Burke goals at death to break Kilkenny’s heart

Kilkenny 0-09 Laois 1-10 A.E.T.

Laois minor captain Aoife Burke was the hero of the day when she gaoled in the seventy seventh minute of the contest to see Laois edge out a brave Kilkenny challenge to seal their place in the Irish Daily Star division two final after extra time  in O’Connor Park Tullamore on Sunday.

Kilkenny started the game with a strong breeze at their backs and opened the scoring in the first minute from a Claire Aylward point. Kilkenny were then dealt a blow when full forward Catherine Connolly pick up a injury in the eight minute. Louise Mahony opened Laois account with a free in the twelfth minute after Michelle Holmes was fouled. Kilkenny then got six points on the trot. Laura Norris started the run with a point in the fourteen minute. Sarah Ann Quinlan then tapped over a free after Niamh Bambrick was fouled. Deirdre Walsh then got two points on the trot in the twenty fifth and twenty eight minute. Aisling Butler then got in on the act with a point from twenty one meters in the twenty ninth minute.  Niamh Bambrick then pointed in the thirtieth minute. Michelle Holmes responded for Laois with a point from twenty one meters to see them trail 0-07 points to 0-02 at the break.

Laois began the new half brightly and tore into the Kilkenny lead when Louise Mahony tapped over a free in the thirty first minute. Sarah Ann Fitzgerald then tapped over a free in the thirty sixth minute to cut the gap to three 0-07 points to 0-04.  Sarah Ann Quinlan then pointed for Kilkenny in the thirty eight minute. Louise Mahony then tapped over a free after Noreen Kirwan was fouled. Laois were awarded a penalty in the fiftieth minute after Aoife Burke was fouled but Sarah Ann Fitzgerald effort was brilliantly saved and Kilkenny cleared there lines.  Louise Mahony then tapped over three free’s on the bounce in the fifty first, fifty third and fifty fifth minute to equalise the game. Kilkenny had a chance to clench the game a the death but Sarah Ann Quinlan effort went unfortunately wide, and the game finished at 0-08 point a piece and extra time was needed.

Kilkenny began the first period of extra time with the wind at their backs, but it was Laois who drew first blood from a Louise Mahony free in the sixty sixth to see them lead at the break by 0-09 points to 0-08 in a low scoring first period. Kilkenny began the second period of extra time well and equalised the game with a Laura Norris point in the seventy third minute. Disaster struck for Kilkenny in the seventy seventh minute when Aoife Burke took advantage of a lapse in the Kilkenny defence to despatch a breaking ball to the back of the Kilkenny net to push them 1-09 to 0-09 clear going into the final few minutes.  Eimear Delaney followed this up with a point in the eightieth minute to see Laois secure their final berth against Waterford on a 1-10 to 1-09 score line. Kilkenny must now focus their attention on their Leinster championship opener against Dublin in three weeks time.

Scorers – Kilkenny: Laura Norris 0-02, Deirdre Walsh 0-02, Sarah Ann Quinlan
0-02 (1f),Claire Aylward 0-01, Aisling Butler 0-01, Niamh Bambrick 0-01.  Laois:  Louise Mahony 0-07 (7f), Aoife Burke 1-00, Michelle Holmes 0-01, Sarah Ann
Fitzgearld 0-01 (1f), Eimear Delaney 0-01.

Kilkenny: Ann Marie Lennon, Bridget Grennan,  Michaella Kenneally, Therese Muldowney, Ruth Jones, Rebecca Cleeere,  Edel Frisby, Sarah Crowley, Laura Norris (capt), Aisling Butler, Laura hegarty, Sarah Ann Quinlan, Claire Aylward, Catherine Connolly, Deirdre Walsh.

Sub: Noelle Murphy, Niamh Leahy, Vivienne Forristal, Sonia Buggy, Niamh Bambrick, Maggie Simpson

Laois:  Laura Dunne, Mairead Burke, Rosemary Bermingham, Aisling Burke, Elizabeth Ryan, Sarah Ann Fitzgearld, Claire Walsh, Sarah Creagh, Louise Mahony, Laura Marie Maher, Elaine Mahony, Michelle Holmes, Aisling O’Dea, Niamh Dollard (capt), Olga Parkinson.

Sub: Niamh Coss, Ciara Cuddy, Sharon Moylan, Eimear Delaney, Aoife Burke, Dawn Mortimer, Rebecca Treacy, Rebecca Williams, Catriona Downey, Margaret Hogan, Noreen Kirwan, Amy Loughman.

Referee: Eamon Cassidy