Michael Lyng Motors Senior County Semi Final
Dicksboro 1-12 James Stephens 0-12
Saturday 12 October ’24, Erin’s Own GAA, Castlecomer
By Jason O’Brien
Goals win games…
An Asha McHardy goal after 17 minutes was enough to get reigning champions Dicksboro through to another county final after seeing off the challenge of a brave James Stephens side.
It got second billing on the day but was a closer game than the other semi played earlier.
The Boro played with the breeze in the first half , away from the Clubhouse end , and it was a factor in the dominance of the first half by the team from Palmerstown. The Village struggled with their own puckouts and the Boro were turning them over and running the ball back towards the Village goal. This running game was getting scores as the James Stephens girls fouled the forwards repeatedly.
Aoife Prendergast got her first score from a free in the second minute, followed soon after by another as Emma Gaffney fouled Orla Hanrick. All the moves were centered through Prendergast, as her constant movement and runs created trouble and space in the James Stephens half, and the breeze wasn’t helping as James Stephens struggled when they tried to go long, and then had to switch to a shorter puckout and that did improve and helped them get up the pitch. Even so , for the majority of the game there was no Village forward inside the Boro 45 as the All-Ireland Champions squeezed up tight. Aoife Prendergast got her third point of the match in the 6th minute from a free on the right wing, that was followed by one from play from Orla Hanrick straight from the puckout. It was a backs against the wall game for the Village and chances for them were scarce but they did get their first chance in the 11th minute from a free but the strike was landed into Kirsty Mahers hand from a Sophie ODwyer strike.
Down the other end of the pitch, Aoife Prendergast continued her flawless free taking as she punished the Village , along with Orla Hanrick getting her second point
Then the turning point in the 17th minute, Aoife Prendergast got possession and burst down the left wing, no one could catch or touch her, she delivered a diagonal ball across the square to an unmarked Asha McHardy and the Boro number 10 made no mistake, driving the ball back across the goal into the left corner of Tara Murphys net. Dicksboro were well on top now and purring nicely
How would the Village react? Sink or swim? Would the Boro go on now and dominate the game?
It looked like the former as James Stephens upped it a bit, with Hannah Scott driving them on, herself and Anna Doheny started to gain more possession of the ball and with Sophie ODwyer roaming around looking for the ball and dangerous when she had it, it looked like the shackles were off, even though it was the opposition that had scored the goal!
It was Emily Smith that got the reply for the Village in the 27th minute as she finished off a move from the half backs out to her in midfield and she put it over the bar from the centre, on the 45 yard line. But again Aoife Prendergast pointed from a free, this time from the half way line. The difference now was that the Village were replying and it was midfielder Emily Smith again as she made the best of the bit of space on the left wing and put the ball over keeper Mahers crossbar.
We were deep in injury time now and once again, the Boro centre forward, Prendergast put over her seventh point of the half from another free.
Half time: Dicksboro 1-10 James Stephens 0-03
The first half was all Aoife Prendergast, the second was going to belong to Sophie O’Dwyer and she started it two mins in as she pointed from far in the right corner, followed by a pointed free after Hannah Scott was fouled while on a great run through the Boro defence. It was all James Stephens now, the breeze was in their favour but it wasn’t as strong as in the first half, but it was more than the breeze in their favour, them seemed to have a belief now. Nothing to lose, just go for it and their belief was creating problems.
Again it was O’Dwyer to score the free after Rachel Leahy was fouled in the 36th minute and with Niamh Deeley now dominating the half back line, it was tough for Dicksboro to get through, they did get through eventually in the 45th minute as Rachel Dowling finished off after being set up by Ciara Phelan. That was their first score of the second half and their lead was down to seven points.
Aoife Prendergast scored her eighth point of the game from a free soon after, the Village replied after Hannah Larkin was fouled and O’Dwyer continued her fine shooting with a point.
It was end to end stuff now, frantic and ferocious, yellow cards, injuries, fouls and frees. It was all the Village now, with Sophie O Dwyer putting every free over the bar, scores in the 53rd and 55th minutes were making Dicksboro sweat. Five points ahead with five minutes remaining and James Stephens were on top, Anna Doheny got another, Sophie ODwyer got another, but time was running out and it did.
Dicksboro may have been outplayed in the second half, but they had done just enough in the first half to book their place in yet another Senior Championship Final.
A great game overall, great performances on both sides with Sophie O Dwyer of James Stephens and Aoife Prendergast the stand out players.
Final score – Dicksboro 1-12 James Stephens 0-12
