Kilkenny GAA Recap: "It’s a great feeling" - 'Boro boss over the moon with final win

Dreams of a James Stephens three in a row were crushed by an impressive Dicksboro on Saturday afternoon as the Palmerstown outfit took the Roinn A spoils for the first time since 2022.

On that occasion, a dramatic 64th minute point winner from Billy Fitzpatrick gave the 'Boro a stunning one point victory over their near neighbours, with not quiet the same level of drama required last weekend as the men in marooned avenged their final defeat of 12 months ago to cement their place at the top of the grade’s roll of honour.

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“It’s a great feeling, it’s what we set out to do at the start of the year,” Dicksboro manager Padraig Lacey said after the match.

“They’ve been great lads, they’ve trained all year and they’ve just trained really, really well,” he continued.

“We lost to the Village in the league, which probably worked out in our favour as they were much better than us on the night.

“Sometimes these things can work in your favour and I think that did.”

“With this group of players there has been that rivalry with the Village since they’ve been under-13s and it’s a good healthy rivalry I think,” Lacey added.

MATCH REPORT - In a first half where the Village held the led from the ninth minute onwards, Padraic Lacey’s team would have been pleased to have stayed touch throughout while playing against a very strong UPMC Nowlan Park breeze. 

A Bill McDermott goal in the ninth minute edged the Village 1-2 to 0-3 in front with that netted finish along with a magnificent showing from Conor McEvoy, whose scoring total hit double digits, kept the defending champions noses in front.

The best period of the match for Joe Murray’s James Stephens came over a four minute spell where they outscored Dicksboro 0-5 to 0-1 with Conor McEvoy raising the white flags.

The ’Boro’s use of the ball was note-worthy throughout and consistently opened up avenues for scores. Dicksboro senior player Paddy Lacey illustrated that perfectly illustrated that perfectly when he raced up the field and rocketed the ball past Padraig Joyce to net (1-7 to 1-4) on the 14th minute.

The teams traded scores up to half-time and despite trailing by two points at half-time (1-11 to 1-9), Padraig Lacey’s team started the second period like a team on a mission and turned that two point deficit into a two point lead by just the 32nd minute.

A Joe Dowling goal as well as points from Donnacha Hennessy and Robbie Lacey swung the pendulum in Dicksboro’s favour (2-11 to 1-12). The Village didn’t have any answers to those devastating blows as the ‘Boro threw punch after punch.

A further goal from Eoin Moore in a golden patch where the winners outscored their city neighbours 1-6 to 0-1 between the 33rd and 40th minutes all but ended the game as a contest (3-17 to 1-13).

Contributions from Dan Carroll, Sam O’Shea and Anthony Clifford just some of the positives for a team that had found their swagger and appeared to be in charge of every position and individual battle.

Village supporters may have thought a comeback was on midway through the half through a Zac Scanlon goal but those hopes were extinguished as Dicksboro saw out the win.

TEAMS AND SCORERS

Dicksboro - Patrick Lacey (1-6, 0-4f); Joe Dowling (1-3); Eoin Moore (1-0); Donal Carroll, Sam O’Shea, Thomas Treacy, Robbie Lacey (0-2 each); Anthony Clifford, James Kavanagh, Donnacha Hennessy (0-1 each).

James Stephens - Conor McEvoy (0-13, 0-9f); Zac Scanlon (1-1); Diarmuid Behan (0-3); Bill McDermott (1-0).

Dicksboro - Rian Dowling; Bill O’Shea, Sean Kavanagh, Noah Gibbons; Ben Henderson, Louis Raggett, Donnacha Hennesy; Sam O’Shea, James Kavanagh; Anthony Clifford, Patrick Lacey, Dan Carroll; Eoin Moore, Thomas Treacy, Joe Dowling.

Subs: Robbie Lacey.

James Stephens - Padraig Joyce; Tuan Hyland, Larry Phelan, Darragh Behan; James Bergin, Conor Heffernan, Oliver Phelan; Diarmuid Behan, Conor Millea; Darragh Power, Conor McEvoy, Andrew Brennan; Rory Glynn, Zac Scanlon, Bill McDermott.

Subs; James O’Brien, Conor Leahy.

Referee - Eoin Maher (Mullinavat).

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