Kilkenny SHC- High flying Dicksboro ease past Mullinavat challenge

A blistering start paved the way for Dicksboro as they claimed a 14 point victory over Mullinavat in the quarter-finals of the St Canices Credit Union Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship at UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday afternoon.

From the moment Timmy Clifford found the net within 20 seconds it was mainly plain sailing for the winners and with Andy Gaffney scoring 1-13, they can move into the semi-finals with plenty of confidence.

Dicksboro didn’t have to be brilliant to advance either and after defeating O’Loughlin Gaels a week earlier, it was a very disappointing performance from a Mullinavat side that was always chasing their tail.

Of Mullinavat’s 1-11 tally, only 1-4 of it came from play and in essence that lack of cutting edge up front was largely the difference between the sides.

One worry for Michael Walsh and Dicksboro was the fact that they lined up without the injured Cillian Buckley and with such a short turnaround to their semi-final clash with James Stephens, the Kilkenny star may be in a race against time to be fit.

Mullinavat have largely struggled when playing in UPMC Nowlan Park in recent years and their mood wouldn’t have improved when Clifford netted in the opening minute after Mark Nolan found the youngster in space and he finished to the top corner in style.

Andy Gaffney then knocked over three successive points from play and almost in the blink of an eye, the city side went 1-3 to 0-0 ahead within six minutes of play.

John Walsh scored 1-7 in total for Mullinavat and he got his side off the mark with an 8th minute free but despite playing against the breeze, they looked in a bit of bother when Gaffney converted successive frees.

The Boro led by seven at that stage and while Mullinavat replied with efforts from play by Ger Malone and Padraig Dempsey, it didn’t effect the city side all too much as Gaffney, Clifford and Liam Moore added to a scoreboard which read 1-9 to 0-3 in favour of the winners.

Walsh and Dempsey briefly kept the Vegas boys in touch but when Liam Moore goaled on the other side of a brace of frees from Gaffney, the game looked done as Dicksboro went into the dressing rooms leading 2-11 to 0-5.

Like Dicksboro in the opening half, Mullinavat got in for an early goal chance on the resumption and John Walsh had two attempts to score but after his first effort was blocked, Boro goalkeeper Darragh Holohan then saved well to deny him as he helped the sliotar past the post.

While Walsh knocked over the subsequent 65, Gaffney then cancelled it out with a long distance free.
Mullinavat did look a lot more lively than they were in the first 30 minutes and Walsh got his reward with a goal in the 33rd minute.

The former Kilkenny minor star then knocked over another free to reduce the gap to eight points before the turning point of the half arrived when Walsh again broke free after being released by Ger Malone but Holohan stood tall to deny the Mullinavat corner forward.

A goal there would have reduced the gap to five points and with a bit of momentum behind them , Mullinavat may have fancied their chances but after Holohan's save the defeated side only scored four more points in the remainder of the game.

In contrast Dicksboro scored 1-7 in the final quarter as they eased clear of Mullinavat on the scoreboard.

Gaffney continued to torment the Mullinavat defence with two more points before the man of the match then scored Dicksboro’s third goal in the 53rd minute when he pounced on a poorly directed puckout from Sean Fitzpatrick and while it took two attempts, he made no mistake in finding the net.

Gaffney, Clifford and sub Harry Shine then knocked over three more points on the bounce as the winners went through the gears before the end.

To their credit, Mullinavat kept at it with Walsh and Ger Malone pointing in the final few minutes but this heavy defeat brings an end to the South Kilkenny side’s year.

Dicksboro on the other hand are now only 60 minutes away from a second county final in three years  as they get ready for a mouthwatering last four date with James Stephens.

Teams & Scorers

Dicksboro- Andy Gaffney (1-13, seven frees, one 65), Timmy Clifford (1-2), Liam Moore (1-1), Bill Sheehan (0-2), Harry Shine (0-1)

Mullinavat- John Walsh (1-7, six frees, one 65), Ger Malone, Padraig Dempsey (0-2 each)

Dicksboro - Darragh Holohan; Niall Rowe, Evan Cody, Alan Phelan; Ollie Walsh, Padraic Moylan, Evan Carroll; Thomas Kenny, Eoin Fennelly; Liam Moore, Bill Sheehan, Timmy Clifford; Aidan Nolan, Mark Nolan, Andy Gaffney.

Subs- Harry Shine for A.Nolan 44 mins, Chris Kavanagh for M.Nolan 53 mins, Shane Stapleton for Clifford 57 mins, Conor Fitzpatrick for Phelan 59 mins.

Mullinavat - Sean Fitzpatrick; George O’Connor, Tom Aylward, Simon Aylward; Rob Malone, Michael Malone, Padraic Gahan; Padraig Dempsey, Brian Phelan; Adam Mansfield, Willie O'Dwyer, Ian Duggan; Ger Malone, Liam Fennelly, John Walsh.

Subs- Conor Walsh for Phelan 52 mins, Mikey Jones for Fennelly 52 mins, Peter McDonald for R.Malone 56 mins, Robin Davis for Mansfield 59 mins.

Referee - Conor Everard