Keher-Murtagh The Difference For The Rower Women

Shaw’s Department Store Intermediate Semi Final 

Rower Inistioge 1-10
Mullinavat 1-7 

Report by Amy Cody (Kilkenny PRO Óg) 

Páirc Na Ratha in Glenmore held the first of a double header of Intermediate County Semi-Finals on Sunday last. The venue was in pristine condition and with the addition of a new scoreboard was the perfect venue for these games.  

The sun shone brightly on a crip morning for the meeting of Rower Inistioge and Mullinavat. The opening exchanges were tight and tough and it took three minutes for the opening score of the game, Cria Langton provided it with a pointed free. This was a fast-paced game right from the off and Cria added to her earlier point with another free a minute later. It took Mullinavat eight minutes to register their first score, it came with a pointed free from Michelle Quilty. Caoimhe Kerr-Murtagh got the opening point from play after 10 minutes. Scores were hard to come by and they were earned when they were got. Quilty adding to her tally with a point from a free. By the first quarter it was the Rower Inistioge who had a slender lead 0-5 to 0-4. Their sharp shooter Caoimhe Kerr-Murtagh who had 8 goals coming into the game adding another to her tally when she rattled the Mullinavat net after 21 minutes. Cria Langton added a free to leave the score 1-6 to 0-5 at the break.  

Mullinavat needed to get a good start and they did so when Michelle Quilty pointed a free, it was quickly cancelled out with a Sarah Ryan point from play. Quilty and Kerr-Murtagh were fighting it out for the top scorer this year and the Mullinavat goal poacher got 7th goal of the championship when she rattled a shot past the helpless Emma Kavanagh, there was now just a single point between the teams 1-7 to 1-6. Julieann Malone levelled the game up by the third quarter with a point from play.  

The crowd was really enjoying this game, it had everything that a championship game should have, great skill, hooking, blocking, the crowd roaring and both teams giving it their all. There wasn’t a score for a while after the teams levelling but Aoife Lyng changed that when she put her side in front and this was quickly followed up with points from Aisling Kelly and Caoimhe Kerr-Murtagh. As the clock turned over the 30 minute mark it was all or nothing as Mullinavat threw everything at the Rower Inistioge but they held firm and didn’t concede any late scores to leave them to contest this years Intermediate decider. Their first since 2016.  

Full time score: Rower Inistioge 1-10, Mullinavat 1-7 

Teams: 

Rower Inistioge:- Emma Kavanagh, Aideen Foskin, Sinead Kelly, Grace Galavan, Aisling Kelly, Kelly Hamilton, Rachel O’Dwyer, Amy Ryan, Aine Galavan, Aine Gannon, Cria Langton, Ciara Foskin, Sarah Ryan, Caoimhe Kerr-Murtagh, Aoife Lyng
Mullinavat:- Ava Dunphy, Cliodhna Walsh, Ciara Phelan, Michelle O’Connor, Ena Coughlan, Leann Fennelly, Jessica Catt, Áine Kinsella, Christine Campion, Jessica Dunphy, Julieann Malone, Mia Phelan, Hannah Dunphy, Michelle Quilty, Aoife Woods 

Scorers:  

Rower Inistioge: – Caoimhe Kerr-Murtagh 1-03, Cria Langton 0:04 (frees), Sarah Ryan /Aoife Lyng /Aisling Kelly 0-01 each
Mullinavat: – Michelle Quilty 1-03 (3f), Mia Phelan /Julianne Malone/Jessica Dunphy/Ruth Cass-Hennessy 0-1 each

Referee: Paddy O’Reilly (Barrow Rangers)