Ballyboden book Leinster SFC final spot after dominant display over Tullamore
29 November 2025; Diarmuid Egan of Tullamore in action against Céin D'Arcy of Ballyboden St Enda's during the AIB Leinster GAA Football Senior Club Championship semi-final match between Tullamore and Ballyboden St Enda's at Glenisk O'Connor Park in Tullamore, Offaly. Photo by Piaras Ó MÃdheach/Sportsfile
The stage was set for Tullamore to try and bring about a first Leinster senior club football final without a Dublin team since 2017, as they ran out onto their home field on the back of an unbeaten season, with a clean bill of health.
Half an hour after the ball was thrown in that stage had been set alight and burned to the ground by a sensational Ballyboden St. Enda’s performance, with the South Dublin club imperious in every sector of the field.
Ryan O’Dwyer terrorised the Tullamore rearguard, Ryan Baynes and Cathal Flaherty were to the fore as the visiting full-back line kept their direct opponents under lock and key but it was across the middle, with Céin D'Arcy to the fore, that ‘Boden really put the squeeze on their opponents.
Australia-bound Cillian Bourke will fly out to join Essendon in the morning and he left nothing behind in what was his last outing for the club for the foreseeable future, however D'Arcy was a formidable opponent while around him, it was blue-and-white striped jerseys who seemed to be on top of all the physical exchanges.
A deceptively strong breeze favoured the away side while Tullamore were rocked by the loss of centre back and county star John Furlong due to injury with just 17 minutes played, but there was so much more than that to Ballyboden’s dominance. After Tullamore got off to a bright start with points from Niall Furlong and Harry Plunkett to take an early lead, a slick attacking move saw Colm Basquel slip in Ross McGarry for a goal, and Ballyboden didn’t look back.
Corey White’s kickout was being squeezed by the high press from the Dubs, forcing two restarts out over the sideline, while two more were chipped straight to a Ballyboden player, leading to easy points.
Pressure on Luke Plunkett forced an overhold from the attacker and a lightning fast breakaway move that led to the Ballyboden fire raging out of Tullamore’s control. A handpass over the top into O’Dwyer saw him through on goal where he was brought down by Michael Brazil.
Colm Basquel placed the penalty perfectly into the bottom right corner and there was no let-up as the lead was pushed out to 2-12 to 0-4 by half-time.
Just as Ballyboden attacked Tullamore kickout in the first half, the home side did the same after the interval and for the third quarter they chipped away gradually at the lead. A series of wides and the lack of a two-point threat undermined their chances of asking too many questions of the opposition but Niall Furlong and Bourke both fared well, adding points and winning frees that Harry Plunkett converted.
A narrow-angle shot for the net from Luke Bourke was parried to safety by Hugh O’Sullivan to deny Tullamore a goal that they badly needed and once Ballyboden finally broke out of their own half, they hit two points in a minute from Daire Sweeney and then slipped right back into their scoring groove, easing over the finish line to set up a meeting with Athy next Saturday.
: D Sweeney 0-9 (1tp, 0-3f), R O’Dwyer 0-5, R McGarry 1-1, C Basquel 1-0 (pen), R Basquel 0-3 (0-1f), C Darcy 0-1.
H Plunkett 0-5f, N Furlong 0-2, C Bourke 0-2, L Plunkett 0-1.
: H O’Sullivan; R Baynes, C Flaherty, B Bobbett; J Holland, P Warren, P Healy; C D'Arcy, A Gavin; R McGarry, C Basquel, P Dunleavy; R Basquel, R O’Dwyer, D Sweeney.
: H Donaghy for Gavin (36), L O’Donoghue for Dunleavy (51), C O’Dywer for C Basquel (52), K Kennedy for Healy (56), D O’Reilly for R Basquel (58).
C White; D Hogan, D McDaid, B Heffernan; C Egan, J Furlong, O Keenan Martin; C Bourke, A Leavy; D Egan, M Brazil, N Furlong; M Fox, H Plunkett, L Plunkett.
L Bourke for J Furlong (17), L Dillane for Brazil (52), S Dooley for L Plunkett (60+3).
: B Cawley (Kildare).
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