Champions Kilkenny get the better of the Tribeswomen to reach League Final

A goal after eight minutes from Danielle Morrissey gave Kilkenny an early lead at Semple Stadium and Meighan Farrell pointed to open a four-pointed gap

Galway were undeterred however and shot the next four points, three from their leading scorer Ailish O’Reilly and another from Niamh McGrath. It was nip and tuck for the next 10 minutes or so, with Miriam Walsh and Denise Gaule finding the target for Kilkenny, O’Reilly & McGrath doing so for Galway

Galway finished strongly though with a pair of points from the excellent O’Reilly and then left them leading deservedly at half time by 0-9 to 1-4

Ann Downey has instilled a real never-say-die element in this Kilkenny squad though and allied with the belief that comes from accumulating silverware

Denise Gaule (two), Katie Power and Walsh registered points to turn things around though Niamh Kilkenny stopped the rot to reduce the margin to the minimum, it was a momentary relief for Galway as Gaule drove over a trio of points (she finished with seven) and Walsh & Julieann Malone added scores to secure a 1-14 to 0-11 victory

Scores – Kilkenny – Denise Gaule 0-7 (3 frees), Miriam Walsh 0-3, Danielle Morrissey 1-0, Meighan Farrell, Katie Power, Jenny Clifford, Julieann Malone 0-1 each

Galway – Ailish O’Reilly 0-5 (3 frees), Aoife Donohue, Niamh McGrath, Niamh Kilkenny 0-2 each

Kilkenny – Emma Kavanagh, Aisling Nolan, Ann Dalton, Claire Phelan, Michelle Teehan, Meighan Farrell, Catherine Foley, Julieann Malone, Katie Power, Aisling Dunphy, Grace Walsh, Denise Gaule, Jenny Reddy, Miriam Walsh, Danielle Morrissey

Subs- Jenny Clifford for Danielle Morrissey, Niamh Deely for Aisling Dunphy, Stacey Quirke for Catherine Foley, inj, Aine Gannon for Julieann Malone, Ann Marie Lennon, Laura Murphy, Sarah Kent, Colette Dormer, Sarah Crowley, Miriam Frisby, Grace O’Donnell, Roisin Phelan, Jacqui Frisby,  Davina Tobin, Edwina Keane

Galway – Tara Murphy, Tara Kenny, Sarah Dervan, Dervla Higgins, Heather Cooney, Rebecca Hennelly, Therese Manton, Ann-Marie Starr, Aoife Donohue, Ailish O’Reilly, Niamh Hanniffy, Orlaith McGrath, Jessie Gill, Niamh Kilkenny, Niamh McGrath

Subs – Shauna Healy for Ann Marie Starr, Noreen Coen for Orlaith McGrath, Shauna Burke, Emma Helebert, Laura Mitchell, Roisin Black, Clodagh McGrath, Catherine Finnerty, Ciara Murphy, Maria Cooney, Siobhan Coen, Catriona Daly, Lorraine Ryan, Finola Keely, Laura Loughnane