Kilkenny SHC- Dicksboro the better team in one-sided affair with Graigue Ballycallan

Dicksboro were always in control as they emphatically got the better of Graigue-Ballycallan in a rather disappointing round one championship fixture in Freshford on Sunday afternoon.

All the talk in the build-up to the weekend’s game was about the Ballycallan managerial scenario which saw Declan Browne leave his post after the last league game with Erin’s Own (Castlecomer).

If the new yet brief management team of James Ryall, Eddie Brennan and Richie O’Neill were after an instant reaction, they will have been left disappointed after the ’Boro dominated the knockout clash from start to finish.

Led by a commanding display from Cillian Buckley in defence and multiple scoring contributions from the likes of Harry Shine, Matthew Kelleher and Timmy Clifford, Michael Walsh’s side put the game to bed in double quick time.

Dicksboro raced into attack from the start and by the end of the first minute they had already scored twice via points from Timmy Clifford and Liam Moore.

Ballycallan replied through Sean Ryan while Tommy Ronan added further to their total a couple of minutes later but the ’Boro were much more regular in their scoregetting. By the 11th minute they led 0-7 to 0-2 with Cillian Hackett, Harry Shine, Bill Sheehan and Ollie Walsh all finding their range.

Stephen Keoghan, Tom Dunphy and Aaron McEvoy got the beaten side’s only remaining points in the opening half while in contrast Dicksboro continued to attack and score at will.

With Harry Shine causing huge problems and the likes of Evan Cody getting forward to score, the game was all but over as a contest by half-time with the city side holding a 0-16 to 0-5 advantage.

Like in the first half, Timmy Clifford and Liam Moore got the opening two points of the second half. Minutes later the team in maroon and white also got the first goal of the game when Harry Shine and Joe Sheehan combined to set up Matthew Kelleher who finished past Jack Walton.

The ’Boro did take their foot off the gas in the aftermath of that goal, allowing Ballycallan to get a bit of momentum behind them with Aaron McEvoy very much to the fore.

The Kilkenny under-20 star scored a fine goal late on as he batted the shot to the net with five minutes remaining but it was only a rare highlight for the beaten side as Dicksboro booked their place in a championship quarter-final in a fortnight’s time.

Teams and Scorers

Dicksboro - Harry Shine (0-7, 0-3 frees, 0-1 65); Matthew Kelleher (1-2); Cillian Hackett (0-4); Liam Moore (0-3); Timmy Clifford, Bill Sheehan, Kevin Moore (0-2 each); Ollie Walsh, Evan Cody (0-1 each).

Graigue-Ballycallan - Aaron McEvoy (1-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65); Sean Ryan, Tommy Ronan, Tom Dunphy, Stephen Keoghan, Jesse Roberts (0-1 each).

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

Subs: Evan Murphy for Cody, 51 mins; Mark Nolan for Walsh, 52 mins; Shane Stapleton for L Moore, 56 mins; Billy Fitzpatrick for C Buckley 59 mins.

Graigue-Ballycallan - Jack Walton; Jeff Neary, Conor Flynn, Stephen Keoghan; Colum Prendiville, Tom Dunphy, Billy O’Neill; Sean Ryan, Aaron Brennan; Billy Ryan, Tommy Ronan, Ryan Corcoran; Conor Murphy, Jesse Roberts, Aaron McEvoy.

Subs: Ben Young for Brennan, 46 mins; Sean O’Dwyer for Corcoran, 49 mins; Killian Egan for Ronan, 54 mins.

Referee - Richard Holland (Tullaroan).