Boston GAA Roundup: After 43 years, curtain falls at Dilboy Stadium

By Connie Kelly

In Somerville, Mass., on Sunday, just as darkness fell, the curtain finally came down on 43 years of GAA games at Dilboy Stadium.

As of Aug. 1, all Sunday games will be played at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton.

Nobody could have written the script for the final game between the Shannon Blues and Kerry, a clash that went right down to the last kick of the game. And no better man than Blues leader Kieran Maher to send over the winning point from a free 40 yards out with less than a minute to play.

In a game of excellent defense by both teams, Mark O’Brien had Kerry off to a good start with three points.

Colm Kane had the Blues on the board with a well-taken point from play in the 8th minute. Steve McGuire made it two for the Blues on a free a minute later.

David O’Neill tied the game at three a piece.

O’Brien put Kerry ahead from another free. Pat Fenton of Kerry won the ball on the 40 and he raced through, passed off to Dereck Byrne who punched over Kerry’s fifth point.

Both teams went scoreless for the next seven minutes and then the Blues went on a roll with points by Burke (1), Goulding (1), Kane (2), and Conor Conneely (1), to make it 8 to 5.

Gene Farrell had a beauty from long range and Dereck Byrne’s shot hit the crossbar to leave the half time score 0-8 to 0-6.

Kerry made one change at the half bringing in Sean Pete Sullivan at centerfield for Darren Lee.

Once again O’Brien had Kerry on the board with a free and right away Pat Driscoll sent a ball to Ken Killeen who sent it over. Kerry picked up the pace and kept the Blues scoreless for 15 minutes forcing them to send over several wides.

Brian Farrell, who showed some real guts in this game, found his brother Gene open but he was pulled down and O’Brien sent over the free.

O’Brien’s next free was saved at the expense of a line ball which Gene Farrell converted to leave the sides level at 10 all with 10 minutes to go.

And for that 10 minutes some of the greatest defensive football ever seen at Dilboy or any place else for that matter was witnessed by the large crowd in attendance.

A great win for the Blues, a heartbreaker for Kerry.

Best for the Blues: Kevin Maher, Colm Kane, Brendan Driscoll.

For Kerry: Dereck Byrne, Paul Clifford, Brian and Gene Farrell and Neil Sheehy.

Tones beat Cork

Wolfe Tones raced out to a six-point lead over Cork after 15 minutes in the second senior game of the day.

Cork turned on the pressure in the second half with goals by Frank Delaney and Anthony Buckley and they ran out easy winners 3-11 to 0-12.

Senior hurling

In senior hurling, Tipperary lost their grip on a 1-5 to 0-4 half time lead to end up in a 1-6 all draw with Fr. Toms.

Managing only one point in the second half, Tipp must consider themselves lucky to share the points while Fr. Toms had a much better second half.

It was Seamie Fitzgerald’s goal that saved the day for the Toms in the 18th minute to leave it 1-6 apiece. Neither team could score for the next 12 minutes. Best for Tipp, Kevin O’Donnell, Michael McGrath, John Fealy, Richard Gentleman; for Fr. Toms, Seanie Fitzgerald, Ronan Hanley and Dermot Fox ..

Junior football

In Junior football, Wolfe Tones over Mayo 2-10 to 2-6.

Once again, Mayo had a three point lead at the half, 1-4 to 0-4, but failed in the closing stages of the game.

Best for the Tones, Damien Carty, Denis Murtagh, Barry Allen and Keith Doyle and for Mayo, Steve Fitzgerald, Pat Comer, Paul Barrett and Mickey Carroll.

Also in junior football, St. Columbkilles beat Donegal 1-7 to 0-7 and looked very good in doing so.

Veterans Donal Kane and Eugene Ward and Chris Sage of the Killes put their experience to work and it paid off. Aiden Foley and Patrick McGill tried hardest for Donegal.