Senior ACL 19th May 2023

Piltown 1-07 Dicksboro 2-17

ACL Friday 19 May 23

By Jason O’Brien, Piltown PRO

It’s never easy against the Boro , and it was no different on Friday evening when they left with the points after a fairly comfortable victory over Piltown. The visitors were ruthless with their point taking throughout the game, and their excellent pass and run game was admirable.

The away side wasted no time as they scored two points in the first two mins from Caoimhe Dunne Dowling and Rachel Dowling , Piltown retorted with two of their own from Sinead McCarthy and from last weeks keeper, Heather Phelan.

Ellen O’Keeffe got a point and Rachel Dowling got her second as the home were at this stage looking comfortable.

Half forward Edel Long, then scored what was to be the home sides last score of the half in the 14th minute to edge Piltown ahead.  Aobha O’Gorman restored parity with a point before a slightly contentious moment in the 16th minute.

Issy Egan stood over a free in midfield, and as she struck it towards goal there was a midair tussle to block the ball, no one did though, and it bounced on the ground and agonisingly past Marie Beth Kirby on goal. Did some one touch it? Was it a square ball? Did it go straight in from the free? Ref Willie Kearney ruled it was the latter and gave the goal for Dicksboro. It was harsh on the Piltown keeper and defence who, up until then had dealt quite well with the pacy, skilful Boro attack. The excellent Orla Hanrick took over then as she scored 4 points in a row between the 18th and 27th minutes.

Half Time score Piltown 0-04 Dicksboro 1-08

Straight from the throw in, Piltown got a free near the half way line, Sinead McCarthy stood over it facing the Road goal, she struck it towards the Boro goal, but short. Then up popped Heather Phelan, ball in hand, ran towards goal and buried it to cut the deficit to 4points now!  Would they drive on now? Maybe they would as Ellen O’Keeffe took the wheel and scored another point to cut it to 3. And Marie Beth pulled off a great double save in the 38th minute.

The brakes were soon pressed by the away side though as Amy Clifford and Rachel Dowling scored a pair of classy points, followed by scores from Orla Hanrick and Caoimhe Dunne Dowling. Piltown stuck to the task though , as the excellent Emer Long had a great tussle with Dunne Dowling throughout, and the Half forward line of Edel , Ellen and Sinead (who all scored) never stopped working back as well as forward.

Then in the 52min , Amy Clifford struck a speculative shot crossbar height. The keepers nightmare height. They are so hard to judge, and unfortunately it went beneath the crossbar and into the net.

The away side kept tipping away on the scoreboard to see out the game.

Final Score : Piltown 1-07 Dicksboro 2-17

Scorers:

Piltown – Sinead McCarthy 0-02 (2frees), Heather Phelan 1-01, Ellen O’Keeffe, Edel Long 0-02 each

Dicksboro – Rachel Dowling 0-06, Orla Hanrick 0-05, Amy Clifford 1-01, Caoimhe Dunne Dowling 0-02, Aibhinn Deegan, Aobha O’Gorman 0-01 each, Issy Egan 1-01