Minor’s must now focus on sheild final after Wexford defeat, while Under 16s secure All Ireland final date with Cork victory

Leinster Minor Camogie Championship Semi-Final

Kilkenny 2-10                         Wexford 1-17

Una Sinnott finished with 1-06 from play as Wexford dethroned reigning Leinster Champions Kilkenny, after her side proved too strong for Kilkenny on a 1-17 to 2-10 score line. Kilkenny will now play Dublin in the shield final at the end of the month.

It was the victors who opened the scoring after thirty seconds through a Una Sinnott point from twenty one meters. Kilkenny’s response was brilliant as Aisling Morrissey got in for the games opening goal thirty seconds later when  she latched onto a Ciara Phelan pass to hit the slitoar home from the edge of the small square.  Wexford responded brilliantly and from the resulting puck out Una Sinnott gained possession rounded her marker to blast home from fourteen meters in the second minute. Kilkenny equalised the tie at 1-01 apiece with a Mia Griffin point from twenty one meters thirty second later. Wexford then began to get momentum in the contest and got five points on the spin.  Sarah O’Connor started the run with a brace of two long range frees. The first from sixty five meters in the fifth minute and an excellent long range free from seventy meters in the sixth minute. Una Sinnott continued the good run with a point from twenty one meters in the eight minute, before Aoife Guiney tapped over a well taken point from forty five meters. Sarah O’Connor then tapped over a free from fifty meters in the thirteenth minute to make it 1-06 to 1-01. Kilkenny bounced back brilliant with 1-01 through Blathnaid Galwey. She started the run with a free from twenty one meters in the sixteenth minute. She then got Kilkenny’s second goal when a free from sixty five meters deceived the Wexford defence and went straight to the net , to put Kilkenny right back into the contest at 1-06 to 2-02, a point behind.  Wexford responded with two points on the spin to make it a three point game. Sarah O’Connor started the run with a free from thirty meters in the twentieth minute.  Aoife Dunne then followed this up with a point from twenty one meters in the twenty second minute to make it 1-08 to 2-02.  Aoife O’Carroll responded for Kilkenny with a well taken point from twenty one meters after latching onto a Helen Hoynes pass.  Una Sinnott replied for Wexford with the last score of the half with a point from twenty one meters in the twenty sixth minute to make it a three point game at the break 1-09 to 2-03.

Wexford began the new half well and opened the scoring through a Una Sinnott point from twenty one meters after thirty seconds of the resumption. Kilkenny bounced back brilliantly and got three points on the spin. Blathnaid Galwey started the run with an excellent free from sixty five meters from right out on the sideline. Helen Hoynes then tapped over a point from twenty one meters after latching onto an Eadoin Murphy pass.  Kilkenny nearly got in for a goal in the thirty seventh minute only for Wexford net minder Emma Kiely to brilliantly save the shot out for a forty five. From the resulting forty five Blathnaid Galwey pointed to narrow the gap to a point 1-10 to 2-06 after thirty eight minutes.  Wexford responded with two points on the spin. Una Sinnott started the run with a point from twenty one meters in the forty first minute. From the resulting puck out, second half sub Roisin Kelly gained possession to tap over from twenty one meters to make it 1-12 to 2-06. Kilkenny responded with two points on the spin. Mia Griffin started the run with a point from twenty one meters in the forty second minute. Blathnaid Galwey followed this up with a well taken free from forty five in the forty third minute to narrow the deficit to a point again 1-12 to 2-08. Wexford responded with two points on the spin.  Sarah O’Connor started the run with a point from forty five, in the forty fourth minute. Wexford were awarded a penalty in the forty sixth after the Kilkenny defence was penalised. Sarah O’Connor stood up to the resulting penalty, but her effort was brilliantly saved and Kilkenny cleared there lines. Una Sinnott finished off a good period of dominance with a further point from thirty meters in the forty eight minute to make it 1-14 to 2-08.  Kilkenny responded with two points on the spin. Mia Griffin started the run with a point from twenty one meters in the forty ninth minute. Eimear Keoghan followed this up with a well taken free from forty five meters in the fifty second minute to cut the deficit to a point 1-14 to 2-10. Wexford closed out the contest with three points on the spin. Sarah O’Connor started the run with a pointed free from fifty meters in the fifty third minute. Roisin Kelly then followed this up with two points, the first from a well taken point from forty five meters in the fifty seventh minute and a further point from the same distance in the fifty ninth minute to make it 1-17 to 2-10. Try as they might Kilkenny couldn’t get the crucial scores to get back into the contest and Wexford held out to record a 1-17 to 2-10 victory to secure a final berth against Offaly who overcame Dublin 4-06 to 2-03. Kilkenny will face Dublin in the shield final on the 28^th August, time and venue to be confirmed.

Scorers – Kilkenny:  Blathnaid Galwey 1-04 (1-03 frees, 1-45), Aisling Morrissey 1-00, Mia Griffin 0-02, Aoife O’Carrol 0-01, Helen Hoynes 0-01, Ella Moore 0-01, Eimear Keoghan 0-01 (1 free).   Wexford: Una Sinnott 1-06, Sarah O’Connor 0-06 (5 frees, 1-45), Roisin Kelly 0-03, Aoife Guiney 0-01, Aoife Dunne 0-01.

Kilkenny- Aoife Norris, Roisin Phelan, Hannah Scott, Ciara O’Shea, Nicole Garvey, Mairead Kennedy, Aobha O’Gorman, Ella Moore, Mia Griffin, Ciara Phelan, Aoife O’Carroll, Blathnaid Galwey, Aisling Morrissey, Hannah Irish, Helen Hoynes.

Subs- Aoife Walsh, Eadoin Murphy, Eimear Keoghan, Caoimhe O’Shea, Amy Morrissey, Eimear Dolan, Nessa Galwey, Cliona Murphy, Sophie O’Dwyer, Tara Clifford, Aoife Holden, Niamh Deely, Michelle Teehan, Kate Drennan, Aideen O’Connor.

Wexford: Emma Kiely, Dearbhla Doyle, Leanne Foley, Aine Ennis, Orla Crowe, Rachel Kelly, Roisin Cooney, Sarah O’Connor, Clodagh Jackman, Aoife Curran, Aoife Guiney, Oonagh Doyle, Una Sinnott, Orla Molloy, Aoife Dunne.

Subs- Liza Bates, Amy Conroy, Shauna Kelly, Roisin Kelly, Emma Furlong, Emma O’Dowd, Emma Codd, Aoife McCrea.

Referee- Pat Kehoe (Carlow).

All Ireland U16A Camogie Championship Semi final

Kilkenny 2-17             Cork 3-11

The Kilkenny under 16 team fought off a late Cork fight back to secure their place in the All Ireland final against Galway on Sunday next on a 2-17 to 3-11 score line.

It was the victors who began the game the brighter with a strong breeze and raced into a two points to no score lead. Suzie Aylward opened the scoring with a point from twenty one meters after twenty seconds. Danielle Morrissey followed this up with a forty five thirty second later. Cork responded and opened there account with a Saoirse McCarthy free from fifty meters in the second minute. Eimear Farrell edged Kilkenny two points clear again with a well taken point from twenty one meters in the fourth minute. Cliona Healy replied for Cork with a free from twenty one meters in the fifth minute to make it 0-03 points to 0-02.  Kilkenny replied with six points on the spin. Danielle Morrissey started the run with a brace of points. The first from twenty one meters in the seventh minute. She followed this up with a well taken point from thirty meters after latching onto an Aoife Doyle pass. Aoife Doyle continued the good run with a brace of points of her own in the eight minute from forty meters and a point from thirty five meters in the ninth minute. Caoimhe Dowling then hit over a well taken long range free from fifty meters in the twelfth minute. Aoife Doyle then tapped over a well taken point from thirty five meters to make it 0-09 points to 0-02 after thirteen minutes. Cork replied with a brace of scores, through Cliona Healy frees. The first from thirty five meters in the fifteenth minute and a further free from twenty one meters in the nineteenth minute to make it 0-09 points to 0-04. Kilkenny closed out the half with a further scoring burst getting four points on the spin. Aoife Doyle started the run with a well taken point on the run from thirty five meters. Nicole Carter then popped up from wing back and got a well taken score from thirty five meters in the twenty third minute. Caoimhe Dowling then popped over a well taken point from forty meters after latching onto a pass from a Danielle Morrissey free. Danielle Morrissey then tapped over a free from forty five meters in the thirty first minute after Kym Ryan was fouled to make it 0-13 points to 0-04 at the break. The most impressive aspect of the first half performance was Kilkenny kept Cork scoreless from play with there four points coming from frees.

Kilkenny began the new half well and got the opening two points through Danielle Morrissey. She started the run with a point from twenty one meters after latching onto a Kate Brennan pass in the opening minute. She followed this up with a free from twenty one meters to make it 0-15 points to 0-04. Cork responded through an Emma Murphy point from twenty one meters after latching onto a Fiona Nelligan pass. Disaster then struck for the Rebelettes as Kilkenny got in for their first goal of the contest, when Eimear Farrell gained possession forty five meters from goal went on a defence splitting run, lost possession but recovered brilliantly to tap home from the edge of the small square to make it 1-15 to 0-05 points. Credit to Cork they didn’t drop their heads and set to the task to reduce the deficit and did so by getting five points on the spin aided by a very strong breeze. Saoirse McCarthy started the run with a point from forty meters in the forty first minute. Cliona Healy followed this up with a free from twenty one meters in the forty third minute. Moira Barrett then tapped over a well taken long range point from fifty meters in the forty fourth minute.  Cliona Healy continued the good run with a point from forty five meters in the forty fifth minute. Emma Murphy then tapped over a point from twenty one meters thirty seconds later to narrow the gap to eight points 1-15 to 0-10 points. Kilkenny hit back brilliantly and got in for their second goal when Aoife Doyle cut through the Cork defence latched onto an Eimear Farrell pass to blast home from fourteen meters to make it 2-15 to 0-10 points.  Cork responded brilliantly again and got in for a goal of their own a minute later when Cliona Healy latched onto a breaking ball on the twenty one meter line to blast home.  Danielle Morrissey responded for Kilkenny with a brace of points. The first a well taken point from play from twenty one meters in the fifty first minute. She followed this up with an excellent long range free from fifty meters in the fifty sixth minute after Aoife Doyle was fouled.  One would forgive the assumption that Cork were out of this contest, but the Rebelettes had a different thing on their mind and got in for two goals on the spin.  Their second goal came in the fifty seventh minute when a Saoirse McCarthy shot from twenty one meters deceived the Kilkenny defence and went straight to the net.  This narrowed the gap to seven points 2-17 to 2-10. She followed this up with a goal from a twenty one meter free after Emma Murphy was fouled to narrow the gap to four points heading into injury time. Cliona Healy narrowed the gap further with a forty five in the sixty second minute to narrow the gap to a goal. That was as close as Cork got as Kilkenny held out to record a 2-17 to 3-11 victory to book a final date with Galway after the Tribeswomen overcame Dublin 2-17 to 2-09 in the days other semi final. The All Ireland final will take place on Sunday next, time and venue to be confirmed.

Scorers – Kilkenny: Danielle Morrissey 0-08 (3 frees, 1-45),  Aoife Doyle 1-04, Eimear Farrell 1-01, Caoimhe Dowling 0-02,  Suzie Aylward 0-01, Nicole Carter 0-01. Cork:  Cliona Healy 1-06 (3 frees, 1-45), Saoirse McCarthy 2-02 (1-01 frees), Emma Murphy 0-02, Moira Barrett 0-01.

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

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

Cork: Molly Lynch, Orla Fahy, Aideen Buckley (capt), Sarah O’Sullivan, Grace Collins, Katie Daly, Orla Keating, Saoirse McCarthy, Laura Hayes, Cliona Healy, Moira Barrett, Fiona Nelligan, Claire Mullins, Emma Murphy, Aoife Hurley.

Subs-Sarah Ahern, Michelle Fitzpatrick, Olivia  Murphy, Ellen O’Regan, Aine O’Regan, Ciara Ring, Emily Buckley, Laura Doyle, Kate O’Connell, Shannyn McHale, Nicole Horgan, Caoimhe Harney, Suzanne Bateman.

Referee- Eamon Cassidy (Derry).