Dicksboro claim Minor A Hurling title with decisive win over Callan
Dicksboro 2-17 John Lockes 0-16
Two second half goals from Jack Delaney and James Kavanagh proved the launchpad as Dicksboro defeated John Lockes of Callan in Sunday’s Kilkenny Vehicle Centre Minor A Hurling Championship Final.
The victory secured the Boro of back to back minor crowns and it also moved them to the top of the roll of honour in the grade in the county with 16 titles in total and while they were pushed hard, they were fully deserved winners with the greater spread of scores throughout the team telling in the end.
John Lockes gave it their all with Ollie O’Donovan scoring 0-12 in total but with Callan’s output ending with just the five points from play, credit must go to the Dicksboro defence as they played a huge part in the seven point winning margin.
It was an early start for both teams with the game throwing in at the far from ideal time of 10.45am but a decent crowd still turned out at Kilkenny GAA HQ for the Roinn A decider.
John Lockes were chasing a first success at this level since 1984 and they began the brighter with Kilkenny underage star Ollie O’Donovan converting a pair of frees.
The Boro then hit back with three scores on the spin as Joe Dowling x2 and Sam O’Shea edged the city side in front after eight minutes of action.
Dowling who was named on this year’s minor team of the year after his exploits with Kilkenny had an excellent opening with one of his two efforts being a superb sideline cut while he also had a 21 yard-free blocked on the line.
O’Donovan then followed up with am equalising free before Dowling, Sam O’Shea and Dan Carroll all added to the Dicksboro tally as they led 0-6 to 0-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Dowling and O’Donovan duly swapped frees before John Lockes hit a bit of a purple patch with their first score from play via Paddy O’Brien giving them more belief ahead of O’Donovan landing two more frees to leave the sides deadlocked at 0-7 apiece.
Points from the Dicksboro midfield pairing of Ben Henderson and James Kavanagh pushed the defending champions back in front and while O’Donovan continue to tap away at the frees in response, it was the Boro that held a narrow 0-10 to 0-9 advantage at the interval.
A Dowling free pushed Dicksboro’s lead out to two at the start of the second period but John Lockes were proving to very stubborn opponents and when O’Donovan, Conor Power and Sean Morrissey scored in a three in a row spell, the challengers found themselves ahead on the scoreboard.
The following minutes then saw Callan efforts from O’Donovan and Sean Morrissey cancelled out by Dicksboro points via Sam O’Shea, Jack Delaney and Sam Norton as the teams were deadlocked at 0-14 apiece by the end of the third quarter.
The final stages were dominated by the Boro as two goals in five minutes helped secure the championship success in their favour and it all started when James Kavanagh hit a ground shot to the net on the back of a Joe Dowling free rebouding off the post and the second effort was equally as fortuitous when a long ball towards the goal was batted away by Callan stopper Jack Kennedy but unfortunatley for him it went directly to Jack Delaney who was in the right place at the right time to finish to the net.
Ollie O’Donovan kept Callan plugging away but two frees were their scant tally for the final few minutes as Dicksboro controlled proceedings and with Dowling and Dan Carroll getting further points before the end, the winners ran out 2-17 to 0-16 victors by the full-time whistle.
The win continues a remarkable run at minor level for the club as it claimed a sixth title in the last eight years.
Teams and Scorers
Dicksboro: Joe Dowling (0-7, 4fs); Jack Delaney, James Kavanagh (1-1 each); Sam O’Shea (0-3); Dan Carroll, Ben Henderson (0-2 each); Sam Norton (0-1)
John Lockes: Ollie O’Donovan (0-12, 11fs); Sean Morrissey (0-2); Paddy O’Brien, Conor Power (0-1 each)
Dicksboro: Rian Dowling; Conor Henderson, Sean Kavanagh, Noah Gibbons; Oisin Henderson, Robbie Lacey, Jack Treacy; Ben Henderson, James Kavanagh; Jack Delaney, Dan Carroll, Sean Norton; Sam O’Shea, Joe Dowling, Conor Tynan.
Subs: Sam Norton for Tynan, h-t; Eoin Moore for O.Henderson, 48 mins.
John Lockes: Jack Kennedy; Ruadhan Doran, Tommy Hoyne, Paraic Tobin; Sean Corcoran, Dennis O’Sullivan, Paddy Grace; Paddy O’Brien, Max Edwards; Conor Power, Eoghan Lynch, Glen O’Sullivan; Liam Corcoran, Ollie O’Donovan, Sean Morrissey.
Subs: Luke Power for Corcoran, 20 mins; Joe Butler for G.O’Sullivan, 49 mins.
Referee: Eoin Hayes (Thomastown)