Kilkenny SHL- Glenmore snatch late win in cracking affair with Dicksboro

A stoppage time score from Robbie Fitzgerald was enough to give Glenmore a come from behind victory in a thrilling senior league encounter with Dicksboro last Saturday.

Coupled with second half goals from Cathal Beirne and Ciaran Kirwan, the South Kilkenny side reeled in a Dicksboro team that looked the likely winners for the vast majority of the contest.

Glenmore can also be thankful to their Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy after he brilliantly denied Patrick Lacey late on in a save that kept them in the game.

Played in front of a large attendance in Mooncoin, the Glenmore lads made all the early running as they opened up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes. A trio of Ian Byrne frees as well a Cathal Beirne effort from play helped Glenmore take the initiative but even at that early stage, the lead should have been much bigger after they squandered a number of scoring opportuities.

Dicksboro stayed in touch via Ollie Walsh, Patrick Lacey and Timmy Clifford and by the halfway mark of the half they were on level terms with the lively Clifford leaving the sides deadlocked at 0-5 apiece.

The city team then took full command of the round 4 league affair with Clifford’s equaliser commencing during a six point on the trot spell with Joe Sheehan and Padraic Moylan adding to the tally. Ian Byrne ended a 12 minute scoreless spell with an Ian Byrne free but with Lacey landing two placed balls himself, it was Dicksboro that were in control as they led 0-11 to 0-6 at the change of ends.

A Cathal Beirne goal within three minutes of the resumption gave Glenmore an immediate route back into the game but the good feeling didn’t last long as Dicksboro skipped clear again via points from Lacey, Clifford, Cillian Hackett and Liam Moore.

Trailing by six going into the final quarter, Glenmore looked in a degree of bother but with the Boro only scoring three more points, Seamus Dollard’s team sensed an opportunity.

A Ciaran Kirwan goal after Cathal Beirne had a shot saved narrowed the gap back to two with five minutes remaining and it was anyone’s game.

Successive efforts from Ian Byrne and Alan Murphy levelled up matters before Padraic Moylan landed a monstrous effort from distance. Lacey’s goal chance soon followed before Cathal Beirne and Robbie Fitzgerald scored the last two points to gift Glenmore the win by the narrowest of margins.

Teams and Scorers

Glenmore: Ian Byrne (0-7, 6fs); Cathal Beirne (1-4); Ciaran Kirwan (1-1); Alan Murphy, Robbie Fitzgerald, Ger Aylward (0-1 each)

Dicksboro: Patrick Lacey (0-9, 6fs); Timmy Clifford (0-4); Padraic Moylan (0-2, 1f); Cillian Hackett (0-2); Joe Sheehan, Liam Moore, Ollie Walsh (0-1 each)

Glenmore: Eoin Murphy Richie Hennessy, Eoin Aylward, Jack Dollard; Tomas Mullally, Shane Murphy, Darragh Vereker; Darragh Hartley, Colm Roche; Ian Byrne, Charlie Phelan, Cathal Beirne; Alan Murphy, Ciaran Kirwan, Ethan Phelan.

Subs: Billy Reid for C.Phelan, h-t; Michael Harney for Roche, h-t; Ger Aylward for Kirwan, h-t; Jason Cody for Hartley, 45 mins; Robbie Fitzgerald for E.Phelan, 50 mins.

Dicksboro: Darragh Holohan; Niall Rowe, Padraic Moylan, Tommy Farrell; Eoin Fennelly, Cillian Buckley, Tom McPhillips; Kevin Moore, Joe Sheehan; Timmy Clifford, Liam Moore, James Carroll; Cillian Hackett, Ollie Walsh, Patrick Lacey.

Subs: Mark Nolan for McPhillips, 28 mins; Aran Murphy for Walsh, 55 mins.

Referee: Maurice Flynn