In distance very little divides them, so it was fitting that this senior football final should go right down to the wire at Parnell Park.

Ballyboden St Enda's prevailed at the end of a torrid but thoroughly enjoyable three weeks, building up a sufficiently substantial lead to thwart an inevitable comeback from their Templeogue neighbours St Jude's.

They were out on their feet at the end though, the legacy of that trilogy of games with All-Ireland champions Kilmacud Crokes that only concluded just less than five days earlier. It was Ballyboden's first Dublin's success since 1995, a title claimed at Croke Park when Brian Stynes and Paul Bealin were their driving forces.

This time, however, their inspiration came not so much from midfielders, but from the opportunism of their full-forward line who contributed all but two points of Ballyboden's 2-12 total between them.

Conal Keaney led the line superbly, a former All-Ireland senior medal winner with Galway in 2001, Kenny Naughton, showed many deft touches but it was corner forward Andrew Kerin who shot the lights out, posting 2-5 for an impressive personal tally.

In the match programme notes, Kerin suggests that "hitting the post" was something he was good at that people might not know about, a question posed in the maze of player profiles contained. But he was just too clinical yesterday for the woodwork to deny him in any way as he pounced for both goals to give 'Boden a decisive edge over their neighbours, scores their manager, Liam O'Dwyer, later described as "special".

In contrast, Jude's spurned numerous goal chances and when substitute Michael Lyons did breach the cover on 56 minutes for a goal to reduce the gap to two points (2-11 to 1-12) there was still a sense that it was too little too late.

There was an element of good fortune attached to Lyons' goal, the ball spilling from his hands and crossing the line without a definite connection with either foot or leg as he bore down on goals. In mitigation, however, referee Brian O'Shea may also have been tempted to award a penalty as he appeared to be fouled as he prepared to pull the trigger.

Kerin did give 'Boden more breathing space with his fifth and last point straight after but Jude's kept pressing with half-back, Paul Cunningham, pointing and Kevin McManamon continuing to probe without any tangible reward.

Ballyboden's collective defensive effort had to be sound and for the most part it was with full-back, Ian Clarke, and hurler, Shane Durkin, prominent in the late rearguard action.

A free-flowing and entertaining first half had seen Jude's open a quick 0-3 to 0-1 lead, but a slick 'Boden move soon adjusted the settings as Keaney and former Dublin panelist, Declan O'Mahony, put Kerin through and the finish was sublime.

Jude's midfielder, Andy Glover, had pointed when a goal opportunity beckoned just beforehand and that would be a theme for Jude's until the 56th minute, underlining the obvious difference between the sides.

On 19 minutes, Glover played the perfect ball for his full-forward Declan Donnelly to turn Clarke but his subsequent shot crashed off the underside of the 'Boden crossbar and rebounded back into play. Within seconds Keaney had his second point from play at the other end and a 1-7 to 0-5 lead.

'Boden 'keeper Daire Walsh had to be vigilant and on 28 minutes he got down low to prevent McManamon.

Ballyboden took a 1-8 to 0-7 lead in with them at half-time, survived a brief Jude's rally that took them to within two points and then began the work of making the game safe. Once again their opportunism told with Naughton sending Kerin away for another classy finish on 40 minutes.

To their credit, Jude's didn't cave in and two more goal chances in the same movement went a begging again. First McManamon drew another important block from Walsh before Lyons, now on as a replacement, pushed a follow up shot off the crossbar. Jude's kept pressing though. Centre-back Niall O'Shea was strong throughout, midfielder Glover saw plenty of activity and the McManamon brothers were always lively.

Half-back, Seamus Ryan, got forward for a point but 'Boden were always able to respond and keep them at bay. Watching Dublin manager, Pat Gilroy, won't have got much from it however. For 'Boden, Naughton and Kerin have both been around a while and midfielder, Michael McAuley, has potential but is rough around the edges. Significantly there were more Dublin hurlers (Durkin and Simon Lambert) on view than footballers (Keaney). For Keaney, it was the perfect tonic after a disappointing end with Dublin in August. He acknowledged that they were almost caught at the end.

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"We were just about hanging on in the last 10 minutes," he said. "We did enough to survive it. We've been here so many times before, last minute goals and points have put us out so we're delighted to hang on. The short turnover from the semi-final second replay didn't militate against them, he felt."

"I knew once we got rid of the knocks and bumps we'd be okay. Our momentum was great, we got great belief and confidence from beating Crokes and we never knew we were beaten in any game."

O'Dywer admitted the five-day turnover was "some ask for my team".

"We rode our luck a little bit today if you reflect, but goals win games and that's what happened. We were ready. Had they got a goal there in the last minute we would have said it was tired legs got us, but now we'll say it was our resilience that won it for us," he said.

'Boden now play Wicklow champions Rathnew on November 8.

Scorers -- Ballyboden St Enda's -- A Kerin 2-5, C Keaney 0-3, K Naughton, D Davey 0-2 each. St Jude's: M Lyons 1-0, B McManamon (0-1f), K McManamon (0-1f), B Monaghan, J Donnelly (0-2f) 0-2 each, S Gallagher, P Cunningham, S Ryan, D Donnelly, A Glover 0-1 each.

Ballyboden St Enda's -- D Walsh; C Dolan, I Clarke, M O'Sullivan; D Nelson, J O'Hara, S Durkin; M McAuley, D O'Mahony; S Lambert, D Davey, C Smyth; C Keaney, K Naughton, A Kerin. Subs: P Galvin for Davey (40), D Shovlin for Lambert (49), P O'Brien for O'Sullivan (54).

St Jude's -- P Copeland; C McBride, S Breheny, C Guckian; P Cunningham, N O'Shea, S Ryan; C Murphy, A Glover; R O'Brien, B McManamon, B Monaghan; J Donnelly, D Donnelly, K McManamon. Subs: R Joyce for O'Brien (34), S Gallagher for D Donnelly (35), M Lyons for Monaghan (45), C Voyles for B McManamon (55).

Ref -- B O'Shea (St Mark's).

- Colm Keys

Irish Independent