Champions Kilkenny show no mercy as they make semis

Kilkenny 3-14

Dublin 0-8

Reigning All-Ireland Champions, Kilkenny showed Dublin no mercy in Tom Ryall Park, Kilmanagh on Saturday when driving on into the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Semi-Finals

From the throw in, Kilkenny were on fire, first to the ball and they drove forward relentlessly

Denise Gaule scored the opening for Kilkenny in the second minute from a 45 metre free after she had played in Katie Power. The latter’s raspering shot was diverted out for a 45 by the Dublin ‘keeper

The visitors equalised in the fourth minute, when Aisling Maher converted a free

Kilkenny then hit a purple patch between the 10^th & 19^th minute. They blasted the opposition for 2-4 without reply

Miriam Walsh bagged the Cats first goal in the 10^th minute

A long clearance by Claire Phelan found Meighan Farrell, who in turn fed Danielle Morrissey, who laid it off to the on running Miriam Walsh and she dispatched it to the back of the net

This was followed by a Katie Power point to put Kilkenny 1-2 to 0-1 up after 13^th minutes

Danielle Morrissey then latched onto a through ball by Shelly Farrell, rounded her marker and drilled it pass the Metropolitans goalie

Then Anna Farrell, Katie Power & Denise Gaule (free) tagged on points before Aisling Maher stopped the rot with a pointed free for Dublin

Aisling Maher scored another pointed free for Dublin which was sandwiched between points by Danielle Morrissey (free) and Aisling Dunphy to leave the home side leading by 10 points, 2-7 to 0-3

Miriam Walsh then bagged her second goal in the 29^th minute

The ball was cleared from the Kilkenny defence through Anne Dalton, into the corner

Danielle Morrissey ran onto it. The Dublin ‘keeper came off her line to challenge Danielle, but she saw Miriam Walsh dart ahead and she gave her an inch perfect pass & Miriam hand passed into an empty net

Meighan Farrell added a point to the Kilkenny tally, but only after the Referee had intervened as the umpire had waved wide

Aisling Maher (D) finished the scoring of the first half, converting two placed balls to leave it, Kilkenny 3-8 to Dublin 0-5

At the start of the second half, Dublin were awarded a free. Their goalie came all the way up to the half way line to deliver the ball, which was intercepted by Claire Phelan and cleared upfield to Miriam Walsh

The latter was impeded but she turned and kicked the sliotar back to the on-rushing Danielle Morrissey, who slotted it over the bar

Dublin scored the next two points through their goalkeeper, Faye McCarthy (free) and Ali Twomey, but they never looked like getting back into the match

From the 39^th minute, Kilkenny scored four unanswered points through Meighan Farrell, Miriam Walsh, Denise Gaule (free) and Jenny Reddy

The latter had only joined the fray seconds earlier

The Dubs ‘keeper Faye McCarthy fired home a free from the 45 metre line after that. Miriam Walsh closed out the scoring, with a well worked point to leave the full-time score: Kilkenny 3-14 Dublin 0-8

The win left Kilkenny at the top Group 1 and secured the other automatic semi-final berth, which will be played on Saturday 19^th August

Their opponents will not be known until after the Quarter Finals on August 5

Kilkenny Manager, Ann Downey said she was delighted with the win over what she considered a very strong Dublin team

“It is great to be on the semi-finals”, she added. “Preparations for the next few weeks – the girls had club matches on Monday night – after that it’s back to lots of hard work

Scores – Kilkenny – Miriam Walsh (2-2); Danielle Morrissey (1-3, 2 frees); Denise Gaule (0-2, one free, one 45); Katie Power, Meighan Farrell (0-2) each; Anna Farrell, Aisling Dunphy, Jenny Reddy (0-1) each

Dublin – Aisling Maher (0-5, 5f); Faye McCarthy (0-2, 2 f); Ali Twomey (0-1)

Kilkenny – Emma Kavanagh, Catherine Foley, Davina Tobin, Grace Walsh, Claire Phelan, Anne Dalton, Aisling Dunphy, Meighan Farrell, Anna Farrell, Julieann Malone, Katie Power, Denise Gaule, Shelly Farrell, Miriam Walsh, Danielle Morrissey

Subs – Grace O’Donnell for Shelly Farrell, Michelle Teehan for Davina Tobin, Jenny Reddy for Denise Gaule, Michelle Quilty for Meighan Farrell, Ann Marie Lennon, Jacqui Frisby, Jenny Clifford, Laura Murphy, Miriam Frisby, Stacey Quirke, Aoife Doyle, Sarah Ann Quinlan, Sarah Crowley, Sarah Kent, Roisin Phelan, Aisling Nolan, Colette Dormer

Dublin – Faye McCarthy, Arleen Cushen, Eve O’Brien, Eva Marie Elliott, Hannah Hegarty, Ali Maguire, Grainne Quinn, Miriam Twomey, Eimear McCarthy, Ali Twomey, Ellen McGovern, Siobhan Kehoe, Emma Flanagan, Zoe O’Donoghue, Aisling Maher

Subs – Claire Donnelly for Grainne Quinn, Sarah O’Donovan for Zoe O’Donoghue, Alex Griffen for Emma Flanagan, Mairi Moynihan for Siobhan Kehoe, Aine Woods for Hannah Hegarty, Niamh Rock, Eimear O’Leary, Sile Nic Coitir, Doireann Mullany

Referee – Owen Elliott, Antrim