Kilkenny Camogie- Champions Dicksboro get off to winning ways in title chase
Dicksboro 1-15 Windgap 0-4
Defending champions Dicksboro opened their defence of the senior championship crown with a good win over Windgap.
When the sides met in last year’s county final the ’Boro reigned supreme on a 3-18 to 1-11 scoreline. Their winning margin might have only been a point greater this time, but the result was just as emphatic.
Aoife Prendergast opened the scoring for county, Leinster and All-Ireland champions with a point from a 45m free inside two minutes, adding another pointed free four minutes later.
The city side were in full flow and kicked on when Aobha O’Gorman scored a nice point after some good work from Orla Hanrick.
Then, in the 11th minute, Ciara Phelan drifted loose in the full-forward position. She fielded the sliotar, turned and rattled the back of the Windgap net.
Molly Walsh scored a fine point from play to open Windgap’s account. This was followed shortly afterwards by a Jenny Saunders free. It looked like they would press on, but Aoife Prendergast slotted over three points from frees between the 15th and 24th minute as Dicksboro took control again.
Heading towards the interval, Dicksboro were awarded a free in the middle of the pitch. Amy Clifford slotted it over to leave the half time score 1-7 to 0-2 in favour of the city side.
On the resumption of play, Rachel Dowling hit a lovely point for Dicksboro. Asha McHardy, Aoife Prendergast (free) and Amy Clifford added a point each for the ’Boro as they pushed the lead out even further.
Ciara O’Shea pointed a free for Windgap, the sliotar deflecting off Tara Clifford’s hurl. It was a brief respite though, as Dicksboro hit another three unanswered points from Asha McHardy and Aoife Prendergast (0-2).
Ona Kennedy, the under-16 All-Ireland Poc Fada champion, scored a pointed free for Windgap heading towards full-time, but they couldn’t close the gap on their rivals.
Dicksboro play St Martin’s away next weekend while Windgap will be hoping for better fortunes when they are at home to the Rower-Inistioge.
Teams and scorers
Dicksboro – Aoife Prendergast (0-9, frees); Ciara Phelan (1-0); Asha McHardy (0-2); Amy Clifford (0-2, 0-1 free); Aobha O’Gorman, Rachel Dowling (0-1 each).
Windgap – Ona Kennedy (0-1, free); Molly Walsh, Jenny Saunders, Ciara O’Shea (0-1 each).
Dicksboro – Kirsty Maher; Jane Cass, Tara Clifford, Angela Carroll; Niamh Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Katie Byrne; Ciara Phelan, Aobha O’Gorman; Asha McHardy, Amy Clifford, Tara McGrath; Rachel Dowling, Aoife Prendergast, Orla Hanrick.
Subs: Caoimhe Carroll for Tara McGrath, Cara Duggan for Rachel Dowling.
Windgap – Ali Kennedy; Laura Doyle, Eimear Moylan, Ava Lilly O’Neill; Orlaith O’Shea, Margaret Purcell, Nathania Jackson; Gillian Costello, Caoimhe Power; Ona Kennedy, Ciara O’Shea, Molly Walsh; Aisling O’Shea, Jenny Saunders, Sontae Jackson.
Subs: Sarah Doherty for Laura Doyle, Megan Kenneally for Jenny Saunders, Sarah McCarthy for Sontae Jackson, Eimear Smith for Aisling O’Shea.