Kilkenny book Semi final spot with Rebel win

Kilkenny 5-11 Cork 2-08

Jenny Clifford and Sarah Walsh shared two goals apiece as the Kilkenny minor team cruised through to the All Ireland minor semi finals when they defeated Cork 5-11 to 2-08 in Thomastown on Saturday.

Kilkenny started the game brightly and open the scoring with a Jenny Clifford point from twenty one meters in the opening minute.  Hannah Looney equalised for Cork with a point in the third minute. Kilkenny then hit Cork for two goals in as many minutes from Sarah Walsh. The first came in the sixth minute when Sarah Walsh gained possession, thirty five meters from goal rounded her marker to blast to the roof of the Cork net. The second goal was equally impressive, she gained possession forty meters from goal cut through the Cork defence to hand pass to the net from close range. Lisa Lynch responded for the Rebelettes with a point from a free in the ninth minute to make it 2-01 to 0-02. Kilkenny then scored 2-02 in a five minute spell. Jenny Clifford started the burst with a point when her hand pass effort for a goal was brilliant tapped over the bar by Cork net minder Chloe Casey. Marguerite Hoynes then pointed after latching onto a Jenny O’Neill pass.  Jenny Clifford then got two goals in as many minutes to end the game as a contest. The first came in the twentieth minute when she gained possession thirty five meters from goal, rounded her marker to blast home from close range. She was on target again a minute later when she reacted quicker, when a Sarah Walsh effort for a point came back off the post to ground puck home from close range to push Kilkenny 4-03 to 0-02 ahead after twenty two minutes. Cork stopped the rot with two points on the trot from a Sarah Mills point from play in the twenty third minute. Lisa Lynch then tapped over a massive free from fifty meters a minute later to make it 4-04 to 0-04 after twenty four minutes. Kelly Ann Doyle then hit over two points on the trot for the victors in the twenty fifth and seventh minute. Cork responded with two points from play from Keeva McCarthy in the twenty eight minute and Lisa Lynch in added time to make it 4-05 to 0-06 at the break.

Kilkenny began the second half well and were awarded a penalty when Marguarite Hoynes was fouled on her passage to goal. Kelly Ann Doyle stood up to take it but decided to take her point. Cork responded with two points from a Lisa Lynch forty five in the thirty fourth minute and a Hannah Looney point in the thirty eight minute. Kilkenny responded scoring 1-05 on the trot. Ciara Phelan started the burst with a point in the fortieth minute. Edel Coonan then tapped over a point a minute later. Sarah Walsh then pointed in the forty third minute to make it 4-09 to 0-08.  Kelly Ann Doyle then tapped over a free in the forty fifth minute. Jenny Clifford then tapped over an excellent point from twenty one meters from out near the sideline. Edel Coonan then got Kilkenny’s fifth goal in the fifty seventh minute when she latched onto a breaking ball to blast home from twenty one meters.   Cork responded with two injury time goals from Keeva McCarthy in the thirtieth minute when she kicked home from close range after a scramble in the Kilkenny square. Sinead Mills then hand passed the sioltar to the net in the sixty first minute, but it was too little too late as Kilkenny recorded a 5-11 to 2-08 victory to set up a semi final date against Limerick in two weeks time. 

Scorers – Kilkenny: Jenny Clifford 2-03, Sarah Walsh 2-01, Edel Coonan 1-01, Kelly Ann Doyle 0-04 (4f), Marguarite Hoynes 0-01, Ciara Phelan 0-01.  Cork:  Lisa Lynch 0-04 (2f, 1-45), Sinead Mills 1-01, Keeva McCarthy 1-01 Hannah Looney 0-02,

Kilkenny: Kirsty Maher (Capt), Roisin Phelan, Katie Nolan, Miriam Bambrick, Sarah Kent, Katie Nolan, Kellyann Doyle, Laura Murphy, Jenny O’Neill, Sarah Walsh, Ciara Phelan (Joint Capt), Chloe Blackmore, Marguerite Hoynes, Jenny Clifford, Edel Coonan.

Sub: Aoife Norris, Ciara Murphy, Aoife O’Carroll, Eimear Corr, Michelle Teehan, Mia Griffin, Sophie O’Dwyer, Deirdre Purcell, Aoife Farrell, Nicole Garvey, Roisin Breen, Megan Walsh, Laura Greene, Eimear Donnelly, Shannon Doyle, Tara Lacy, Laura Tennison, Heather Doyle, Caoimhe O’Shea.      

Cork:  Chloe Casey (capt), Kelly Falvey, Chloe Sigerson, Aine Crowley, Ellen Twomey, Rebecca Walsh, Rebecca Sheehan, Emma Casey, Lucy Kelly, Keeva McCarthy, Lisa Lynch, Hollie Herlihy, Sinead Mills, Hannah Looney, Hayley Ryan.

Sub: Meabhdh Sexton, Aoife O’Callaghan, Niamh O’Farrell, Moira Ellen O’Connor, Ann –Marie Ryan, Kayleigh O’Connor, Aoibhinn Kidney, Niamh O’Leary, Michella Buckley, Mary Hurley, Leah McEvoy, Katie O’Keeffe.

Referee: Aidan O’Brien