Weekend Reports- Seniors overcome Limerick to secure semi final spot, Minor overcome brave Faithful County while Laois edge out Intermediates

Irish Daily Star League Division 1 Round 5
Kilkenny 2-12                Limerick 0-14

Ann Dalton finished with 2-02 from play as the Kilkenny senior team secured safe passage through to the National Camogie Division one semi final after a hard fought victory over Limerick in Bruff on Sunday on a 2-12 to 0-14 point score line.

Limerick began the game well and opened the scoring through a Niamh Mulcahy point from forty five meters in the third minute. Kilkenny responded brilliantly and got in for their first goal through Ann Dalton. She gained possession sixty five meters out from goal cut through the Limerick rear guard and blasted the sliotar home from twenty one meters for an excellent score.  Limerick responded with a brace of scores to equalize the tie. Karen O’Leary started the run with a point from twenty one meters in the seventh minute. Niamh Mulcahy then tapped over a free a minute later to equalize the game at 0-03 points to a 1-00.  Kilkenny hit back with two points

on the spin. Denise Gaule started the run with a free from twenty one meters after Anna Farrell was fouled. Sarah Ann Quinlan then tapped over a well taken point from thirty five meters after latching onto an Ann Dalton pass to make it 1-02 to 0-03 points. Limerick hit back with two points through Niamh Mulcahy from thirty five meters in the thirty fifth minute and from a free from twenty five meters after Deborah Murphy was fouled in the twentieth minute.
Denise Gaule edged Kilkenny into the lead again with a free from twenty one meters in the

twenty fifth minute after she was fouled. Caoimhe Costello equalized the tie again with a well taken point off the hurl from thirty meters in the twenty ninth minute.  Kilkenny closed out the first half scoring with three points on the trot. Julieann Malone started the run with a

point from thirty meters in the thirtieth minute. Denise Gaule continued her sides good run with an excellent free from twenty one meters out on the sideline.  Ann Dalton then tapped over the last score of the half with a point from thirty meters in the thirty second minute to make it

1-06 to 0-06 at the break.

Limerick began the new half with a point through a Niamh Mulcahy free from forty five meters in the opening minute.  Denise Gaule responded for the cats with two frees on the trot. The first in the thirty third minute from sixty meters in the thirty third minute and a further free in the thirty fifth minute from thirty meters after Anna Farrell was fouled to make it 1-08 to 0-7.

Niamh Mulcahy responded with four points on the trot for Limerick to equalize the game. She started the run with a well taken point from twenty one meters in the thirty eight minute. She followed this up with a free from forty five meters in the thirty ninth minute after she was

fouled. She followed this up with a long range free from sixty meters in the forty first minute. She hit the equalizer at 1-08 to 0-11 points in the fiftieth minute from a free from fifty meters out on the sideline in the forty fourth minute. Michelle Quilty edged Kilkenny into the

lead with a point from twenty one meters in the fifty first minute. Niamh Mulcahy hit over her ninth point of the afternoon from a free from fifty meters out on the sideline in the fifty second minute. Kilkenny hit back with 1-01 on the spin. Julieann Malone hit over a point in the

fifty third minute from thirty five meters before Ann Dalton got in for her and Kilkenny’s second goal in the fifty fifth minute when she latched onto a breaking ball on the edge of the small square to tap home to make it 2-10 to 0-12.  Limerick who needed to lose by no more then

four points to have a chance of reaching the knockout stages hit back through a Niamh Mulcahy free in the fifty sixth minute from twenty one meters. Sarah Ann Quinlan responded with a well taken point in the fifty eight minute from thirty meters to make it 2-11 to 0-13 points before

Ann Dalton who had an outstanding game tapped over her second point of the afternoon in the fifty ninth minute, a massive point from sixty meters out. Niamh Mulcahy closed out the scoring with a point from forty meters in the sixtieth minute to ensure her side will have a chance of

reaching the knockout stages of the league but they must do so through a playoff next weekend against Cork after the sides finished level on nine points and the same scoring difference. Kilkenny as a result of Sunday’s victory finished top of the table also on nine points but had a

greater scoring difference over their Munster rivals and will play Tipperary who finished runner up in group one in the league semi final on April 17th.

In other Camogie news the Kilkenny Intermediate team finished their league campaign away to Laois in Trumera also on Sunday.  Kilkenny who couldn’t make the knockout stages began the game with a gale force breeze behind them and enjoyed a 1-02 to 0-03 point lead at half time with the Kilkenny goal coming through Jenny Clifford in the tenth minute. Kilkenny added to this with points thought Jenny Clifford and Katie Nolan.

The weather conditions deteriorated further in the second half and Laois who had a chance of making the knockout stages aided by a strong breeze hit six unanswered points to emerge victorious on a 0-09 points to 1-02 score line. Next up for Kilkenny is Westmeath on May 8th in the Leinster championship.

Scorers – Kilkenny: Ann Dalton 2-02, Denise Gaule 0-05 (5f), Sarah Ann Quinlan

0-02, Julieann Malone 0-02, Michelle Quilty 0-01. Limerick: Niamh Mulcahy 0-12 (9f), Karen O’Leary 0-01, Caoimhe Costelloe 0-01.

Kilkenny:Emma Kavanagh, Sarah Crowley, Davina Tobin, Sarah Kent, Edwina Keane,

Stacey Quirke, Jacqui Frisby, Colette Dormer, Meg Farrell, Julieann Malone, Sarah Ann Quinlan, Ann Dalton, Aine Gannon, Anna Farrell, Denise Gaule.

Sub: Subs: Ann Marie Lennon,  Kate McDonald, Miriam Frisby, Aoife Neary, Michelle Quilty, Kellyann Doyle, Laura Murphy, Grace Walsh, Miriam Walsh, Katie Power, Shelly Farrell.

Limerick: Claire Keating, Noreen Barry, Lorraine McCarthy (capt), Judith Mulcahy,

Rebecca Delee, Fiona Hickey, Niamh Richardson, Sarah Carey, Karen O’Leary, Siobhán Enright, Clíona Lane, Niamh Mulcahy, Mary O’Callaghan, Caoimhe Costelloe, Sinéad McNamara.

Subs – Marguerite McCarthy, Muireann Creamer, Deborah Murphy, Síle Moynihan, Leanne Browne, Rebecca Noonan, Donna Mulcahy, Katie Hennessey, Sinéad Madden, Sarah Crotty,

Laura O’Neill, Aisling Ryan, Deirdre Ward.

Referee: Cathal Egan  (Cork)
All Ireland Minor A Camogie Championship Group
Kilkenny 2-06               Offaly 1-06

The Kilkenny minor team continued their winning run as a fifty fourth minute Blathnaid Galwey  goal was the difference between the sides as Kilkenny recorded a three point victory 2-06 to 1-06 over a brave Offaly side in Larchfield on Saturday.

In a low scoring first half played in tough weather conditions, it was the faithful county who began the game the brighter with two quick points. Roisin Egan opened the scoring with a free from twenty one meters in the third minute. Grace Teehan followed this up with well taken point in the fourth minute.  They were a baron period in the game with the weather deteriorating further and both sides defenses were on top. Kilkenny who had the aid of a strong breeze

in the first half opened there account in the thirteenth minute through a Sophie O’Dwyer free from forty meters.  Cliona Murphy continued Kilkenny’s good run when she got in for the Cats first goal in the twentieth minute when she latched onto a Sophie O’Dwyer forty five that

dropped short to brilliantly flick the sliotar to the net from the edge of the small square, to put Kilkenny 1-01 to 0-02 points ahead.  Shiofra Ryan responded for Offaly with a point from twenty one meters in the twenty second minute. Sophie O’Dwyer put Kilkenny two points to

the good again when she tapped over a free from thirty meters in the twenty third minute. Offaly response was almost instantaneous when Sarah Harding got in for an Offaly goal when she latched onto a Shiofra Ryan pass to blast the sliotar home from twenty one meters to put her side

ahead 1-03 to 1-02 after twenty four minutes. Sophie O’Dwyer responded for Kilkenny with a free from twenty one meters in the twenty eight after Ciara Phelan was fouled to equalize the tie at 1-03 apiece. Offaly responded with the final score of the half through an Aisling Brennan

free from twenty one meters in the thirty first minute after Shiofra Ryan was fouled to see Offaly lead at the break 1-04 to 1-03.

Kilkenny began the second half well and got two quick points. Sophie O’Dwyer started the run with a free from thirty meters in the thirty third minute after Niamh Deely was fouled to equalize the tie. Ella Moore edged the cats ahead with a well taken point from forty five meters in the thirty fifth minute. Roisin Egan responded to equalize the tie at 1-05 apiece for Offaly with a point from thirty five meters in the thirty ninth minute. Offaly were getting more and more into the tie and were beginning to get a stranglehold in the middle third but were guilty of hitting wides. Aisling Brennan broke the deadlock in the contest when she pointed for Offaly to edge her side into the lead 1-06 to 1-05 in the fifty third minute. Kilkenny responded brilliantly when they got 1-01 without reply. Blathnaid Galwey started the run when she got in for Kilkenny’s second goal in the fifty forth minute, when she latched onto a Sophie O’Dwyer free that dropped short to brilliantly hand pass the sliotar to the net from the edge of the small square to put Kilkenny into a 2-05 to 1-06 lead. Sophie O’Dwyer ensured victory for the cats when she tapped over a free from twenty one meters in the sixty fourth minute to see Kilkenny home on a 2-06 to 1-06 score line.  A victory for Kilkenny away to Dublin next weekend in their final group game will ensure they finish second behind Tipperary and secure an All Ireland semi final spot.

Scorers – Kilkenny: Sophie O’Dwyer 0-05 (5f), Cliona Murphy 1-00, Blathnaid Galwey 1-00, Ella Moore 0-01. Offaly: Sarah Harding 1-00, Roisin Egan 0-02 (1f), Aisling Brennan 0-02 (1f,

1-45), Grace Teehan 0-01, Shiofra Ryan 0-01.

Kilkenny- Aoife Norris, Aideen O’Connor, Hannah Scott, Ciara O’Shea, Michelle Doherty,

Ella Moore, Aobha O’Gorman, Mairead Kennedy, Niamh Deely, Sophie O’Dwyer, Blathnaid Galwey, Helen Hoynes, Aisling Morrissey, Ciara Phelan, Cliona Murphy.

Subs- Aoife Walsh, Tara Clifford, Roisin Phelan, Caoimhe O’Shea, Amy Morrissey, Eimear Dolan, Michelle Teehan, Kate Drennan, Nicole Garvey, Hannah Irish, Aoife Holden, Eadoin Murphy, Nessa Galwey, Aoife O’Carroll, Mia Griffin.

Offaly- Alanna McHugh, Aoibhe Whelahan, Megan King, Una Killlmartin, Orla Gorman,

Aisling Brennan (capt), Ciara Brennan, Sarah Walsh (vice-capt), Grace Teehan, Aideen Freeman, Roisin Egan, Aoife McLoughlin, Dara Hanamy, Sarah Harding, Shiofra Ryan.

Subs- Niamh Killleen, Leah Gath, Orlaith Plunkett, Louise Savage, Alanna Roddy, Sarah Guinan, Doireann Errity, Sarah Dooley, Elizabeth Harding.

Referee: Jenny Byrne (Dublin)