Kilkenny River Court Junior League Semi Final – John Lockes/Bennettsbridge v Dicksboro

Kilkenny River Court Junior League Semi Final

John Lockes/Bennettsbridge 2-20

Dicksboro 3-13

By Aoife Lanigan, PRO

John Lockes/Bennettsbridge are to meet Graiguenamanagh in the Kilkenny River Court Junior League Final after defeating Dicksboro in an absorbing match that went to two periods of extra time to determine the winner

Megan Walsh opened the scoring with a point from play for John Lockes/Bennettsbridge. Dicksboro’s Niamh O’Donoghue converted a free over the bar after being fouled herself

Vivienne Holmes scored a lovely point from play for John Lockes/Bennettsbridge. Then Dicksboro hit a mini purple patch, Niamh O’Donoghue hit a rasper of a shot past the John Lockes/Bennettsbridge goalie into the back of the net. Rose Kelly was on fire, scoring two lovely points on the run

Vivienne Holmes and Niamh O’Donoghue traded points before John Lockes/Bennettsbridge then hit a mini purple patch of their own, scoring five points without reply through Rachel Phelan, Aisling O’Sullivan (2) & Megan Walsh (2)

Megan’s second point just before half time was scored from a tight angle from out on the stand sideline

This left the interval score 0-8 to 1-4 in favour of John Lockes/Bennettsbridge

On the resumption of play, John Lockes/Bennettsbridge continued where they left off in the first half with Megan Walsh scoring another fine point from play. Aisling O’Sullivan scored a point after the ‘Boro lee[er deflected it over the bar

Niamh O’Donoghue and Rose Kelly hit a point each to narrow the gap to the minimum

But John Lockes/Bennettsbridge hit back, Rachel Phelan hit a fantastic sideline ball towards goal, Megan Walsh fielded the sliotar, turned and hit a low shot across the ‘Boro keeper into the back of the net

From the puckout, the John Lockes/Bennettsbridge defence were caught napping and Niamh O’Donoghue blasted the sliotar to the back of the net

Tara McGrath then hit a great point from play to equalise the match 2-7 (D) to 1-10. Aisling O’Sullivan and Niamh O’Donoghue traded points before points were scored from Dicksboro’s Rose Kelly (2) and Aisling O’Sullivan and Vivienne Holmes of John Lockes/Bennettsbridge

Heading towards full time, Rachel Phelan put John Lockes/Bennettsbridge back in front with a pointed free but with time running out Niamh Donoghue stepped up and equalised for the Boro from a pointed free

Extra time was to be played – 10 minutes a half

Megan Walsh latched onto the sliotar after it flew over the Boro defence and as she had done earlier in the game, blasted it to the back of the net. From the puckout, Rose Kelly went at speed towards the John Lockes/Bennettsbridge goal, as she was pulling the trigger, John Lockes/Bennettsbridge defender Kym Ryan made a great block to deny her a score

Both teams failed to add to their tally in the final five minutes of the first period of extra time. John Lockes/Bennettsbridge led by three points at the interval

Rachel Phelan added another pointed from a 45’ for John Lockes/Bennettsbridge to put them four ahead but the Boro had other ideas. Sinead Carroll and Niamh O’Donoghue (f) scored points before Tara McGrath blasted the sliotar to the back of the net to put them ahead by a point heading towards full time of extra time, but Aisling O’Sullivan won a free for John Lockes/Bennettsbridge and converted it herself to leave the match still level at the end of the 20 minutes additional time – John Lockes/Bennettsbridge 2-16 Dicksboro 3-13

Another 5 minutes each half was to be played

John Lockes/Bennettsbridge took complete control of the extra 10 minutes keeping the Boro scoreless. Rachel Phelan added two pointed frees with Aisling O’Sullivan and Vivienne Holmes finishing off the scoring with a point each to leave the final score after an enthralling encounter John Lockes/Bennettsbridge 2-20 Dicksboro 3-13

Scorers – John Lockes/Bennettsbridge – Megan Walsh 2-4, Aisling O’Sullivan 0-7 (3f), Rachel Phelan 0-5 (4), Vivienne Holmes 0-4

Dicksboro – Niamh O’Donoghue 2-6 (5f), Rose Kelly 0-5, Tara McGrath 1-1, Sinead Carroll 0-1

John Lockes/Bennettsbridge – Dominique Delaney, Laura Duggan, Eimear Moran, Rachel Hartely, Kym Ryan, Meg Ryan (Capt), Luci Brennan, Laura Phelan, Rachel Phelan, Aisling O’Sullivan, Vivienne Holmes, Sarah Roche, Lucy Walsh, Caoimhe Shiel, Megan Walsh

Subs – Abby Wemyss for Luci Brennan, Tara Coyne for Laura Duggan, Elizabeth Keher for Sarah Roche, Aoibhe Ryan for Lucy Walsh, Lucy O’Sullivan for Megan Walsh inj, Erika Byrne, Kyla Byrne, Aine Dowling, Erika Dunne, Lauren Hartely, Niamh Hogan, Hannah Keher, Sarah Keher, Aoife Lynch, Erin Morrissey, Julie Nolan, Orlaith O’Connell, Sal Ryan, Jessie Sharpe

Dicksboro – Rachel Egan, Bronagh Doheny, Danielle Kenny, Issey Carroll, Sarah O’Gorman, Angela Carroll, Orlaith Moore, Tara McGrath, Aisling Browne, Caoimhe Carroll, Rose Kelly, Isobel Roberts, Emer Phelan, Niamh O’Donoghue, Sinead Carroll

Subs – Naomi Trait for Orlaith Moore, Kate O’Neill for Emer Phelan, Isabelle Fahy for Sinead Carroll,  Kate Dowling for Isabelle Fahy, Sinead Carroll for Rose Kelly inj, Isabelle Egan, Kate Dowling, Cara Duggan, Aoibhinn Deegan