Senior’s shine to dethrone Champs and secure League Crown

Irish Daily Star National Camogie League Division 1 Final

Kilkenny 2-07 Galway 0-07

Two goals from Anna Farrell and Julieann Malone were the difference as Kilkenny proved too strong for Galway to clench there first National Camogie League Division one title since 2014 on a 2-07 to 0-07 point score line.

It was the victors who started the game the brighter and raced into 1-03 to no score lead. Julieann Malone opened the scoring in the third minute after she tapped over a point from forty five meters. Player of the match Anna Farrell then doubled the cats advantage with a point from twenty one meters after latching onto a Shelly Farrell pass in the fifth minute. She then got Kilkenny’s opening goal in the tenth minute when her shot from thirty meters deceived the Galway defence and found its way to the back of the net, this score put Kilkenny 1-02 to no score ahead. Denise Gaule then continued Kilkenny’s good run with free from twenty one meters in the eleventh minute. Niamh McGrath stopped the rot for the tribeswomen with a free from twenty one meters in the fifteenth minute. Ann Dalton responded for Kilkenny with a point from twenty one meters in the twenty first minute, before Aoife Donoghue tapped over a point from play for Galway in the twenty third minute. Kilkenny hit back with two points on the spin. Denise Gaule started the run with a free from forty meters in the twenty seventh minute after Shelly Farrell was fouled. She then brilliantly curled over a massive free from sixty meters a minute later to see Kilkenny go in at the break seven points to the good 1-06 to 0-02.

Galway emerged early from the dressing rooms for the start of the second half and set down there stall early when Niamh McGrath tapped over a free from twenty one meters in the opening minute. Sarah Ann Quinlan then tapped over a point from twenty one meters after latching onto a Miriam Walsh pass in the thirty eight minute to put Kilkenny seven points clear again 1-07 to 0-03. Niamh McGrath responded for Galway with a free from forty five meters in the forty fourth minute, before she tapped over an excellent free from twenty one meters right on the sideline in the forty seventh minute to cut the gap to five points 1-07 to 0-05 and Galway were beginning to get momentum in the contest. She then tapped over a free from forty five meters in the forty ninth minute after Niamh Kilkenny was fouled. Julieann Malone sealed the win for the cats with a terrifically worked goal, team captain Michelle Quilty found herself in space thirty meters from goal she spotted Julieann Malone free on the edge of the twenty one, she brilliantly directed a cross field pass to Malone who coolly dispatched the sliotar to the net from twenty one meters in a brilliantly worked Kilkenny goal. This put the victors 2-07 to 0-06 clear after fifty one minutes. Credit to Galway they kept competing in the contest but we’re not able to break down the Kilkenny defence who preformed brilliantly and shut up shop. Niamh McGrath closed out the second half scoring in the sixty first minute from a free after Aoife Donoghue was fouled from twenty one meters, but it was too little too late as Kilkenny recorded a 2-07 to 0-07 point victory to secure the League crown. Kilkenny can now go into the Leinster campaign in good spirits where they face Wexford away in a fortnights time.

Kilkenny: Anna Farrell 1-01, Julieann Malone 1-01, Denise Gaule 0-03 (3f), Ann Dalton 0-01, Sarah Ann Quinlan 0-01. Galway: Niamh McGrath 0-06 (6f), Aoife Donoghue 0-01.

Kilkenny: Ann Marie Lennon, Colette Dormer, Davina Tobin, Jacqui Frisby, Stacey Quirke, Edwina Keane, Sarah Kent, Kellyann Doyle, Anna Farrell, Ann Dalton, Julie Ann Malone, Denise Gaule, Shelly Farrell, Miriam Walsh, Sarah Ann Quinlan.

Sub: Emma Kavanagh, Miriam Frisby, Michelle Quilty (Capt), Meighan Farrell, Aine Gannon, Sarah Crowley, Claire Phelan, Maureen Walsh, Laura Murphy, Kate McDonald, Grace Walsh, Roisin Breen.

Galway: Shauna Burke, Siobhán Coen, Sarah Devan, Heather Cooney, Emma Helebert, Rebecca Hennelly, Lorraine Ryan, Shauna Healy, Clodagh McGrath, Niamh Kilkenny (Capt), Niamh McGrath, Laura Mitchell, Aoife Callanan, Aoife Donoghue, Ailish O’ Reilly.

Subs – Susan Earner, Ciara Murphy, Tara Kenny, Niamh Hanniffy, Elaine Burke, Noreen Coen, Dervla Higgins, Siobhán Gardiner, Orlaith McGrath, Ann Marie Starr, Molly Dunne, Laura Loughnane, Finola Keeley.

Referee: Cathal Egan(Cork)