Senior secure League final spot with extra time victory over Tipperary, while Galway edge out brave minors to secure All Ireland Final spot

Irish Daily Star National League Division 1 Semi Final

Kilkenny 2-13    Tipperary 0-15 A.E.T

Two extra time goals by Denise Gaule and Julie Ann Malone was the difference as Kilkenny overcame a brave Tipperary side in Carriganore on Sunday to secure a league final shootout with Galway in a fortnights time.

In a low scoring first half it was Tipperary who opened the scoring through a Jenny Grace forty five in the fourth minute after Kilkenny keeper Emma Kavanagh was adjudged to stepping outside the square from a puck out. Denise Gaule responded for Kilkenny with two pointed frees, the first in the fifth minute after Miriam Walsh as fouled from twenty one meters and from thirty five meters in the seventh minute after Shelly Farrell was fouled.  Tipperary deployed a sweeper in the opening period with corner forwards Ereena Fryday and Sarah Fryday covering the middle third of the field and as a result Kilkenny found it difficult to breech the Premier rearguard. Tipperary went ahead in the contest with two points in as many minutes. Ereena Fryday started the run with a well taken long range point from fifty meters in the thirteenth minute. Jenny Grace then tapped over an excellent free from forty five meters from right out on the sideline in the fourteenth minute to edge her side 0-03 points to 0-02 ahead.  Denise Gaule equalised the game for the Cats in the fifteenth minute with an excellent long range point from fifty five meters. Kilkenny were nearly in for the first goal of the game in the eighteenth minute when Aine Gannon broke threw the Tipperary defence but her effort was brilliantly save by Tipperary net minder Sabrina Larkin.  Shelly Farrell edged Kilkenny ahead again in the twenty fifth minute from thirty five meters before Jenny Grace equalised the tie again a minute later with a long range free from fifty meters. Miriam Walsh put Kilkenny into the lead again in the twenty seventh minute with a point from thirty five meters. Tipperary closed out the half with two quick fire points in as many minutes from Shauna Quirke in the twenty ninth and thirtieth minutes to see her side ahead at the break 0-06 points to 0-05.

Kilkenny began the new half well and equalised the tie in the thirty second minute when Julie Ann Malone tapped over a point from thirty meters. Jenny Grace responded for Tipperary with a point from fourteen meters in the forty sixth minute to put her side 0-07 points to 0-06 ahead. The Kilkenny management then switched Ann Dalton from centre half back to midfield and introduced Sarah Ann Quinlan and as a result they began to get more to grips with the Tipperary blanket defence.  Denise Gaule equalised the tie again for the Cats with a point from thirty meters in the fifty third minute. Jenny Grace edged  Tipperary ahead again with a free from twenty one meters in the fifty fifth minute after Nicole Walsh was fouled. Kilkenny bounced back with two points in as many minutes to edge ahead again. Ann Dalton started the run with a free from twenty one meters in the fifty sixth minute after Sarah Ann Quinlan was fouled. Sarah Ann Quinlan then tapped over a point from twenty one meters after latching onto a Julie Ann Malone pass in the fifty eight minute and it looked like Kilkenny might clench victory, but they were one more twist when Jenny Grace tapped over a forty five in the first minute of injury time to force extra time on a 0-09 points apiece score line.

Tipperary began the extra time period well and opened there account with a Jenny Grace point from thirty five meters in the opening minute. Kilkenny hit back with two points on the trot. Denise Gaule started the run with a point from thirty five meters in the thirty fifth minute, before Ann Dalton tapped over a massive free from sixty five meters in the sixty sixth minute to edge Kilkenny 0-11 points to 0-10 clear. Jenny Grace who was having a terrific game equalised the tie again. One of the crucial scores of the tie came, just on the stroke of half time when brilliant forward link up play between Shelly Farrell and Sarah Ann Quinlan saw Denise Gaule gaining possession on the twenty one to blast the sliotar to the back of the Premier net to edge Kilkenny 1-11 to 0-11 points ahead at half time in the extra time period.

Tipperary opened the scoring in the second period of extra time with a Jenny Grace forty five in the opening minute to cut the gap to two points. Ann Dalton pushed Kilkenny three points clear again 1-12 to 0-12 with a free from fifty meters after she was fouled a minute later. Kilkenny put the game to bed in the seventy fifth minute when Julie Ann Malone latched onto a brilliant cross field pass from Ann Dalton to tap home from the edge of the small square to put Kilkenny 2-12 to 0-12 ahead. Tipperary responded with a Jenny Grace free from thirty meters in the seventy seventh minute.  Ann Dalton responded for Kilkenny with a point from forty five meters in the seventy eight minute. Credit to Tipperary they never gave up and got the last two points of the contest through Jenny Grace. She started the run with a point from a penalty in the eighty first minute and from a free in the eighty third minute from thirty five meters but it was too little too late as Kilkenny held out and recorded a 2-13 to 0-15 point victory and secure a league final berth against Galway who overcame Limerick in the weekends other semi final on May 1st.

Scorers – Kilkenny: Denise Gaule 1-05 (2f), Julie Ann Malone 1-01, Ann Dalton 0-04 (3f), Shelly Farrell 0-01, Miriam Walsh 0-01, Sarah Ann Quinlan 0-01. Tipperary: Jenny Grace 0-11 (7f, 3-45s), Shauna Quirke 0-02, Ereena Fryday 0-01, Sarah Fryday 0-01.

Kilkenny: Emma Kavanagh, Jacqui Frisby, Edwina Keane, Sarah Kent, Claire Phelan, Ann
Dalton, Davina Tobin, Miriam Frisby, Kellyann Doyle, Denise Gaule, Julie Ann Malone, Anna Farrell, Aine Gannon, Miriam Walsh, Shelly Farrell.

Sub: Subs: Ann Marie Lennon, Sarah Crowley, Maureen Walsh, Colette Dormer, Stacey Quirke, Aoife Neary, Michelle Quilty, Kate McDonald, Sarah Ann Quinlan, Laura Murphy, Aine Connery, Meighan Farrell, Katie Power, Grace Walsh.

Tipperary: Sabrina Larkin, Julie Ann Burke, Anne Eviston, Ciannait Walsh, Aoife McGrath, Caoimhe Maher, Gemma Grace, Teresa Ryan, Shauna Quirke, Nicole Walsh, Mairead Teehan, Mary Ryan, Sarah Fryday, Jenny Grace, Ereena Fryday.

Subs – Orla McEniry, Megan Ryan, Miriam Campion, Laura Loughnane, Mairead Eviston, Roisin Howard, Andrea Loughnane, Alana Morris, Lorna O’Dwyer, Maria Kinane, Nicola Butler, Clodagh Quirke, Niamh Treacy, Roisin Cahill, Aoife Moloughney.

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)

All Ireland Minor A Camogie Championship Semi Final

Galway 0-12           Kilkenny 1-05

Carrie Dolan finished with six points as Galway dethroned reigning All Ireland Champions Kilkenny 0-12 points to 1-05 in Nenagh on Saturday.

In a low scoring first half it was the victors who began the game the brighter and raced into a 0-04 point to no score lead through four Carrie Dolan points. She started the run with a point after twenty seconds from fourteen meters. She doubled her sides advantage with an excellent over shoulder point from fourteen meters in the fourth minute, before she got her and Galway’s third point from a long range free from sixty meters in the eighth minute. She then tapped over a well taken point from twenty one meters in the seventeenth minute to make it 0-04 points to no score. Blathnaid Galway stopped the rot for Kilkenny when she tapped over a free from twenty one meters in the twenty third minute after Helen Hoynes was fouled.  Galway hit back with two points on the trot. Siobhán McGrath started the run with a point from twenty meters in the twenty sixth minute. Mairead Dillion continued the run with a well taken point from thirty meters a minute later. Kilkenny bounced back brilliantly and closed out the half by scoring 1-01 without reply. Sophie O’Dwyer started the run when she got in for a goal in the twenty eight minute, when she latched onto a Helen Hoynes pass to tap home from the edge of the small square after a mixup in the Galway rear guard. Helen Hoynes then tapped over a point from thirty meters in the thirty third minute after latching onto a Ciara Phelan pass to cut the deficit to a point 1-02 to 0-06.

Galway raced out of the traps and got the opening two points of the new half through Leanne Freaney. She started the run with a point from forty meters in the thirty second minute. She followed this up with a forty five in the thirty fifth minute. Blathnaid Galway responded for Kilkenny with a free from thirty meters in the thirty eight minute after Caoimhe O’Shea was fouled. Galway responded by getting three points on the trot. Siobhan McGrath started the run with a point in the thirty ninth minute from thirty meters. Carrie Dolan who was in outstanding form for the tribeswomen then tapped over her fifth point of the afternoon from twenty meters in the forty second minute. Nichola Lawless then tapped over a point in the forty fourth minute from twenty one meters  to make 0-11 points to 1-03. Kilkenny bounced back with a excellent Helen Hoynes point from fourteenth meters in the forty seventh minute. Carrie Dolan responded for Galway with a point from fourteen meters in the forty ninth minute to edge Galway five clear 0-12 points to 1-04. Blathnaid Galway responded with a pointed free for Kilkenny in the fifty seventh from twenty one meters after Niamh Deely as fouled. Try as they might Kilkenny couldn’t get the crucial scores to get back into the game and Galway held out to record a 0-12 points to 1-05 victory to secure a final showdown against Tipperary who easily defeated Cork 4-16 to 0-08 points in the day’s other semi final.

In other Camogie news the Kilkenny under 16 A team ensured they topped there Leinster Championship group and secured a Leinster final place against Dublin next weekend when they easily defeated Offaly 7-10 to 0-08 points. The under 16b team travelled on Sunday to take on Meath and were very unlucky to come out the wrong side of the scoreboard on a 2-10 to 2-08 score line after a thrilling contest.

Scorers – Kilkenny: Blathnaid Galway 0-03 (3fs), Sophie O’Dwyer 1-00, Helen Hoynes 0-02. Galway: Carrie Dolan 0-06 (1f), Siobhán McGrath 0-02, Leanne Freaney 0-02 (1-45), Mairead Dillon 0-01, Nicola Lawless 0-01.

Kilkenny- Aoife Norris, Aideen O’Connor,  Hannah Scott, Ciara O’Shea,  Michelle Doherty, Michelle Teehan, Aobha O’Gorman, Ella Moore, Niamh Deely, Ciara Phelan, Blathnaid
Galway, Helen Hoynes, Eadoin Murphy, Sophie O’Dwyer, Cliona Murphy.

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

Galway- Sarah Healy, Sinead Cannon, Aisling Downey, Fiona Burke, Siobhán Skehill, Roisin Black, Leanne Helebert, Shannon Rice, Leanne Freaney, Ava Lynskey, Sarah Spellman, Mairead Dillon, Elisha Broderick, Carrie Dolan, Siobhán McGrath.

Subs- Yvonne Lyons, Taragh Moloney, Molly Mannion, Tiffany Ni Coisteabhla, Eimear O’Donovan, Mairead Burke, Serena Brehony, Christina Hanley, Nichola Lawless, Tara McNally, Emma Waters, Sacra Mannion, Rachel Murphy, Eimear Porter, Emma Gaffney.

Referee: Owen Elliott (Antrim)