Intermediate and Under 16s almost certain of All Ireland semi final spots

All Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship Group 1

Kilkenny 3-11         Wexford 0-05

Ciara Holden finished with 1-08 as the Kilkenny Intermediate team have almost certainly secured safe passage through to the All-Ireland semi-final with a game to spare when they defeated Wexford 3-11 to 0-05 points in New Ross on Saturday.

It was Wexford who began the game well and opened the scoring in the second minute when Aideen Brennan tapped over a free from twenty-one meters’ after Joanne Dillion was fouled. Kilkenny responded through two Ciara Holden frees. The first from thirty-five meters in the third minute. She followed this up with a free from twenty-one meters in the seventh minute. Aideen Brennan equalised the contest at two points apiece with a well taken point from play in the twelfth minute from thirty-five meters. Kilkenny then began to get a foothold in the contest and got five points on the spin. Ciara Holden started the run with a free from forty-five meters after Keeva Fennelly was fouled in the twentieth minute. Sarah Walsh followed this up with a well taken point on the run from twenty-one meters in the twenty second minute. Ciara Holden then tapped over a free from twenty-one meters a minute later after Sarah Walsh was fouled. Aine Fahy then tapped over a well taken point after brilliantly latching onto a well-directed Jenny Clifford side-line puck in the twenty fifth minute. Ciara Holden then tapped over a free from twenty-one meters a minute later after Jenny Clifford was fouled to make it 0-07 points to 0-02. Deirdre McMahon stopped the rot for Wexford with a well taken point form thirty-five meters in the twenty-eight minute.  Kilkenny got just the tonic they needed too in first half injury time when an excellent Keeva Fennelly shot from twenty-five meters deceived the Wexford defence and went straight to the roof of the net to extend Kilkenny’s advantage to seven points at the break 1-07 to 0-03.

Kilkenny continued their good run of form at the start of the second half and opened the scoring through a brilliant Ciara Holden point from play from twenty-one meters after latching onto a Edel Coonan pass. Aideen Brennan responded for Wexford with a well taken free from forty-five meters in the thirty sixth minute to make it 1-08 to 0-04. Kilkenny then went on a devastating scoring run getting 1-03 on the spin.  Ciara Holden started the run when she tapped over a point from twenty-one meters after latching onto a Jenny Clifford pass in the thirty-eight minute. Jenny Clifford put the game to bed when she got in for Kilkenny’s second goal in the forty seventh minute, she gained possession forty meters from goal, showed brilliant skill and pace to get away from the Wexford cover to coolly dispatch the sliotar to the Wexford net in what has become a real trademarked goal. Ciara Holden then tapped over her eight point of the afternoon with an excellent long range free from sixty-five meters in the fiftieth minute. Aine Fahey then tapped over her second point of the contest in the fifty third minute from twenty-one meters to make it 2-11 to 0-04 points. Joanne Dillion responded for Wexford with a point form twenty-one meters in the fifty sixth minute. They were one more sting in the Kilkenny tail as Ciara Holden who had a terrific afternoon got Kilkenny’s third goal of the contest in the fifty ninth minute when her long range free from outside the sixty-five-meter line deceived the Wexford defence and went straight to the roof of the net to see Kilkenny home on a 3-11 to 0-05-point score line. This victory almost certainly secures an All-Ireland semi-final spot. For Kilkenny to be pipped of the spot a series of substantial results would need to go against them. Kilkenny still have one game left to play in the group stages and that’s against Laois on August 6^th at home. A victory for Laois by more then thirty-nine points and a substantial Tipperary victory over Antrim who are sixty-one points behind the Cats are the only thing can change this.

Scorers- Kilkenny- Ciara Holden 1-08 (1-06 frees), Keeva Fennelly 1-00, Jenny Clifford 1-00, Aine Fahey 0-02, Sarah Walsh 0-01. Wexford – Aideen Brennan 0-03 (2 frees), Deirdre McMahon 0-01, Joanne Dillion 0-01.

Kilkenny- Kirsty Maher, Lydia Phelan, Jennifer Norris, Niamh Sweeney, Niamh Leahy, Katie Nolan, Edel Frisby, Laura Greene, Edel Coonan, 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.

Wexford:  Rebecca Doran, Nancy Dunphy, Farren Byrne, Aideen Brennan, Anna Whitty, Leanne Foley, Katie O’Connor, Michelle Martin, Doireann Kavanagh, Rachel Kelly, Deirdre McMahon (Capt), Aoife Curran, Mags Byrne, Ellen Roche.

Subs: Shauna Kelly, Patrice O’Gorman, Niamh Walsh, Ciara Mythen, Michelle Kehoe, Clodagh Jackman, Shauna Redmond, Dearbhla Doyle, Bridin Redmond, Amy Eustace, Jenna Doyle.

Referee: Andrew Larkin (Cork)

All Ireland U16A Camogie Championship Group 1

Kilkenny 0-10                     Dublin 0-03             

The Kilkenny Under 16 camogie team recorded their third victory of the All Ireland series when they overcame Dublin 0-10 points to 0-03 after an excellent defensive display in Portmartnock on Sunday.

In a low scoring first half it was the victors who raced out of the traps and went into a two points to no score lead. Aoife Doyle opened the scoring with a point from forty-five meters in the second minute. Danielle Morrissey doubled Kilkenny’s advantage with a point from the half line in the fourth minute.  In an impressive opening display the Kilkenny full back line were completely on top. Dublin opened their account with a Kym Hickey free from twenty-one meters after twenty minutes. Danielle Morrissey put two points in the contest again when she tapped over a free from twenty-one meters in the twenty fourth minute.  Rebecca Lewis responded with a free from forty-five meters in the twenty sixth minute. Danielle Morrissey closed out the first half scoring with a free from twenty-one meters in the twenty ninth minute to see the Cats shade the first half 0-04 points to 0-02.

Kilkenny began the new half brightly and got three points on the spin. Danielle Morrissey started the run with a free from forty meters in the thirty second minute. Caoimhe Dowling followed this up with an excellent point from thirty-five meters from out on the side line in the thirty eighth minute. Kilkenny were nearly in for a goal in the fortieth minute when Kym Ryan gained possession on the edge of the small square, but her effort went painfully of the crossbar and Dublin cleared their lines. Danielle Morrissey pushed Kilkenny five points clear with a forty-five in the forty second minute to make it 0-07 points to 0-02.  Ciara Holland responded for Dublin with a free from forty-five meters in the forty fourth minute in what was Dublin’s last score. Danielle Morrissey responded for Kilkenny with a free from forty-five meters in the forty sixth minute to make it 0-08 points to 0-03. Dublin then really pushed to get back into the contest with a goal around the fifty fifth minute but a brilliant defensive display by the Kilkenny full back line frustrated the Dublin forward line. Aoife Doyle put Kilkenny six points clear with a well taken point on the run from twenty-one meters in the fifty seventh minute. Danielle Morrissey closed out the scoring with a point from forty-five meters in injury time after latching onto a Katie Brennan pass, who just before that rose brilliantly to catch a high dropping ball.  This victory puts Kilkenny’s top of the table tied on nine points and just ahead of Dublin on score difference and almost certainly secures a semi-final berth with a game left to play.  The most impressive aspect of the Kilkenny display was the backline did not concede a point from play.  Kilkenny will now play Clare at home next weekend. A victory for Kilkenny will ensure they can’t be caught and will finish top of the table. For Kilkenny to be deprived of the semi-final spot, Clare will need to win by more than twenty-five points.

Scorers- Kilkenny- Danielle Morrissey 0-07 (5 frees, 1-45), Aoife Doyle 0-02 Caoimhe Dowling 0-01.   Dublin- Kym Hickey 0-01 (1 free), Rebecca Lewis (1 free), Ciara Holland (1 free).

Kilkenny- Leah Dunne (V. Capt), Laura Quigley, Maria Brennan, Caroline Kennedy, Aoife Doyle, Ruth Kent, Nicole Carter, Caoimhe Dowling (Captain), Lisa Donnelly, Suzie Aylward, Danielle Morrissey, Katie Brennan, Clara Hendrick, Eimear Farrell, Kym Ryan.

Subs-  Steffi Fitzgerald, Eve Lacey, Eimear Leahy, Lucy Power, Laoise Prendiville, Emily Crowley, Dearbhail O’Keeffe, Una Kinsella, Hannah Kelly, Rachel Kelly, Emily Phelan, Alanna Gallagher.

Dublin: Megan Thomas, Sarah Meagher, Jennifer O’Sullivan, Jody Couch, Rebecca Lewis, Rachel Regan, Derbhla Nolan, Niamh Gannon, Chloe Mullen, Ciara Murphy, Sinead Wylde, Orla Gray, Kym Hickey, Anne McSweeney, Aoife Mahon.

Subs:  Sophie Malone, Ciara Holland, Kym Hickey.

Referee: Eamon Cassidy