot from the outside of the right boot and most importantly, outside the 40 meter arc so it counted as two, and things could have been made very interesting had Cillian Morrison caught a good ball from substitute The Shoeman Brendan Brogan but the sun was in his eyeline. 

But the young Boden subs closed out the contest with a brace of points and palmed the ball passed Clogher in the last kick of the game. 

Another disappointing loss for St Brendan’s but loads of positives and all eyes now on Longmeadows this Sunday and a crucial League fixture against fellow bottom half team Naomh Olaf. 

Final score from Sancta Maria College, Ballyboden St Enda's 3-12 St Brendan’s 0-14. 

Also, this evening, Both St Brendan’s Ladies 1st and 2nd teams were in action and unfortunately both were beaten. The 1sts lost 5-8 to 1-5 to Scoil úi Chonaill and The Seconds were beaten away to Ranelagh Gaels 6-14 to 5-6.  

Speaking exclusively to this writer whilst I was cycling back to the City Centre, Agustina Lazzerini told me that one of the Ranelagh goals was disputed when the referee blew the whistle for an infringement, and seconds later, the ball was in the net, much to the Argentine’s annoyance.