Michael Lyng Motors Senior League Championship
Piltown 0-15 Dicksboro 0-13
A pulsating game in the fabulous grounds of Piltown GAA, the day after they held the Iverk show on the adjoining grounds, and in front of a large crowd, the home side took the points after a tough battle for 60 plus minutes.
Theres usually never much between these sides, bar the previous meeting in the Summer League when Dicksboro won handily and today proved to be another chapter in the book of battles between the two. There was serious talent on display on the pitch from both sides with numerous current and ex county players sprinkled throughout both sides.
And it was two of those Kilkenny players that struck first for both sides, Kellyann Doyle for Piltown and Aoife Prendergast both put frees over the bar to get the scoreboard moving. Ruby Norris, an underage star for Kilkenny, then broke though the away defence and from out on the left wing, she put Piltown ahead. The puckouts throughout the game were crucial and such was the fight for possession when struck long, both sides were mixing long with short to try build from the back line.
Jenny Clifford wearing number 11, was drifting around the midfield and was pulling the strings for the away side, and she had a go herself after 12 minutes to put her side up by a point. She was trouble for Piltown as she drifted between the lines and left the Piltown defenders struggling to go or stay, stick or twist and follow her. Laura Norris and Aoife Landers were doing a good job though, with Landers sweeping up loose ball to good effect.
The play was swinging from end to end, Dicksboro were getting plenty of opportunities, but were putting them wide, eight in total for the first half, with Piltown being far better with accuracy. Kellyann Doyle was deadly accurate from frees, putting five of them over the bar in the first half, Prendergast on the other side was having a rare off day and was missing.
Amy Clifford got space, and she did what she does and raised a white flag, soon followed by Rachel Dowling with another to level the scores coming up to half time, Grace Farrell put the home side deservedly ahead in injury to leave the score at half time
PILTOWN 0 -08 DICKSBORO 0 -07
The second half exploded into life straight from the throw in, Aoife Doyle got possession on the left wing and raced past flat-footed defenders and struck the sliotar hard over Cara Duggans crossbar to increase the lead to two. The intensity was higher from the home side in this half, and after another free was given, Aoife Prendergast was back on target as she struck the ball over at the Road end to reduce the lead to one again.
It was tit for tat, end to end, no quarter asked or given, with both sides taking turns to score. Prendergast continued her hot streak from frees, and that was keeping the away side in the game. Neither side bothered the keepers as such was the battle out the field, with a large amount of turnovers and misplaced passing due to the intensity of the tackles, that the strikes at goal were for points from distance. The 3 Doyle sisters were to have a major say, with Aoife and Kellyann, turning the screw, a little bit more coming down the home straight with points. Dicksboro sub-Orla Hanrick got two points to level the score on the 30th minute. Who could get the victory?
Another sub was to have her say though, with a super point from distance from Aine Doyle putting the home side back in front as we headed into injury time, Dicksboro tried to get free to get shots off, but great defending from Danielle Carroll, Karen Duggan and Jenni O’Dea forced vital turnovers to keep them out.
The final say was left to nippy corner forward Sophie Holden, she made no mistake & finished off the game in the fifth minute of injury time with a point.
An encouraging win for Piltown, with Dicksboro probably paying the price for the wides in the first half.
Both sides will play their final League game on September 6th
FINAL SCORE: PILTOWN 0 -15 DICKSBORO 0 -13
Teams:
PILTOWN – Aoife Norris, Jenni O’Dea, Laura Norris, Danielle Carroll, Aoife Landers, Patsy Kenny, Karen Duggan, Alice Talbot, Ellen O’Keeffe, Grace Farrell, Katie Power, Sophie Holden, Ruby Norris, Kellyann Doyle, Aoife Doyle
Dicksboro – Cara Duggan, Sarah O’Gorman, Angela Carroll, Eva Tynan, Niamh Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Katie Byrne, Aobha O’Gorman, Tara McGrath, Rachel Dowling, Jenny Clifford, Aisling Browne, Aoife Prendergast, Amy Clifford, Rose Kelly.
By PRO Fri 28th Aug
