Ballyboden St Enda's (Dublin) 3-14

Garrycastle (Westmeath) 0-12

Dessie Dolan's last-ever game for Garrycastle ended in disappointment at TEG Cusack Park this afternoon as Ballyboden St Enda's booked their place in the Leinster club SFC final with an emphatic victory.

The 40-year-old former All Star scored 0-7 before being substituted with 10 minutes remaining, but the Westmeath champions were always fighting a losing battle after 'Boden centre back and Dublin panellist Robbie McDaid scored a stunning solo goal in the early stages to give them a lead they never looked like relinquishing. 

The Dublin kingpins, who have now gone 24 games unbeaten, held a commanding 1-10 to 0-5 lead at the break and weathered a third quarter revival from Garrycastle before putting the result beyond doubt with late goals from Colm Basquel and James Holland. Ballyboden manager Anthony Rainbow can now look forward to a Leinster final on December 8 against an Eire Og side who he is well familiar with from his time in charge of Carlow.

Garrycastle took an early lead before the Firhouse Road outfit cut loose with an unanswered 1-5, which included McDaid's wonder goal in the sixth minute. No Garrycastle player managed to lay a hand on him as he burst forward from defence before firing past goalkeeper Sean Brennan.

With Colm and Ryan Basquel in fine scoring form, 'Boden extended their lead before cousins James and Dessie Dolan pulled points back for the losers just before the break.

Dessie kicked four frees in the first 10 minutes of the second half as Garrycastle reduced the deficit to five points, but that was as close as they got as the powerful Dublin champions put the game to bed with goals from Colm Basquel and Holland in the last six minutes.

On this evidence, they will take some stopping.

Ballyboden St Enda's - D Gogan; B Dwan, S Clayton, K Kennedy; S Gibbons, R McDaid (1-1), D McCabe; B Bobbett, D O’Mahony; D O’Reilly (0-1), C Basquel (1-3, 0-2f), A Flood (0-2); R McGarry (0-3), R Basquel (0-3), W Egan. Subs: M D Macauley for D McCabe, C Keaney (0-1f) for A Flood, T Hayes for W Egan, J Holland (1-0) for D O’Mahony, C Murray for R Basquel, C O’Reilly for R McGarry.

Garrycastle - S Brennan; M Guiheen, J Donohue, M McCallon; D Harte, J Gaffey, G McCallon; J Barrett, J Dolan (0-1); A Monaghan, E Monaghan (0-1), M Monaghan; J Sheerin (0-1), A Gardiner, D Dolan (0-7, 6f). Subs: J Nugent (0-1) for E Monaghan, C Cosgrove for D Dolan, M Greene for A Monaghan, E Mulvihill for J Donohue, G Heneghan (0-1f) for M Monaghan.

Referee - D Gough.

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