Doyle sisters do the damage as Piltown retain camogie league plaudits

A scoring spree from the Doyle sisters – Kellyann, Aine and Aoife – saw Piltown keep their hands on the senior camogie league silverware.

A haul of 1-12 from the three sisters paved the way to victory as they got the better of Thomastown in Saturday’s final in Pairc Lachtain.

Despite the strong scoring finish the opening stages proved to be something of a stalemate, with both sides withstanding all attacks for the opening nine minutes. The defences stood strong until Thomastown’s Therese Donnelly got around her marker in the 10th minute and scored a fine point from a tight angle. Eva Hynes extended Thomastown’s lead when she converted two frees Ruby Norris opened Piltown’s account in the 17th minute with a fine point after a neat pass from Kellyann Doyle.

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Doyle then converted two frees to draw her side level, but Thomastown scored the next three points through Sophie McCabe and Eva Hynes (two frees).

Heading towards the half-time whistle, Piltown started to come more into the game and they scored two points, one apiece from Kellyanne and Aoife Doyle to leave the bare minimum between the teams at the break (Thomastown 0-6, Piltown 0-5).

The sides were level again on the resumption as Grace Farrell fired over a point for Piltown, before the South Kilkenny side took the lead for the first time with a fine point from Leah Cooney. Kellyann Doyle slotted over a point, but like scores from Anna Farrell and Eva Hynes saw the sides deadlocked again, this time on eight points apiece.

Piltown picked up the pace again and scored three unanswered points from two of the Doyle sisters, Kellyann (2) and Aine, the latter scoring her point within a minute of being introduced as a substitute.

Anna Farrell tacked on a point for Thomastown but then, in the space of two minutes, Aine Doyle had scored a goal and point for Piltown to put them six ahead. Eva Hynes did get in for a goal for Thomastown on 52 minutes, but it was their last score of the match.

Piltown took control over the final minutes of the match. Sophie Holden slotted over a great point, Kellyann Doyle converted two frees and Ruby Norris also added a point.

The final score of the match fell to the younger of the Doyle sisters, Aine scoring a nice point to seal Piltown’s second league title for the second year in a row.

The teams will have little time to relax after the league, with the championship quarter-finals down for decision this weekend. Piltown will play St Brigid’s while Thomastown will play Young Irelands.

Teams and scorers

Piltown: Kellyann Doyle (0-8, 0-6 frees); Aine Doyle (1-3); Ruby Norris (0-2); Aoife Doyle, Grace Farrell, Leah Cooney, Sophie Holden (0-1 each).

Thomastown: Eva Hynes (1-5, 0-5 frees); Anna Farrell (0-2); Therese Donnelly, Sophie McCabe (0-1 each).

Piltown: Aoife Norris, Danielle Carroll, Patsy Kenny, Lorraine Long, Karen Duggan, Aoife Landers, Jenni O’Dea, Laura Norris, Alice Talbot, Sophie Holden, Kellyann Doyle, Ruby Norris, Leah Cooney, Aoife Doyle, Grace Farrell.

Subs: Lorna O’Shea for Alice Talbot, Aine Doyle for Leah Cooney, Heather Phelan for Grace Farrell, Alanna Gallagher for Jenni O’Dea, Aoife O’Shea for Karen Duggan.

Thomastown: Libby Begley, Lisa Donnelly, Una Donnelly, Sinead Galway, Orla O’Keeffe, Sinead O’Keeffe (captain), Joanne Fitzpatrick, Roisin O’Keeffe, Ailis O’Shea, Anna Farrell, Eva Hynes, Ellen Treacy, Therese Donnelly, Sarah Barcoe, Sophie McCabe.

Subs: Michelle Donnell for Ellen Treacy, Orlaith Kirwin for Ailis O’Shea, Niamh Galway for Sophie McCabe.

Referee: Peter Burke (Emeralds).