Dicksboro claim emphatic camogie league success with win over Thomastown

Dicksboro, the All Ireland club champions in 2024, served notice to all their rivals for the Kilkenny senior club championship this year with a convincing victory in the senior league final on Sunday morning.

This match was very competitive for long periods but Dicksboro’s greater ability to get scores at key moments and a strong finish saw them home with a bit to spare.

Thomastown will be disappointed at the final outcome but they too have had a fine league campaign with strong performances in the quarter-final and semi-finals which put them in good shape as we approach the start of our championship season on August 17th.

Dicksboro were backed by the wind elements and had 1-2 on the board inside the opening five minutes with the goal coming from Aoife Prendergast.

Thomastown battled well in all areas for the next 15 minutes led by Eva Hynes at centre forward but were finding it difficult to make inroads against a resolute Dicksboro defence where Tara Clifford and Katie Byrne were impressive.

At midfield, Ciara Phelan was exerting a strong influence for Dicksboro while the Dicksboro full forward line seemed to have more space to operate with their half-forward line lying deeper towards the midfield area.

A second goal for Dicksboro by Rose Kelly helped the city side to a healthy 2-7 to 0-5 half-time lead.

The second half was played in warmer conditions which lessened the wind impact, and the Boro girls were always the likely winners.

Their backs were again impressive limiting Thomastown to just two further points while at the other end, scores flowed from Asha McHardy (who ended up with five points from play), Rose Kelly, and Aoife Prendergast.

Thomastown battled to the end with Eva Hynes and substitute Blaithnaid Galway in attack leading the way but they couldn’t make inroads against the Boro rearguard.

Overall, a strong finish to the league from the Dicksboro girls who will take stopping in the upcoming championship.

Dicksboro: Cara Duggan, Jane Cass, Tara Clifford, Angela Carroll, Niamh Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Katie Byrne, Tara McGrath, Ciara Phelan, Asha McHardy (0-4), Lucinda Gahan, Amy Clifford (0-2), Aoife Prendergast (1-5), Jenny Clifford (1-0), Rose Kelly (1-1).

Subs: Ali Greaney, Caoimhe Carroll, Aisling Browne (0-2), Sofie Roberts, Bronagh Doheny, Izzy Egan, Danielle Kenny, Sarah
O’Gorman, Niamh O’Donoghue, Sinead Carroll, Isobel Fahy, Izzy Roberts, Orla Hanrick.

Thomastown: Libby Begley, Niamh O’Shea, Kate McDonald, Marie Farrell, Ellen Ryan, Roisin O’Keeffe, Joanne Fitzpatrick, Orla O’Keeffe, Caoimhe Fennelly, Sinead O’Keeffe, Eva Hynes (0-6), Sarah Barcoe, Niamh Galway (0-1), Michelle Donnelly, Therese Donnelly.

Subs: Clodagh Galway, Una Donnelly, Roisin Moran, Ellen Treacy, Samantha Kavanagh, Ailis O’Shea, Sarah Hudson, Sinead
Galway, Blaithnaid Galway, Megan O’Reilly, Anna Morrissey, Laura Tennyson, Fiona Farrell.

Referee: Paul Hunston.