Dicksboro celebrate back to back senior camogie titles with win over Piltown

​There was senior delight for Dicksboro as they retained their county camogie crown thanks to a confident win over Piltown.

A steely performance in the second quarter, when they hit 1-4 and kept their rivals scoreless, helped the city side pick up their fifth top flight title in eight years in sunny UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday.

Keen to add to their sole senior success of 2024, Piltown made a fine start to the fray, opening the scoring with a pointed free from Kellyann Doyle in the third minute. Aoife Prendergast equalised with a point from play before Kellyann Doyle (P) and Rachel Dowling (D) traded points.

Piltown went back on the attack, firing over three unanswered points through the Doyle sisters Kellyann (two frees) and Aoife to leave the score reading 0-5 to 0-3 in their favour after 18 minutes - but they would not score again until the second half.

After that, Dicksboro took complete control for the rest of the half. Orla Hanrick scored a fine point from play before Asha McHardy added her name to the scoresheet with a point to equalise the game.

An Aoife Prendergast free pushed the city side in front. Then Aobha O’Gorman tacked on a point from play after a neat pass from her midfield partner Tara McGrath.

The ’Boro saved their biggest score for the end. In injury-time, Dicksboro were awarded a free about 50 yards out from goal near Ardan Breathnach. Aoife Prendergast’s shot dropped short but Amy Clifford was on hand to flick the sliotar to the back of the net.

It was a hammer blow for Piltown, who now found themselves trailing by double scores at the interval (1-7 to 0-5).

The South Kilkenny side rallied on the resumption, ending their barren spell with a Kellyann Doyle free. However, Aoife Prendergast and Tara McGrath were quick to hit back, each adding a point for the city side.

Kellyann Doyle and Rachel Dowling traded points before Piltown raised their game again, firing over three unanswered points through Aoife and Kellyann Doyle (free) and Ruby Norris. However, these would prove to be their last scores of the match.

Dicksboro went back on the offensive, stretching their lead through Aoife Prendergast’s pointed free on 49 minutes. Scores proved hard to come by over the next 14 minutes, but the ’Boro made sure the title was theirs with one last Prendergast free.

Dicksboro will now play St Vincent’s (Dublin) in the AIB Leinster semi-final on the weekend of November 7 and 8.

Teams and scorers

Dicksboro: Aoife Prendergast (0-6, 0-5 frees); Amy Clifford (1-0); Rachel Dowling (0-2); Orla Hanrick, Asha McHardy, Aobha O’Gorman, Tara McGrath (0-1 each).

Piltown: Kellyann Doyle (0-7, 0-5 frees), Aoife Doyle (0-2), Ruby Norris (0-1).

Dicksboro: Cara Duggan, Angela Carroll, Tara Clifford (captain), Katie Byrne, Ciara Phelan, Caoimhe Dowling, Aisling Browne, Aobha O’Gorman, Tara McGrath, Asha McHardy, Jenny Clifford, Rachel Dowling, Aoife Prendergast, Orla Hanrick, Amy Clifford.

Subs: Rose Kelly for Asha McHardy, Emma Hogan for Amy Clifford, Jane Cass, Niamh Phelan, Sarah O’Gorman, Eva Tynan, Ali Greany, Caoimhe Carroll, Izzy Roberts, Sophie Roberts, Niamh O’Donoghue, Kate Dowling, Meghan Trait, Naomi Trait, Eva Maher.

Piltown: Aoife Norris, Danielle Carroll, Patsy Kenny, Lorraine Long, Karen Duggan, Aoife Landers, Jenni O’Dea, Laura Norris, Lorna O’Shea, Sophie Holden, Kellyann Doyle, Ruby Norris, Aoife Doyle, Katie Power (captain), Alanna Gallagher.

Subs: Alice Talbot for Lorna O’Shea, Ellen O’Keeffe for Alanna Gallahger, Rachel Tennyson, Leah Cooney, Aoife O’Shea, Aine Doyle, Heather Phelan, Rachel O’Shea, Laoise McKenna, Hillary Power, Antonia Power, Ciara Dunne, Danielle O’Brien, Sinead McCarthy, Lisa Norris, Sarah Tobin, Marie Beth Kirby, Chloe Blackmore, Emma O’Shea, Niamh Culleton.

Player of the Match: Aisling Browne (Dicksboro).

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Thomastown).