Hickey Excels As Dungarvan Takes Title

Dungarvan are County Junior Camogie League Champions for 2018 after they proved too strong for Butlerstown in the first of two games played at Ballinameela on Saturday evening.

This is a victory that the Old Boro outfit will savour for some time.

One might think that for a club with the population that Dungarvan have they would be blessed with the numbers they are picking for, but this is not the case as they have one of the smallest picks in the county, and for this game because of injuries, work and players away on holiday they had their numbers down to the almost the bare essentials.

However while numbers on the night might be tight on the night for Dungarvan they still had plenty of players that impressed immensely over the course of the hour.

Player of the match on the night would have to be centre back Orla Hickey who had a massive game for her side and chipped in scoring three points all from distance for her side.

She however would have been pushed all the way for the player of the match award had one being there to present, by centre forward Kaeisha Tobin, another inter county player who is quickly making a name for herself having impressed in the white and blue shirt of Waterford in the League and Munster Championship this year under the guidance of manager Donal O’Rourke and his management team.

Another player to impress for Dungarvan was Dawn Power playing in the full forward line. The Old Boro player was part of the Waterford team that won the National Division Two League and All Ireland Intermediate final titles but has not featured since for Waterford but here showed signs that she could be coming back to her best and why she has in her collection of medals two of the most important medals she could have win in 2015.

Apart from present and former inter county players the Old Boro Club also had impressive performances from Alix Fitzgerald between the posts, Kayleigh Veale at full back, Aisling Baumann in the half back line, Caoimhe O’Dwyer in the middle of the field and Isabelle Wade in attack, while for Butlerstown they had fine performances from Kate McMahon, Sally Brown, Elizabeth McGrath and Niamh Crowley.

At the break in this game the Old Boro were seven points to the good and in truth were full value for that lead, but on the other hand Butlerstown could well argue that they could be closer to the Old Boro as they headed to the dressing rooms at the break and maybe could have been in front.

Dungarvan in the opening half scored two goals and will be the first to admit that there might be an element of luck to one of them, but they would well argue that the second one came about as a result of being told that players should always expect the unexpected, especially in and around the goalposts. 

Kaiesha Tobin opened the scoring for the Old Boro with a fine point on four minutes and a minute later the same player finished to the net past Kate Walsh to go four in front. And seconds later, when her side won a free, Kaiesha Tobin fired over the heads of the Butlerstown players to put her side five up.

Dungarvan’s brilliant start to this game got even better on eight minutes. Attacking the school end of the ground the Old Boro ladies won a ’45 which Kaiesha Tobin was expected to put over, but she saw her effort fall short of the target but Dawn Power was able to capitalise, finishing past Kate Walsh from close range.

On twelve minutes Kaiesha Tobin again pointed for Dungarvan, again from a free to put them nine in front and looking as if it was going to be their day.

Thirteen is often considered to be an unlucky number but for Dungarvan the thirteenth minute proved to be very lucky for them.

Butlerstown were finding it hard to get inside the Dungarvan back line up to this, but did manage to do so on thirteen minutes. In a goal mouth scramble Alix Fitzgerald made a fine save to deny Butlerstown a goal and from the follow up Butlerstown again attempted their luck to have a green flag waved and looked as if they would when Fitzgerald was found off her line but as the ball appeared to cross the line Kayleigh Veale raced in and took the ball off the goal line and cleared it to safety.

As the half progressed Dungarvan appeared to be tiring and would have half time to come sooner than they did so that words of wisdom from their management team could be imparted on the players.

The side in Blue and Gold did manage two scores before the break without response from Dungarvan to give them hope going into the second half.

Niamh Crowley pointed on seventeen minutes from play and ten minutes later Elizabeth McGrath, another player in this game that has played for the county in recent years put over a free to leave her side trailing 2-3 to 0-2 at the break.

Within eleven second of the restart Dungarvan added to their advantage on the score board as Sarah Lacey from the throw in attacked the Butlerstown goal and put over a fine effort from play.

Orla Hickey followed up with a good score on thirty seven minutes, but Dungarvan’s good start to the second half was wiped out three minutes later when following good work by Kate McMahon Niamh Crowley whipped to the net from close range to leave Dungarvan’s first half goals between the sides.

Orla Hickey extended the Dungarvan lead with a good score on forty nine minutes from time, and four minutes later Dungarvan secured the win when another Kaiesha Tobin 45 dropped short and Dawn Power was again in the right place to finish to the net, again showing why players should keep an eye on the ball at all times while it is in play.

Elizabeth McGrath pulled a point back for Butlerstown but Dungarvan made absolute sure of the victory with late scores from the impressive Kaiesha Tobin and Orla Hickey.

Dungarvan: Alix Fitzgerald; Amy O’Riordan, Kayleigh Veale, Niamh Curran; Aisling Baumann, Orla Hickey, Clodagh Tutty; Sarah Lacey, Caoimhe Dwyer; Leyla Topekya, Kaiesha Tobin, Sophie O’Shea; Isabelle Wade, Dawn Power, Caoimhe Denmead.

Scorers: Dawn Power 2-1, Kaiesha Tobin 1-3 (0-2F), Orla Hickey 0-3 (1F), Sarah Lacey 0-1.

Butlerstown: Kate Walsh; Aoibhe Shanahan, Emer Kearney, Emily Tyrell; Sadie Mai Rowe, Nicola Farrell, Jean Burns; Shauna Farrell, Claire Nolan; Aoife Shanahan, Kate McMahon, Caroline Farrelly; Elizabeth McGrath, Niamh Crowley, Sally Brown. Sub: Mandy Kelly for Aoibhe Shanahan.

Scorers: Niamh Crowley 1-1, Elizabeth McGrath 0-2 (1F).

Referee: Timmy Organ