Kilkenny SHL Final- Dicksboro claim deserved league success

Dicksboro claimed a first senior hurling league title since 2020 when claiming a 13-point victory over Glenmore in a one-sided affair at UPMC Nowlan Park last Saturday afternoon.

The ’Boro were always in a degree of control as they made it six wins on the bounce in the league and they now move into the championship full of confidence.

Glenmore had started well but opening half goals from Aidan Nolan and Bill Sheehan gave the city side a sizeable advantage that they maintained till the end of the game.

Glenmore will be disappointed with their overall performance but their main priority will now be to follow up top spot in the league with a big display when they too head on the championship road next weekend.

Dicksboro raced out of the blocks and had 1-2 on the board within four minutes of play.

A Shane Stapleton free and a Cillian Hackett effort from play were followed by a wonderful goal from wing forward Aidan Nolan.

Nolan picked the ball up in his own half and with space opening up he drove forward with great pace before firing the ball past Mikey Kirwan in the Glenmore goal.

Alan Murphy then knocked over Glenmore’s opening point via a free and they began to grow into the game with Murphy again on target as well as Ian Byrne.

The Boro were still very much in control by the halfway mark of the half though as Shane Stapleton, Liam Moore and Bill Sheehan all found the range.

Glenmore were proving more than capable opponents for the Palmerstown based outfit and when Ger Aylward, Ian Byrne and Alan Murphy scored in successive attacks, a game looked on with only two points separating the teams.

The rest of the half was all one way traffic however with Glenmore’s only scores coming from Shane and Alan Murphy while in that same time frame, Dicksboro notched 1-4 to their tally.

Pointed efforts from Stapleton, Cillian Hackett and Tom Kenny made it 1-8 to 0-7 in favour of the winners before team captain Bill Sheehan then danced his way through a number of attempted tackles on his way to shooting his side’s second goal.

Timmy Clifford and Aidan Nolan then rounded off the half’s scoring as the Boro went into the dressing rooms content with their work as they led 2-10 to 0-8.

The second half proved to be very disappointing and neither team will have been impressed at how they performed as they only shared six points between them throughout the third quarter.

Dicksboro were kept ticking over by Sheehan, Stapleton and Aidan Nolan with Glenmore’s retaliation arriving from the sticks of key forwards Ger Aylward, Ian Byrne and top scorer Alan Murphy.

Dicksboro’s mind clearly wandered towards future challenges as Glenmore got the gap back to six points heading into the final few minutes.

Alan Murphy hit three frees between the sticks on the bounce and with Ger Aylward and Ian Byrne contributing three points from play each, Bob Aylward’s side remained very much in touch.

Like the first half though Glenmore very much faded with their final point arriving in the 53rd minute.

A few half chances at goal was as much joy as they got as a stout Boro defence gradually got on top of their men.

Cillian Buckley and Shane Stapleton kept the league winners tipping over and Stapleton who was a late entrant into the team in place of Andy Gaffney got his just reward when getting the Boro’s third goal that put a gap between the teams on the scoreboard.

Stapleton also knocked over three more points while Cillian Hackett continued his fine form with another composed display.

Barrow Rangers official Patrick O’Reilly then called time on proceedings as the Boro ran out 3-19 to 0-15 victors in the windup.

Dicksboro boss Michael Walsh will be delighted to get a league title on the board but Sunday night’s draw will have certainly tempered the celebrations as they face into a collision with Shamrocks.

The biggest worry ahead of that game appears to be the fitness of Harry Shine with the talented youngster not featuring since he hobbled off injured in the final league win over Tullaroan in Ballyragget.

Glenmore on the other hand look to have a clean bill of health as they too face into a difficult assignment and a seven day turnaround when facing a vibrant Bennettsbridge.

Both teams will have got plenty from their league efforts but that’ll quickly be forgotten when the sliotar throws in this weekend.

Teams and Scorers

Dicksboro: Shane Stapleton (1-8, 0-7 frees); Aidan Nolan, Bill Sheehan (1-2 each); Cillian Hackett (0-3); Cillian Buckley, Liam Moore, Tom Kenny, Timmy Clifford (0-1 each).

Glenmore: Alan Murphy (0-8, 0-7 frees); Ger Aylward, Ian Byrne (0-3 each); Shane Murphy (0-1).

Dicksboro: Darragh Holohan; Padraic Moylan, Niall Rowe, Evan Cody; Eoin Fennelly, Tom Kenny, Timmy Clifford; Ollie Walsh, Cillian Hackett; Cillian Buckley, Liam Moore, Aidan Nolan; Bill Sheehan, Mark Nolan, Shane Stapleton.

Subs: Aran Murphy for Moore, 52 mins; James Carroll for Walsh, 55 mins; Eoghan Moylan for M Nolan, 60 mins; Stephen Dermody for Fennelly, 60 mins.

Glenmore: Mikey Kirwan; Ciaran Vereker, Eoin Aylward, Sean Duggan; Shane Murphy, Eoin Murphy, Billy Reid; Shane Doherty, Richie Hennessy; Cathal Beirne, Alan Murphy, Dean Croke; Ethan Phelan, Ger Aylward, Ian Byrne.

Subs: Robbie Fitzgerald for Croke, h/t; Darragh Hartley for Hennessy, h/t; Charlie Phelan for E Phelan, 45 mins; Thomas Mullally for B Reid, 48 mins.

Referee - Patrick O’Reilly (Barrow Rangers)