Loughgiel travel to Ashbourne on Saturday to take on Kilkenny and Leinster champions Dicksboro in the All Ireland semi-final. Here we take a look back at the their Leinster final and semi-final wins over St Vincent’s of Dublin and St Martins of Wexford, plus their emphatic win over Windgap in the Kilkenny final
Many thanks to Billy Culleton for the use of his brilliant photos
Dicksboro win their first Leinster title
AIB Leinster Final
Dicksboro (Kilkenny) 0-12 St Vincent’s (Dublin) 1-7
Dicksboro won their first ever Leinster title when they beat reigning champions St Vincent’s of Dublin by two points in a thrilling final at Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow on Sunday 19th of November.
The Kilkenny champions had to battle all the way to get the better of the Dublin side. The game was level at half time on 0-5 apiece but St Vincents took control early in the second half when left half forward Niamh Heatherton found the Boro net, and when corner forward Ava Lamh pointed to open up a four point gap the Kilkenny side appeared to be in trouble. It was nine minutes into the second half before Dicksboro raised a flag, Aoife Prendergast sending over a free. That score settled the Boro nerves and they started to close the gap, and when Rachael Dowling added another from play the gap was down to two.
Jenny Clifford cut the gap back to the minimum with two pointed frees Prendergast got their noses back in front. In control now the Boro pushed on, actually hitting seven points without reply to take a grip on the game as they opened a three point lead. 0-12 to 1-6’
With just three minutes of normal time left to play St Vincent’s were awarded a free 30 metres from goal and Aishling Maher made a late bid to save the day for her side as she went for goal. However the Dicksboro defence were up to the challenge and the ball was deflected out for a 45.
Maher picked off the point this time to leave just two between the sides, but that was as close as it would get as the Kilkenny champions held out to seal the club’s first provincial title and set up Sunday’s meeting with the Shamrocks in Ashbourne.
Dicksboro – Aoife Prendergast (0-6, frees), Rachel Dowling (0-3), Amy Clifford (0-2), Jenny Clifford (0-1).
St Vincent’s – Aisling Maher (0-4, 0-3 frees); Niamh Hetherton (1-0); Ali Maguire, Anna Sullivan, Ava Lambe (0-1 each).
Dicksboro – Kirsty Maher; Jane Cass, Tara Clifford, Katie Byrne; Niamh Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Ciara Phelan; Ciara O’Shea, Aobha O’Gorman; Asha McHardy, Amy Clifford, Rachel Dowling; Aoife Prendergast, Orla Hanrick, Jenny Clifford (capt).
Subs: Niamh O’Donoghue, Danielle Kenny, Tara McGrath, Bronagh Doheny, Lucinda Gahan, Caoimhe Carroll, Angela Carroll, Rose Kelly, Aisling Browne, Sarah O’Gorman, Orlaith Moore, Emer Phelan, Becky Peters, Sinead Carroll, Isabel Roberts, Rachael Egan, Isabelle Fahy, Isabelle Egan, Kate O’Neill, Libby Carroll.
Leinster Senior Club Semi Final
Boro see of St Martin’s of Wexford
Dicksboro 1-10 St Martin’s (Wexford) 0-8
Dicksboro made their way through to the Leinster Senior Club Final after a hard fought contest with St Marin’s of Wexford at Palmerstown.
The Boro struck early with a point inside the first minute from an Aoife Prendergast free and the high scoring corner forward added another soon afterwards to push the led out to two. However they never raised another flag for the next thirteen minutes and St Martins battled their way back to level things up at 0-6 apiece at half time.
A great individual goal by team captain Jenny Clifford handed the Boro back the imitative early in the new half and they pushed on to stretch their lead to six (1-10 to 0-7) as the brilliant Prendergast kept picking off the points
Ciara O’Connor pulled one back for St Martin’s but that was as close as they would get and the Kilkenny girls kept control to book their place in the Leinster Final!
Scorers – Dicksboro – Aoife Prendergast 0-8 (8f), Jenny Clifford 1-0, Asha McHardy 0-2
St Martin’s – Ciara O’Connor 0-7 (6f), Linda Bolger 0-1
Dicksboro – Kirsty Maher, Jane Cass, Tara Clifford, Katie Byrne, Niamh Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Ciara O’Shea, Ciara Phelan, Aobha O’Gorman, Asha McHardy, Amy Clifford, Rachel Dowling, Aoife Prendergast, Orla Hanrick, Jenny Clifford (Capt)
Subs – Rose Kelly for Orla Hanrick, Tara McGrath for Ciara O’Shea,
Dicksboro overpower first time finalists Windgap
Kilkenny Senior Camogie Final
Dicksboro 3-18 Windgap 1-11
Playing in their fourth final in five years Dicksboro had too much power throughout the field when they faced first time finalists Windgap in last month’s Kilkenny final in Mooncoin. Goals from Clifford and McHardy all but killed off the Windgap challenge by half time, and send the City side in at the break with a 2-11 to 0-5 advantage.
A third goal from Orla Hanrick early in the second half saw them continue where they left off and the actually stretched their lead to seventeen points, such was their dominance. Windgap battled to the end and Denis Gaule got two late points before blasting a twenty metre free to the net, but it was a case of too little, too late at Dicksboro regained the county title they last held in 2021
Scorers – Dicksboro – Aoife Prendergast 0-8 (7f), Asha McHardy 1-4, Amy Clifford 0-3, Jenny Clifford, Orla Hanrick 1-0 each, Rachel Dowling 0-2, Aobha O’Gorman 0-1
Dicksboro – Kirsty Maher, Jane Cass, Tara Clifford, Katie Byrne, Niamh Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Ciara O’Shea, Ciara Phelan, Aobha O’Gorman, Asha McHardy, Amy Clifford, Rachel Dowling, Aoife Prendergast, Orla Hanrick, Jenny Clifford (Capt)
