Fast furious and a high scoring was the prediction before the game. Anticipation seemed high for one of the first city derbies of the season.
The first white flag of the game came after two minutes as Andy Gaffney put over a free facing towards the O’Loughlins end. The scoring was shy though in the opening exhanges.
Mark Bergin got O’Loughlins off the mark 10 minutes into the first half. Hoping the score may liven up the affair. At this stage Dicksboro had recorded three wides with O’Loughlins managing one, the heat seemed to effect the grips on the stick.
Then boom! Paddy deegan hit a gorgeous pass to Luke Hogan who grabbed a goal out of the ether. The game looked to be gathering mometum with OLoughlins immediately getting another point to put them up. Andy Gaffney had other ideas though and hit the back of the net for the ‘Boro, picking his spot and finishing it well.
Then disaster struck for O’Loughlins when Robbie Buckley went down, he tried to carry on but eventually succumed to the injury. Unfortunately the misery was compounded when there was another forced change for Andy Comerford as Mark Bergin was replaced by Matthew Russel due to a hand injury.
Bill Sheehan had another goal scoring oppurtunity and forced a good keeper save. The resulting 65 leveled up the game with Andy Gaffney grabbing another score for himself. Evan Cody won the ball on the 45, went out infront of Paddy Deegan like a flash and put Dicksboro up by one. A mistake from Cillian Buckley was capatilised on by Paddy Deegan to once again draw the game, at 1-3 a piece.
Andy Gaffney was on fire, the water break did not break his momentum, and he grabbed a monster free. All the congratulations on commentary for Andys free taking seemed to put the mockers on him, with Andy failing to create a two point gap between the sides by putting a free wide. He had a chance to redeem himself not too long after, with no wind, he tapped over to make it 1-05 to 1-03.
Dicksboro hit a purple patch ( or maroon patch) when Liam Moore got two points in quick succesion making it a two score game for the first time in the half. No doubt the two forced changes causing havoc on Andy Comerfords side, losing two good marksmen in Buckley and Bergin unsettled them. There was a point a peice before Jordon Molloy picked the ball out of the sky with the ball making its way to Conor Kelly who made it a three score game. As we approached half time both sides went back and forth with putting the ball over the bar before referee Gavin Quilty blew his whistle signal the end of the half.
Half time: O’Loughlin Gaels 1-06 Dicksboro 1-09
O’Loughlins started the second half by immediately trying for goal and forced a yellow card on Padraig Moylan. The Gaels put over the resulting free and would be eager to start building up some momentum. The Boro had other ideas and recorded their first point of the half. O’Loughlins had rotated some players around at half time and it was paying off with Owen O’Shea immediately responding, grabbing a bit of space and put it over the bar.
Declan Murphy was going the wrong way but adjusted his body to deny a goal scoring oppurtunity, a stark reminder that the game can turn at anytime. That goes both ways, a two point lead is nothing in hurling. Liam Moore was been given high praise by our analyst Eddie Scally and deservingly so, he made it 1-11 to 1-08. Luke Hogan was determined to close that gap and did just that by whipping one over his shoulder.
More troubled brewed for O’Loughlins as Paddy Deegan was put off for recieving two yellows. That is three of Andy Comerfords starting forwards now off, two from injury and now Deegan. O’Loughlins seemed to lose their shape which allowed Dicksboro to start an ascendency, a two point game quickly became a four point game. Jamie Young made it a one score game before the waterbreak which would give O’Loughlins hope for the final quarter. Then that hope may have been raised even Padraig Moylan was dismissed for a second yellow.
There were a few points for either side after the last waterbreak with Bill Sheehans the pick of the bunch putting Dicksboro up by four once again at 1-15 to 1-11. O’Loughlins were left to rue their missed oppurtunities recording quite a few wides in quick succesion. Andy Gaffney though pretty much put the nail in the coffin of O’Loughlins getting Dicksboros second goal, then after he struck, he was struck resulting in another sending off for O’Loughlins with Anthony Forristel recieving his marching orders. Alan Phelan said anything you can do, I can do better, he was sent off for Dicksboro! Referee certainly earning his keep in this one, it was now 13 v 13. The game kinda petered out after this, combination of the heat and huge room now on the pitch no doubt playing a factor in that.
Next up for o’Loughlins is James Stephens with time to lick their wounds as the game wont be played for two weeks. On the same day
Dicksboro will play Graigue Ballycallan who lost out to Glenmore today.