AIB All Ireland Senior Semi Final
By Aoife Lanigan, PRO
Dicksboro 0-10 Athenry 1-9
There was only disappointment for Dicksboro as they were edged out of a tight All Ireland Senior Club Semi Final after a hard fought battle with Athenry in Kinnegad last Saturday
While luck was on the Boro’s side during their Leinster Final win a couple of weeks ago, the tight margin went against the Palmerstown outfit on this occasion with a goal from Jessica Gill and a fine display from Sabina Rabbitte helping Athenry over the line
EARLY START
Dicksboro opened the scoring with a great point from Rachel Dowling in the first minute. Aoife Prendergast added Boro’s second point also from play. Amy Clifford slotted over the Kilkenny sides third point after a Boro’s previous attack had been poorly cleared by the Athenry defence. Jenny Clifford tagged on the Boro’s fourth point after great work between Aobha O’Gorman & Asha McHardy. Dicksboro led 0-4 to 0-0 after 5 minutes
Over the next eight minutes, Dicksboro tried to add to their tally & Athenry tried hard to get their first score, but to no avail, until Athenry were awarded a 30m free which Sabina Rabbitte converted in the 13th minute
In the 17th minute, Athenry’s Jessica Gill got in for an opportunist goal when the sliotar came back off the upright from an Eimear Keane shot and Gill was quickest to react. The sides were now level 0-4 to 1-1
Boro’s Amy Clifford fielded the sliotar after an Aoife Prendergast free dropped short, Amy was surrounded by Athenry defenders, but she somehow got the sliotar away to her sister & Jenny slotted the sliotar over the bar
FINE POINT
Then Boro captain Orla Hanrick tacked on a fine point after a neat pass from Rachel Dowling
Athenry scored the last three points heading towards the half time whistle from Therese Donohue, Clodagh Burke & a Sabina Rabbitte free to lead 1-4 to 0-6 at the interval
On the resumption of play, Eve McGlynn extended the Athenry lead when she slotted over the bar
In the 34th minute, Aobha O’Gorman played the sliotar towards the Athenry goal, Jenny Clifford fielded it, turned and she went for the bottom corner of the net, but it went inches wide
Aoife Prendergast converted two frees to equalise the match 0-8 to 1-5 after 41 minutes
Sabina Rabbitte then converted a free for the Galway side before Kerri O’Driscoll slotted over another point to put Athenry two points ahead again, but Dicksboro hit back with their own two points.
PLUGGING AWAY
A great point from substitute Rose Kelly and a free from Aoife Prendergast kept the Kilkenny side plugging away, however, Sabina Rabbitte soon wrapped up the win for Athenry with two 45m frees to leave the final score 1-9 to 0-10
It was heartbreak for Dicksboro, who after claiming the County & Leinster titles, they were hoping to get back to Croke Park & go all the way to All-Ireland glory, but it wasn’t to be
Scorers – Dicksboro – Aoife Prendergast 0-4 (3f), Jenny Clifford 0-2, Rachel Dowling, Orla Hanrick, Amy Clifford, Rose Kelly 0-1 each
Athenry – Sabina Rabbitte 0-5 (5f), Jessica Gill 1-0, Therese Donohue, Clodagh Burke, Eve McGlynn, Kerri O’Driscoll 0-1 each
Dicksboro – Cara Duggan, Jane Cass, Tara Clifford, Angela Carroll, Niamh Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Ciara Phelan, Aoife Prendergast, Aobha O’Gorman, Asha McHardy, Lucinda Gahan, Rachel Dowling, Jenny Clifford, Orla Hanrick (Captain), Amy Clifford
Subs – Rose Kelly for Amy Clifford, Katie Byrne for Asha McHardy, Ali Greany, Sarah O’Gorman, Tara McGrath, Aisling Browne, Caoimhe Carroll, Eva Tynan, Issey Roberts, Bronagh Doheny, Emer Phelan, Niamh O’Donoghue, Danielle Kenny, Issey Carroll
Athenry – Laura Freeney, Tarron Kilkenny, Kate Screene, Niamh Feeney, Lisa Casserly (Vice Captain), Dervla Higgins (Captain), Sinead Feeney, Therese Donohue, Jessica Gill, Kayla Madden, Kerri O’Driscoll, Eimear Keane, Eve McGlynn, Sabina Rabbitte, Clodagh Burke
Subs – Anne Jordan for Eve McGlynn, Mollie Noone, Megan McDonagh, Sarah Gaughran, Ciara Cunniffe, Ailish Molloy, Mave Feeney, Kate O’Dwyer, Darrelle Burke, Jenni McNamara, Aoibhinn Hannon, Niamh Keane, Olwen Rabbitte
Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan
By PRO Wed 3rd Dec
