Boardsmill Junior Hurlers travelled the short distance to Athboy to take on Clann na Gael in the Donal O’Loinsigh Cup, Group B. On a warm June Saturday evening the Juniors were rearing to get into action and had plenty of lads on hand to give it there all for the Team. Unfortunately Clann Na Gael were struggling for numbers so started the match with 13 a side until they were joined by some other players.

Much like events from the previous night’s hurling in Navan, the Boardsmill side were quick off the mark when a ball from the throw-in landed with James Ashe who ran at the Athboy goal and buried it in the top right hand corner of the net. Thus followed a point from a free for Clann na Gael. Jim Bird converted a free but seemed to injure himself shortly afterward so was replaced with Sean Newman. Bernard McLoughlin took over the free taking duties and they went into the half time break a point up 0-07 (7) to 1-05 (8).

Clann na Gael started much better of the two sides upon resumption of play in the second half and converted four unanswered points. McLoughlin, consistent with his free taking, converted a free to get them off the mark for the second half. Jim Roche then got the ball in hand and carried towards the Athboy goal and buried it into the back of the net. Some superb displays of grit and determination from new recruits; Tadhg Cotter, Diarmuid Whelan and Ciaran McLoughlin helped keep the ‘Mill side in the game however both sides gave away frees quite easily and this kept the scoreboard ticking over. Going into the second water break the score was 0-12 (12) to 2-08 (14). After the match resumed it was Boardsmill that pulled away. McLoughlin, who seemed to show no ill effects from having played a full sixty minutes the previous evening scored 1-05 (2f) in the remaining 15 minutes of the match to help his team pull away from the home side. The final score was 0-16 (16) to 3-12 (21). Great to see first start performances from Tadhg Cotter, Diarmuid Whelan and Ciaran McLoughlin who all put in a good shift.

Boardsmill GAA Team: Vinny Guy, Eamonn Roche, Stephen Gibbons Snr, Tadhg Cotter, Jim Bird (0-01 (1f)), Ciaran McLoughlin, Cormac Ryall, Jim Roche (1-0), Eric Cribbin, David Farrell, Tom Eivers, Bernard McLoughlin (1-11 (6f)), James Ashe (1-0), Carl Flood. Substitutions: off: Sean Newman for Jim Bird; Eric Cribbin for Cormac Ryall; Diarmiud Whelan for Tadhg Cotter, Aidan McGrath for James Ashe.