Clifford stars for Kilkenny Under 16’s

Kilkenny 1-17

Dublin 0-8

Kilkenny U16’s defeated Dublin in the first round of the All Ireland Championship in Thomastown last Sunday afternoon

Due to the lockdown with Covid 19 the U16A’s did not get to play their Leinster campaign but they started their All Ireland Series meaning business

Amy Clifford opened Kilkenny’s account after 34 seconds from a 30m free with Sophie McIntyre equalising for Dublin in the 2^nd minute from play

Clifford added another two points in the 3^rd & 4^th minute from frees before Sarah Daly split the posts with a free for Dublin in the 6^th minute

The match ebbed and flowed for the next 13 minutes with no scores added until Ellen Gunner popped up and slotted over the bar for Kilkenny just as the water break approached, leaving the score Kilkenny 0-4 Dublin 0-2

In the 21^st minute, Annabella Timothy ran at the Kilkenny defence, she was about to pull the trigger but a wonderful hook from Nathania Jackson, diverted the sliotar out for a 45 with Sinead Daly converting the resulting placed ball

Ellen Gunner added a further point for Kilkenny after being played in by Amy Clifford and heading towards the interval, Emma Shortall latched onto a loose ball and struck it over the bar to leave the score Kilkenny 0-6 Dublin 0-3 at the break

Straight from the throw in for the start of the second half, Kilkenny were awarded a free and Amy Clifford duly converted between the posts

Sinead Daly pointed a 30m free in the 37^th minute for the Dubs before Amy Clifford and Daly traded pointed frees

Katie Byrne and Emma Mulhall then added to Kilkenny’s tally in the 43^rd and 44^th minute with a point each from play

Ava Lambe then converted a free for the visitors as the action headed for the second waterbreak

Kilkenny substitute Lauren Ronan hit the ground running when she entered the fray, finding Ellen Gunner with a lovely pass and Gunner slotted over the bar

The homeside then hit a purple patch, hitting 1-4 without reply over the next 7 minutes

Amy Clifford converted two placed balls in the 53^rd and 54^th minutes while midfielder Katie Byrne added a neat point in the 55^th minute after soloing through the Dubs defence

Shortly after Amy Clifford played the sliotar towards the Dublin goal, Ellen Gunner collected the sliotar but she was unceremoniously brought down and a Penalty was awarded where Amy Clifford decided to take a point from the Penalty

Clifford then rattled the back of the net in the 57^th minute after Claire Doheny played a neat ball into her

Dublin were awarded a free in the 59^th minute, Ava Lambe played a quick one two with Annabella Timothy, before Lambe slotted over the bar

Claire Doheny added another point for Kilkenny, before Ava Lambe and Amy Clifford (KK) slotted over a point a piece from placed balls to leave the full time score 1-17 to 0-8 in favour of the home side

Scorers – Kilkenny – Amy Clifford (1-9, 0-6f, pen 0-1, 1 45), Ellen Gunner (0-3), Katie Byrne (0-2), Emma Mulhall, Emma Shortall, Claire Doheny (0-1 each)

Dublin – Sinead Daly (0-4, 3f, 1 45), Ava Lambe (0-3), Sophie McIntyre (0-1)

Kilkenny – Ali Kennedy, Nathania Jackson, Carmel Maher, Laoise Nolan, Moya O’Brien, Niamh McCormack, Rachel Brennan, Claire Doheny, Katie Byrne, Aine Ronan, Amy Clifford (Joint Captain), Emma Mulhall, Emma Shortall, Sarah Hudson, Ellen Gunner

Subs – Lauren Ronan for Aine Ronan, Sofia Kerr for Emma Mulhall, Lucy Kavanagh for Emma Shortall, Eabha Carroll for Katie Byrne, Libby Begley, Caoimhe Carroll (Joint Captain), Ciara Brennan,  Lauren East, Emily Carroll, Ava Shefflin, Rachel Whelan, Paige Foley, Chloe Delaney, Aoife Byrne, Riona Crowley

Dublin – Kerri Austin, Jennifer Moore, Sadie Codd, Emma Stacey, Sarah Power, Anna Curraoin, Niamh Crowley, Abby Ryan, Roisin Ni Drisceoil, Niamh Donlon, Annabelle Timothy, Sophie McIntyre, Grace Shanahan, Ava Lambe, Sinead Daly

Subs – Ruth Fitzsimmons for Sarah Daly, Leonie Power for Roisin Ni Drisceoil, Ruby Wood for Grace Shanahan, Isobel De Chaumont for Sophie McIntyre, Caitriona McMahon for Jennifer Moore, Aine Rafter for Anna Curraoin, Ashling Behan, Cara Ware, Cliodhna Ni Bhuachalla, Cliona Hewson, Hannah Gibbs, Isabelle McGarry, Zara Thorne