Kilkenny SHC- Final surge helps Dicksboro advance past Glenmore

Dicksboro are back into the Kilkenny senor hurling championship semi-finals after running out impressive six point winners over Glenmore on Saturday afternoon.

The ’Boro had a mixed league campaign but on the back of an opening round success over Graigue Ballycallan, they looked much sharper than their opponents on the day.

Shane Stapleton and Liam Moore both contributed 1-4 to the winners tally and the two first half goals meant Glenmore were chasing for a lot of the contest.

A second half goal from Ciaran Kirwan did get the South Kilkenny outfit back to within a point but with Timmy Clifford excelling at centre-forward and Patrick Lacey providing big bench impact, Eamonn Jackman’s team had the edge in the end.

It was an end to end open game of hurling and while it may have lacked the intensity and fervour of a knockout championship clash, it was no less entertaining and it was Dicksboro who started the better with early points from Cillian Buckley and Liam Moore.

After Ian Byrne converted Glenmore’s first effort from a free, they then sprung to life with Cathal Beirne finding the net in the sixth minute after Ciaran Kirwan won a big turnover near the danger zone.

It was only brief joy for Glenmore however as Dicksboro responded with a quickfire 1-2 as Shane Stapleton and Evan Cody pointed before the experienced Stapleton blasted in the city side’s first goal.

Ian Byrne was Glenmore’s shining light in attack at this stage and while he knocked over a pair of frees to leave his team in touch, the Boro were relentless during this period with Stapleton continuing to cause havoc in the full-forward line.

When the big full-forward added on three more points, it left the ’Boro in a double scores 1-8 to 1-4 lead and things got even better when Liam Moore scored a cracking individual goal just before the break.

Glenmore were in desperate need of a response and they did finish the half well with points from Ian Byrne, Ger Aylward and Charlie Phelan leaving them just four adrift at the change of ends.

Timmy Clifford had a superb second half for the Palmerstown side and he extended the lead with the first effort of the second half to leave them as 2-10 to 1-8 leaders.

Between the 35th and 41st minutes Glenmore rattled back into the last eight clash with successive scores from Charlie Phelan, Darragh Hartley, Ciaran Kirwan and Ian Byrne leaving the minimum between the teams.

Two more Timmy Clifford points were replied by an Alan Murphy score as the Boro led by three points going into the final quarter.

Liam Moore and Ollie Walsh then added to the Dicksboro tally but Glenmore wouldn’t go away quietly and when Ciaran Kirwan grabbed his side’s second goal, there was again only a point between the teams.

Further ’Boro efforts from Clifford and Patrick Lacey threatened to push them clear but with Ian Byrne hitting back with two more Glenmore frees, it looked like they had the momentum going into the final few minutes.

Glenmore couldn’t quite reel the city side in though as Dicksboro found a second wind and five points on the trot put the game beyond their opponents.

Patrick Lacey, Joe Sheehan, Timmy Clifford and Cillian Hackett all split the posts in the final flourish as they outstayed Glenmore to advance to the last four.

Teams and Scorers

Dicksboro - Shane Stapleton (1-4, 3fs); Liam Moore (1-4); Timmy Clifford (0-5); Patrick Lacey (0-4, 2fs); Cillian Hackett (0-3); Ollie Walsh, Joe Sheehan, Cillian Buckley, Evan Cody (0-1 each)

Glenmore - Ian Byrne (0-11, 8fs); Cathal Beirne, Ciaran Kirwan (1-1 each); Charlie Phelan (0-2); Ger Aylward, Alan Murphy, Darragh Hartley (0-1 each)

Dicksboro - Darragh Holohan; Niall Rowe, Padraic Moylan, Evan Cody; Eoin Fennelly, Cillian Buckley, Eoghan Moylan; Joe Sheehan, Ollie Walsh; Timmy Clifford, Liam Moore, Kevin Moore; Cillian Hackett, Shane Stapleton, Matthew Kelleher.

Subs: Patrick Lacey for Stapleton, 40 mins; Mark Nolan for E Moylan, 53 mins; James Carroll for Kelleher, 61 mins.

Glenmore - Eoin Murphy; Richie Hennessy, Eoin Aylward, Jack Dollard; Tomas Mullally, Shane Murphy, Darragh Vereker; Darragh Hartley, Billy Reid; Ian Byrne, Alan Murphy, Cathal Beirne; Ger Aylward, Ciaran Kirwan, Charlie Phelan.

Subs: Robbie Fitzgerald for G Aylward, 47 mins; Michael Harney for Reid, 47 mins; Jason Cody for Phelan, 56 mins.

Referee - Conor Everard.