‘Boro Croker bound to face three-in-a-row chasing Sarsfields
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
REVIEW
AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Camogie Semi-Final
Dicksboro 2-13 Loughgiel Shamrocks 1-10
A two-goal salvo from Asha McHardy coupled with a seven-point haul from County star Aoife Prendergast ensured that the first time Leinster Champions would contest this year’s All-Ireland senior final, where they will face the formidable challenge of Connacht kingpins, Sarsfields who are on the brink of three national titles on the bounce.
With Dicksboro two points to the good early on, Ulster champions Loughgiel struck for a major, courtesy of Saffron’s star Caitrin Dobbin. Last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists stepped up the pace and opened up a 5-point lead at the interval, thanks to points from Roisin McCormick and goal scorer Dobbin.
Donal Carroll’s charges came out of the blocks quickly after the interval and had raised their first green flag of the game inside the opening 2 minutes. Asha McHardy took a fine pass from Orla Hanrick before striding forward and unleashing her shot past Eimear Boyle in the Shamrocks goal. The Palmerstown outfit hit two further quickfire points via McHardy and Prendergast to deadlock matters.
It was a tightly contested affair thereafter, but quality points from Jenny Clifford and former Kilkenny All-Ireland winning captain Aoife Prendergast edged the Noresiders ahead before POTM McHardy put on the burners before striking her second major in injury time to remove any element of doubt about the result. Amy Clifford rifled over the final point to cement the victory and start the post-match celebrations!
Dicksboro will now prepare for an All-Ireland senior decider which will take place on December 17th at Croke Park as part of a double header along with the intermediate final.
If anyone can stop the Sarsfields train – it’s the ‘Boro!
Scorers for Dicksboro: A McHardy (2-1), A Prenderghast (0-7, 6fs, 1pen), R Dowling, A Clifford (0-2 each), J Clifford (0-1).
Scorers for Loughgiel Shamrocks: C Dobbin (1-3), R McCormick (0-5, 4 fs), A Boyle, A Lynn (0-1 each).
Dicksboro: K Maher; J Cass, T Clifford, K Byrne, N Phelan, C Dowling, C Phelan, C O’Shea, A O’Gorman, A McHardy, A Clifford, R Dowling, A Prendergast, O Hanrick, J Clifford capt.
Subs: L Gahan for C O’Shea (HT), R Kelly for O Hanrick (48).
Loughgiel Shamrocks: E Boyle, C Campbell, Ciara Laverty, M Lynn, E McFadden, C Boyle, C McKillop, A Boyle, L McNaughton, Christine Laverty capt, A Connolly, R McCormick, C Dobbin, A Lynn, O Laverty.
Subs: K McKillop for O Laverty (48), M McGarry for C Boyle (57), U McNaughton for A Connolly (58).
Referee: J Heffernan (Wexford)
