The ’Boro fare best in tussle with old foes Thomastown

Dicksboro made it two wins on the spin when they had a comprehensive victory over old foes Thomastown in the second round of the league championship in Grennan on Sunday.

Keen to build on their five-point opening day win over Piltown, the city side were quick out of the blocks and took the lead when Amy Clifford opened the scoring with a fine point in the first minute. Orla Hanrick and Ciara Phelan added points for the ’Boro before Eva Hynes got the hosts off the mark when she pointed a free in the fourth minute.

The visitors pressed on and, after some great defending, the sliotar was played upfield where Jenny Clifford slotted over a beautiful point.

Dicksboro seemed to be well on top but, by the eighth minute, the match was level after Eva Hynes scored a free and Sarah Barcoe hit two points from play.

Orla Hanrick slotted over a fine point after Ciara Phelan picked her out with a great crossfield pass. Asha McHardy added another point for the ’Boro after running along the bank sideline, pausing only to split the posts. Rachel Dowling also pointed for the Dicksboro after Ciara Phelan found her in an unmarked position.

Eimear Farrell scored a point for Thomastown to narrow the gap to two points, but the ’Boro added four unanswered points through Aoife Prendergast, Aobha O’Gorman, Amy Clifford and Rachel Dowling to take a firm grip on the game.

Eva Hynes tried to get the Thomastown revival going when she slotted over a 45 metre free, but they suffered a setback when Dicksboro struck the game’s only goal with 23 minutes on the clock.

Asha McHardy started the move when she ran along the bank sideline and hit a low shot towards the Thomastown goal. Aoife Prendergast was alive to the threat, pulling on the sliotar and sending it to the back of the net to put the ’Boro 1-11 to 0-6 ahead.

Asha McHardy and Orla Hanrick added another two points for the city side before Eva Hynes finished the first half scoring with a pointed free for Thomastown to leave the interval score 1-13 to 0-7 in favour of the girls in maroon.

On the resumption Dicksboro hit a purple patch, scoring five unanswered points through Aoife Prendergast (3), Jenny and Amy Clifford.

Eva Hynes replied again when she pointed for Thomastown before the ’Boro conjured up another scoring run, hitting four unanswered points through Asha McHardy, Ciara Phelan, Aoife Prendergast and Jenny Clifford.

Thomastown did score two points through Ruth Ryan and a free from Eva Hynes, but the city side finished out the scoring with three points from Amy Clifford, Aoife Prendergast and Jenny Clifford as they sealed an impressive win.

Teams and scorers

Dicksboro – Aoife Prendergast (1-6, 0-2 frees); Amy Clifford, Jenny Clifford (0-4 each); Orla Hanrick, Asha McHardy (0-3 each); Ciara Phelan, Rachel Dowling (0-2 each); Aobha O’Gorman (0-1).

Thomastown – Eva Hynes (0-6, 0-5 frees); Sarah Barcoe (0-2); Eimear Farrell, Ruth Ryan (0-1 each).

Dicksboro – Kirsty Maher, Jane Cass, Tara Clifford, Katie Byrne, Niamh Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Tara McGrath, Aobha O’Gorman, Ciara Phelan, Orla Hanrick, Aoife Prendergast, Rachel Dowling, Amy Clifford, Jenny Clifford, Asha McHardy.

Subs: Rose Kelly for Orla Hanrick, Caoimhe Carroll for Katie Byrne, Aisling Browne for Aobha O’Gorman, Bronagh Doheny for Tara Clifford, Niamh O’Donoghue for Rachel Dowling, Lucinda Gahan, Sarah O’Gorman, Danielle Kenny, Kate O’Neill, Isabel Roberts, Emer Phelan, Becky Peters, Angela Carroll, Isabelle Egan, Orlaith Trait, Sinead Carroll, Kate Dowling, Kate O’Neill, Eva Healy.

Thomastown – Libby Begley, Niamh O’Shea, Una Donnelly, Ciara Morrissey, Ailis O’Shea, Roisin O’Keeffe, Joanne Fitzpatrick, Orla O’Keeffe, Sinead O’Keeffe, Therese Donnelly, Eimear Farrell, Niamh Donnelly, Eimear Donnelly, Eva Hynes, Sarah Barcoe.

Subs: Ellen Ryan for Ailis O’Shea, Orlaith Kirwan for Ciara Morrissey, Ruth Ryan for Orla O’Keeffe, Michelle Donnelly, Aoife Coverdale, Niamh Galway, Roisin McElwee.