Kilkenny SHL: Dicksboro book final meeting with O'Loughlin Gaels

The Kilkenny senior hurling league final will be an all-city affair

Colin Fennelly of Ballyhale Shamrocks in action against Des Dunne of Danesfort at John Locke Park in Callan. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Sun, 16 Aug, 2020 - 15:59

Brendan Buckley

The Kilkenny senior hurling league final will be an all-city affair after Dicksboro booked their place in the decider against O’Loughlin Gaels.

The ’Boro finished their group with a 100% record as they beat Erin’s Own (Castlecomer) by 3-19 to 1-12.

They had to work hard for the win, as a Michael Murphy-inspired Erin’s Own held a narrow lead at half-time (1-9 to 1-8). Murphy hit 1-5 in the opening half, Shane Stapleton contributing 1-4 for the city side. Both goals came from penalties.

There was little between the sides early in the second half, but Dicksboro made a charge when Aidan Nolan grabbed their second goal eight minutes after the restart. ’Comer, who scored just three points in the second half, had no answer and were all but out of the game when Liam Moore bagged a third goal in the 44th minute, making it an eight-point game (3-13 to 1-11).

Clara secured a place in the Shield final, where they’ll meet James Stephens, with a high-scoring 3-23 to 2-16 win over the Rower-Inistioge.

They had to battle for the win, as they trailed by five points at half-time, Tom Murphy’s goal helping the Rower lead by 1-11 to 0-9 at the interval.

Clara were six behind in the early stages of the second half (1-15 to 0-12) but, helped by free-taker David Langton they began to claw their way back into the game. A second Rower goal, scored by Ruairi Galavan, seemed to strengthen their grip on the game, but two goals in little over a minute from Liam Ryan and James Nolan saw Clara start a comeback that ended in a big win.

After two draws Mullinavat picked up their first win of the league but couldn’t overtake Clara to edge into the Shield final.

John Walsh (0-4) and Oisin Knox (0-3) led the way as the ’Vat got the better of winless Graigue-Ballycallan by 0-18 to 0-13 in UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday.

Ballyhale Shamrocks made it third time lucky as they ended their league campaign with a 3-22 to 1-16 win over Danesfort at John Locke Park.

An opening day draw with Tullaroan and loss to O’Loughlin Gaels meant they were out of the reckoning for league silverware, but the senior club All-Ireland champions did their championship hopes no harm with a good result against Danesfort, who lost all three of their league games.

Boosted by the return of Colin Fennelly and Darren Mullen the Shamrocks were a lively outfit in the opening half, a point they proved as a Fennelly goal saw them in front at half-time (1-10 to 0-11). Richie Hogan did most of the scoring for Danesfort, adding a point from play to eight first-half frees.

A second goal, scored by TJ Reid, gave Shamrocks a bigger lead in the second half. A similar score from Dylan Dunphy Wallace kept Danesfort in the hunt (2-13 to 1-11) but their hopes were ended when Eoin Cody’s goal pushed Shamrocks further ahead in the closing stages.

Bennettsbridge rounded off their league campaign with an impressive 3-22 to 1-18 win over Tullaroan. Backed by the accuracy of Nicky Cleere (0-4) the winners were 0-5 to 0-0 up early on. By the 10th minute they were seven clear (0-9 to 0-2), a lead that increased to eight when Ciaran Brennan goaled on 17 minutes. By half-time Tullaroan had closed the gap, but still trailed by six (1-12 to 0-9).

Tullaroan raised their game in the second half, Martin Keoghan’s goal moving them to within two points of the leaders by the 49th minute (1-16 to 1-14), but Liam Blanchfield’s instant reply with a like score, plus two quick Brennan points, gave the Bridge an advantage they would not lose.

The opening game of the weekend ended all square as James Stephens and O’Loughlin Gaels drew 2-16 to 2-16 at UPMC Nowlan Park on Friday evening. Two injury-time points from Dinny Stapleton and Luke Scanlon helped the Village claw their old foes back from the brink of victory, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Gaels from booking their place in the league final, which will be played this weekend. The first round of the Kilkenny senior hurling championship will be played a week later.

Kilkenny SHC first round draw: Bennettsbridge v Graigue-Ballycallan, Ballyhale Shamrocks v Rower-Inistioge, Tullaroan v Erin's Own, Mullinavat v Danesfort.