Malone goal proves crucial as Cats bag Leinster honours

Leinster Senior Final Kilkenny v Dublin UPMC Nowlan Park

By PRO Aoife Lanigan

Kilkenny -14

Carlow 0-13

Kilkenny are Leinster Senior Champions for the 25^th time when they defeated Dublin in UPMA Nowlan Park last Saturday afternoon

Kellyann Doyle opened the scoring for Kilkenny with a great point within 38 seconds.

Denise Gaule added a pointed free before Aoife Prendergast (f) and Julianne Malone added a point a piece for Kilkenny to leave the score 0-4 to 0-0 after 10 minutes

Aishling O’Neill and Aisling Gannon scored Dublin’s first two points before Aoife Prendergast responded with another free for Kilkenny

Dublin then scored the next three points through Aisling Maher (2f) and Aisling O’Neill to equalise the match 0-5 a piece

Both teams tagged on two points a piece through Aoife Prendergast and Aoife Doyle (KK) and Aisling Maher (2) for Dublin to leave the score 0-7 a piece at half time

On the resumption of play, Dublin substitute Grace O’Brien put Dublin ahead for the first time. Denise Gaule equalised with a pointed free

Aoife Prendergast and Louise O’Shea then swapped points before Kilkenny hit three unanswered points through Julianne Malone and two pointed frees from Katie Nolan

Dublin then replied with their own three unanswered points through Aisling Maher and Aisling O’Neill (2)

Kilkenny substitute Asha McHardy scored a fine point after a Katie Nolan free had hit the post and came back into play

In the 58^th minute, Kilkenny were awarded a 65m free out on the sideline under Ardan Breathnach and Denise Gaule delivered it towards the Dublin goal where Julianne Malone caught the sliotar.

Malone turned and as Dublin goalkeeper Eabha Mooney raced off her line in an attempt to block her, Julianne stumbled over the keeper who was now on the ground & she pulled on the sliotar as she landed on the turf to score a fine goal

Steffi Fitzgerald added a point for Kilkenny before Aisling Maher finished out the scoring with a pointed free for Dublin to leave the score Kilkenny 1-14 Dublin 0-13

Kilkenny will now look ahead to opening up their defence of their Glen Dimplex All Ireland Senior Camogie title in a few weeks time where they have been placed in a group alongside Dublin, Tipperary and Wexford

Kilkenny Scorers – Julianne Malone 1-2, Aoife Prendergast 0-4 (3f), Katie Nolan 0-2 (2f), Denise Gaule 0-2 (1f), Kellyann Doyle, Aoife Doyle, Asha McHardy, Steffi Fitzgerald 0-1 each

Dublin Scorers – Aisling Maher 0-6 (6f), Aisling O’Neill 0-4, Aisling Gannon, Grace O’Shea, Louise O’Shea 0-1 each

Kilkenny – Aoife Norris, Michelle Teehan, Grace Walsh, Tiffanie Fitzgerald, Niamh Deely, Claire Phelan, Laura Murphy, Steffi Fitzgerald, Kellyann Doyle, Aoife Doyle, Denise Gaule, Katie Power, Aoife Prendergast, Katie Nolan, Julianne Malone

Subs – Jenny Clifford for Katie Power, Asha McHardy for Aoife Prendergast, Sophie O’Dwyer for Aoife Doyle, Aideen O’Connor for Laura Murphy, Sinead O’Keeffe (Capt) for Michelle Teehan, Emma Kavanagh, Miriam Bambrick, Ciara Phelan, Aisling Curtis, Laura Norris, Carlise Comerford, Ciara O’Keeffe, Roisin O’Keeffe, Mairead Corcoran

Dublin – Eabha Mooney, Zoe Couch, Abbey Ryan, Christine Shanahan, Claire Gannon, Eve O’Brien, Hannah O’Dea, Leah Butler, Gaby Couch, Muireann Kelleher, Aisling Maher (Capt), Elyse Jamieson-Murphy, Orla Grey, Aisling Gannon, Aishling O’Neill

Subs – Grace O’Shea for Christine Shanahan, Louise O’Shea for Orla Grey, Aoife Heffernan for Aisling Gannon, Niamh Comerford for Leah Butler, Aoibhe Dillon for Elyse Jamieson-Murphy, Mairi Moynihan, Lauren Robinson, Niamh Heffernan, Aine Rafter, Emma O’Byrne, Sinead Murphy, Jennifer Moore, Juliette O’Flynn, Ellen Baker, Issy Davis, Kate Kilcommins, Jody Couch, Ciara Tierney

Referee – Justin Heffernan (Wexford)