BY NIALL SHERRY
SPORTS EDITOR
ALL PIX BY BILLY CULLETON
Amy Clifford & Niamh Phelan star as Dicksboro grab glory
Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Senior Camogie County Final
Dicksboro 0-15
Piltown 2-8
Dicksboro defeated Piltown in the Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Senior Camogie County Final played
in John Locke Park, Callan last Sunday. The match was a repeat of the 2019 County Final, which also Dicksboro crowned champions.
The impressive Amy Clifford opened the scoring for Dicksboro in the 1st minute from play after Aobha O’Gorman’s shot had been initially blocked out by the Piltown defence.
The legendary Katie Power equalised for Piltown with a point from play in the 2nd minute. The favourites responded with Aoife Prendergast and Amy Clifford pointing to extend the city side’s lead with a point a piece from play by the 6th minute.
Niamh Culleton was looking very lively, and scored a lovely point on the run for Piltown.
Amy Clifford then notched another two points, before Sophie Holden added a point from play in the
11th minute for Piltown.
Aoife Doyle added another point from play for Piltown, but only after the Referee consulted his umpires and this reduced the deficit to the minimum. In the 12th minute, Piltown played the sliotar into
the corner, Katie Power ran onto it, rounded her marker and raced towards goal, before firing an unstoppable shot past Kirsty Maher in the Dicksboro goal to put Piltown ahead 1-4 to 0-5 at the first water break.
After the mini break, Dicksboro upped the ante and had levelled the game by the 17th minute with points from play from Lucinda Gahan and Aobha O’Gorman. Niamh Culleton and Sophie Holden then edged Piltown ahead again with two well worked points from play.
In the 25th minute, county player, Aoife Prendergast took a shot towards the Piltown goalposts, out on the stand sideline on the 50m line. It bounced straight in front of Piltown and county netminder, Aoife Norris and she was mightily relieved to see it bounce high over the bar.
Dicksboro equalised after great work from the classy Lucinda Gahan picked the unmarked Jenny Clifford who slotted over the bar leaving the sides level on the short whistle, Dicksboro 0-9 Piltown 1-6
When play resumed after the interval, Sophie Holden pointed from play for Piltown before Aoife
Prendergast equalised with a well struck free for the ‘Boro. The same player added another point in the 39th minute to nudge her side ahead.
Three minutes later, Dicksboro were awarded a penalty, when Aobha O’Gorman was fouled in the square. Amy Clifford stood up to take the penalty, but her effort went wide of the post.
From the puckout, Piltown played the sliotar up towards Katie Power, she turned and laid it off to the onrushing Niamh Culleton and she blasted it to the back of the Dicksboro net to put Piltown ahead 2-7 to 0-11 at the second water break.
After this mini break, Dicksboro took control, Amy Clifford added two points from frees to equalise and then scored another free in the 53rd minute to put Dicksboro ahead. Lucinda Gahan scored her second point for the city side just on the hour mark. Piltown did try their best to get scores and Katie Power narrowed the gap to the minimum from a close in free.
The Referee blew the full-time whistle shortly after and Dicksboro were Kilkenny Senior County Champions for the Second time in three years.
Scorers – Dicksboro – Amy Clifford (0-7, 4f), Aoife Prendergast (0-4, 1f), Lucinda Gahan (0-2), Aobha
O’Gorman, Jenny Clifford (0-1 each)
Scorers – Piltown – Katie Power (1-2), Niamh Culleton (1-2), Sophie Holden (0-3), Aoife Doyle (0-1)
Dicksboro – Kirsty Maher, Kate Dempsey, Ciara O’Shea, Katie Byrne, Tara Clifford, Niamh Phelan, Jane Cass, Aoife Prendergast (Capt.), Ciara Phelan, Asha McHardy, Lucinda Gahan, Caoimhe Dowling,
Amy Clifford, Aobha O’Gorman, Jenny Clifford. Subs – Orla Hanrick for Kate Dempsey (41), Rachel Egan, Issey Carroll, Caoimhe Carroll, Ellie Peters, Grainne Hennessy, Aisling Morrissey, Sarah
O’Gorman, Emer Phelan, Rachel Dowling, Bronagh Doheny, Emer Stynes, Niamh Ryan
Piltown – Aoife Norris, Jennifer Norris, Jenni O’Dea, Patsy Kenny, Mairead Power, Kellyann Doyle (Capt.), Lorraine Long (Vice Captain), Laura Norris, Emer Long, Ellen O’Keeffe, Alanna Gallagher, Aoife
Doyle, Sophie Holden, Katie Power, Niamh Culleton, Subs – Sinead McCarthy for Ellen O’Keeffe (41), Lorna O’Shea for Alanna Gallagher (55 min), Danielle O’Brien, Emily McCarthy, Rachel O’Shea,
Chloe Power, Aine Power, Sarah Tobin, Maire Beth Kirby, Katelynn Phelan, Nicola Phelan, Shauna Cody, Lisa Norris, Ciara Dunne, Lisa McCarthy, Aine Doyle, Karen Duggan, Marlise Flynn, Stacey O’Brien
Referee – Owen Behan
Player of the Match – Niamh Phelan, Dicksboro
A word of thanks to Kilkenny Camogie PRO Aoife Lanigan for contributing to this report.
>> SHERRY SAYS………..
What a great final camogie fans were treated to in Callan last Sunday. These two sides have been battling it out over the last few seasons, and on this showing, they are definitely the best two sides in the county.
Niamh Phelan, was outstanding all game, a real commanding presence in the ‘Boro defence. Rightly adjudged the player-of-the-match, the young centre-back certainly has a bright future ahead of her. Brian Dowling will have taken note of the classy defender’s performance.
Amy Clifford and Aoife Prendergast were responsible for the bulk of Dicksboro scores – 11 out of 15.
Piltown will no doubt be disappointed, not to have got over the line this time round.
It was great to see Katie Power looking really sharp and menacing. This bodes well for the county side next season. A word to on Niamh Culleton. She had a great game and no doubt will have caught the eye of county selectors.
Camogie is certainly in a good place in the county and this was a fantastic advert for it.
