Antrim hit for six as Intermediates make it two from two

All Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship Group 1

Kilkenny 6-11 Antrim 3-07

Aine Fahey finished with 3-01 as the Kilkenny Intermediate team made it two from two in the All-Ireland series when they defeated Antrim 6-11 to 3-07 in Randallstown. One of the highlights of the victory was all Kilkenny scores came from play.

It was Antrim who began the game brightly and opened the scoring through a Racquel McCarry point from play from twenty-one meters after twenty seconds. Kilkenny hit back brilliantly and got 1-02 on the spin. Ciara Holden started the run with a brace of points, the first from twenty-one meters in the third minute, she followed this up with a well taken point from play in the fifth minute from twenty-one meters. Sarah Walsh continued the good run with Kilkenny’s first goal of the contest when she latched onto a breaking ball on the edge of the small square to kick home to put the victors 1-02 to 0-01 ahead after eight minutes. Racquel McCarry who finished with a personal tally of 3-06 responded for Antrim with a brace of frees. The first in the tenth minute from forty meters and a minute later from twenty-one meters to cut the deficit to two points. Jenny Clifford responded for Kilkenny with an excellent point on the run from thirty meters to put a goal in it again in the twelfth minute.  Antrim hit back brilliantly to equalised the contest when a Racquel McCarry twenty-one meters free found its way to the back of the Kilkenny net.  Kilkenny responded brilliantly and got in for their second goal in the twenty first minute when Jenny Clifford got in for Kilkenny second goal, when she gained possession sixty-five meters out cut through the Antrim rear-guard fed the ball to Ciara Holden who precisely return possession to Clifford who rounded the remainder of the Antrim defence to blast to the top corner of the net in a brilliant passage of play. Sarah Walsh continued the good Cats run with a point from twenty-one meters after latching onto a Keeva Fennelly pass.  Racquel McCarry responded for Antrim with a point from thirty-five meters in the twenty third minute.  Kilkenny responded brilliantly and went on a devastating scoring burst getting 1-03 on the spin to close out the first half. Sarah Walsh started the run with a point from twenty-one meters in the twenty fifth minute. Aine Fahey then tapped over a point after she latched onto a brilliant batted pass by Ciara Holden. Sarah Walsh then tapped over a point from twenty-one meters in the twenty seventh minute. Aine Fahey then got in for her second goal in the twenty-eight minute when she latched onto a breaking ball to hand pass home from close range to see Kilkenny comfortably lead at the break 3-07 to 1-04.

Kilkenny raced out of the traps at the start of the second half and got in for their fourth goal in the opening minute when a Laura Greene shot from thirty-five meters deceived the Antrim defence and went to the corner of the net. Aine Fahey got in for her hat trick in the thirty third minute when she latched onto an Angela Kenneally pass to hand pass to the net from close range. She followed this up with a point from twenty-one meters in the thirty fifth minute to make it 5-08 to 1-04.  Racquel McCarry stopped the rot for Antrim with a point from play from twenty-one meters in the thirty seventh minute.  Sarah Walsh responded with a point for Kilkenny in the thirty ninth minute from twenty-one meters. Credit to Antrim they never gave up and got in for their second goal of the contest when Racquel McCarry gained possession on the edge of the small square to hit home. This made it 5-09 to 2-05. Kilkenny were not going to relinquish there hold on the game and got in for their sixth goal when Aine Fahey got in for her hat trick when she gained possession on the twenty-one cut through the Antrim cover to hand pass home from the edge of the small square. Antrim responded with a goal in the forty ninth minute when a Racquel McCarry free from twenty-one meters hit of Chloe Higgins hurl and went to the net. Racquel McCarry followed this up with a point from forty meters in the fifty first minute. This made it 6-09 to 3-06 going into the final ten minutes.  Catherine Walsh who was just introduced as a sub responded with a point for Kilkenny from twenty-one meters. Meadhbh McCormick replied for Antrim with a point from fourteen meters in the fifty fifth minute when she latched onto a Racquel McCarry pass. Mary Corcoran who also was introduced as a sub for the victors then tapped over a point going into injury time to ensure Kilkenny came away from Antrim with the points on a 6-11 to 3-07 score line.  Next up for Kilkenny is Wexford away on Saturday week where a victory will almost certainly ensure their passage through to the knock out stages.

In other camogie news the Kilkenny under 16 team began there All Ireland campaign with a 2-14 to 1-10 victory over Waterford. In the opening half the sides couldn’t be separated at 1-04 to 0-07 points with Kilkenny getting in for the goal early in the contest.  Kilkenny raced out of the traps in the second half and came away with the opening points of the series. Next up for the team is Limerick at home next Sunday.

Scorers- Kilkenny- Aine Fahey 3-01, Sarah Walsh 1-04, Jenny Clifford 1-01, Laura Greene 1-00, Ciara Holden 0-02, Angela Kennelly, Catherine Walsh 0-01, Mary Corcoran 0-01.  Antrim – Racquel McCarry 2-06 (2-03F), Chloe Higgins 1-00, Meadhbh McCormick 0-01.

Kilkenny- Kirsty Maher, Lydia Phelan, Jennifer Norris, Niamh Sweeney, Niamh Leahy, Katie Nolan, Edel Frisby, Laura Greene, Edel Coonan, Jenny Clifford, Ciara Holden, Keeva Fennelly, Sarah Walsh, Aine Fahey (Capt), Angela Kenneally.

Subs- Aoife Norris, Ciara Phelan, Roisin Breen, Sophie O Dwyer, Miriam Bambrick, Niamh Bambrick, Sabrina Walsh, Megan Walsh, Roisin Phelan, Eimear Corr, Aisling O Farrell, Eilish Regan, Catherine Walsh, Noelle Maher, Mary Corcoran, Ciara Murphy, Roisin Kealy.

Antrim- Megan Coyle, Bernie McGary, Laura Connolly, Aine Connolly, Eimear McGary, Emma McFadden, Ciara Boyle, Charlene Campbell, Chloe Higgins, Orlagh O’Hara, Shauna Devlin, Caitrin Dobbin, Kristy McKendry, Racquel McCarry, Christine Laverty.

Subs – Shaunie McAuley, Maria Lynn, Meadhbh McCormick, Katie McCormick, Katie McKillop, Katie Lynn, Una McNaughton, Clare McKillop.

Referee: Philip McDonald (Cavan)