Kilkenny Thump The Dubs In Leinster Quarter Final

Leinster Senior Camogie Championship Quarter Final

Kilkenny 6-14
Dublin 2-10

By Máirtín Ó Caoillte

Kilkenny got the defence of their Senior Leinster Championship title off to an emphatic start as they defeated Dublin in O’Toole Park, Crumlin on Saturday afternoon last. The game was played for the most part in glorious sunshine. Kilkenny were missing a couple of players through injury and suspension so Ann Downey was able to experiment in this game as it leads up to the All-Ireland Championship next Month.

The visitors got off to the perfect start with just 1.24 on the clock after a long range effort from Grace Walsh dropped short of the goal, keeper Faye McCarthy looked to have it covered by somehow dropped the ball to the awaiting Danielle Morrissey who dispatched the ball to the empty net. It was to get better three minutes later when Michelle Quilty slotted over a 45. Dublin hadn’t settled and it took them six minutes before they troubled the Kilkenny goal when Kerrie Finnegan pointed from play. That would give Dublin the confidence to go and get the next two scores points from Aisling Maher and Ali Twomey. It was only a brief reprieve as Kilkenny would dominate play for the next eight minutes. Points from Morrissey, Quilty and Anne Dalton left Kilkenny ahead. By the first quarter kilkenny were 2-4 to 0-3 ahead after a well worked goal say a breaking ball come in around the square, Denise Gaule pounced on the ball was fouled referee gave advantage gaule passed the ball across the square to the waiting Miriam Walsh and she duly dispatched the sliotar passed the helpless McCarthy in the Dublin Goal.  Dublin now hadn’t scored for almost 10 minutes before Ali Twomey pointed from a free. Kilkenny were now looking to build a lead before half time and on twenty two minutes Miriam Walsh was there again to bag her second goal of the day. Walsh made the goal her own after latching on to a Crossfield ball from Katie Power she turned her marker was fouled but kept going to blast the ball home. Kilkenny were now 3-4 to 0-4 points ahead and things looked ominous for Dublin. Sinead Wylde got a lovely point from play for Dublin as she solo’d up the pitch before unleashing a thirty five metre shot right over the crossbar. Quilty soon knocked the score back with a magnificent free right on the sideline and four minutes later Quilty would be involved with Kilkenny’s fourth goal of the day. It was a well worked goal Katie Powerr headed straight for the goal and with a lovely handpass across to Quilty saw the Mullinavat woman burry the ball to the net. Ali Maguire got a point for Dublin on thirty minutes but Kilkenny would get the last two scores points from Quilty and one from Grace Walsh left the Kittens 4-7 to 0-6 to the good at half time.

Second half was a bit scrappy. Dublin came out of the blocks strong and within four minutes had a goal on the scoreboard. Ann Downey won’t be happy with the defending that lead to the goal but Aisling Maher was there to capitalise on the errors and put the ball passed the helpless Aoife Norris. There was only four scores got then in an eight minute period two for Michelle Quilty and two for Ali Maguire which left the score 4-9 to 1-8 by the third quarter. Miriam Walsh was on hand a couple of minutes later to get her hat-trick of goals, another well worked move up the field saw Morriseey been fouled she somehow managed to get the ball across to Walsh who flicked the ball to the net for the hat-trick. Morrissey pointed herself from play on seventeen minutes with a beautifully taken point which was well deserved for all her hard work she was a thorn in the Dublin defence all day. Dublin sparked a mini revival and scored 1-2 in a fast two minute period. The goal coming from Ali Maguire from a 20m free. Maguire drilled a low shot into the ground which deflected off Aoife Norris’s hurl to end up in the top corner of the net. That goal was in the twenty first minute and would be Dublin’s last score of the game. Kilkenny emptied the bench and brought on subs and would score a further 1-4 in the last eight minutes of the game. A fourth goal for Miriam Walsh and points from Anne Dalton, Grace Walsh, Niamh Deely and Denise Gaule.

Ann Downey will be happy enough with the performance but she will feel there is still a lot of improvements can be made. Next up is a home Semi Final game against Westmeath as they defeated Meath in their respective Quarter Final.

Scorers – Kilkenny: Miriam Walsh 4-0, Michelle Quilty 1-6 (3f), Danielle Morrissey 1-2, Anne Dalton – Grace Walsh 0-2 each, Niamh Deely – Denise Gaule 0-1 each

Dublin – Ali Maguire 1-4(1-3f), Aisling Maher 1-1, Ali Twoomey 0-2, Kerrie Fnnegan – Sinead Wylde – Emma Flanagan 0-1 each

Teams: Kilkenny – Aoife Norris, Colette Dormer, Catherine Foley, Michelle Teehan, Claire Phelan, Kellyann Doyle, Edwina Keane, Denise Gaule, Grace Walsh, Edel Coonan, Anne Dalton, Katie Power, Michelle Quilty, Miriam Walsh, Danielle Morrissey

Subs – Niamh Delly for Edel Coonan, Steffi Fitzgerald for Edwina Keane, Grace O’Donnell for Michelle Quilty, Roisin Phelan for Claire Phelan

Dublin – Faye McCarthy, Orla Gray, Eve O’Brien, Dee Johnstone, Emma O’Byrne, Grainne Quinn, Roisin Baker, Aisling Carolan, Sinead Wylde, Aoibhe Dillon, Ali Maguire, Ali Twomey, Orla Beagan, Aisling Maher, Kerrie Finnegan

Subs – Alex Griffin for Aisling Maher, Emma Flanagan for Aoibhe Dilon, Emma Gray for Ali Twomey, Martha O’Donoghue for Orla Gray

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)