Intermediates make their point with Tipperary draw in League

Very League Division 2B Round 5

Kilkenny 2-10

Tipperary 0-16

By Aoife Lanigan, PRO

It was honours even as the Kilkenny Intermediates finished their Division 2B League campaign with a draw against the Premier County

Tipperary were quick off the mark at UPMC Nowlan Park grabbing the first three points through Jilliann Quirke (2) and Jenny Grace (f). Then Kilkenny hit a purple patch scoring 2-2 without reply

Rachel Dowling got the ball rolling when she scored two points, the first a lovely point from the Ardan Breathnach. Then in the 13^th minute, Kilkenny played a shot towards goal. Tipperary goalie Laura Leenane batted the sliotar away, but Caroline Kennedy was quickest to react, her first time pull crashing into the back of the net

Things even got better when, three minutes later, Lauren Ronan fired in a shot towards the target. The flight of the sliotar deceived the goalkeeper and ended in the back of the net, putting the stripey women 2-2 to 0-3 ahead

Swapped points

The sides continued to snipe scores after that. Emma Flanagan and Rachel Dowling swapped points before a Dowling free which was sandwiched between Tipperary points by Anna Fahie and Laura Shinners

Dowling fired over the last two points of the half to leave the interval score 2-6 to 0-6 in favour of the home side

On the resumption of play, Tipperary scored the first two points through Jenny Grace. Caroline Kennedy slotted over a point for Kilkenny despite strong pressure from the Tipperary defence

Narrow Gap

Jenny Grace slotted over three points (2f) to narrow the gap to two points. Dowling and Flanagan traded points

Tipperary kept plugging away and levelled the game when they scored the next two points, Gemma Fox and Jenny Grace (f)

It was neck and neck going into the closing stages, as Kilkenny substitute Rose Kelly shot over a point before Jenny Grace (f) equalised again. Dowling and Grace swapped pointed frees to leave the sides level at the full time whistle

Scorers – Kilkenny – Rachel Dowling 0-8 (6f), Caroline Kennedy 1-1, Lauren Ronan 1-0, Rose Kelly 0-1

Tipperary – Jenny Grace 0-9 (7f), Jillann Quirke, Emma Flanagan 0-2 each, Laura Shinners, Anna Fahie, Gemma Fox 0-1 each

Kilkenny – Cliona Murphy, Ellen Purcell, Rachel Brennan, Jane Cass, Shauna Treacy, Hannah Scott, Carlise Comerford, Mairead Kennedy, Eimear Leahy, Aoife Cantwell, Cria Langton (Capt), Lauren Ronan, Afton Grace, Caroline Kennedy, Rachel Dowling

Subs – Rose Kelly for Lauren Ronan, Kate McCluskey for Eimear Leahy, Ellen Gunner for Cria Langton, Emma Mulhall for Afton Grace, Tara Murphy, Sofia Kerr, Aisling Prendergast, Lauren East, Mairead Corcoran, Ciara Foskin, Niamh Crowley, Niamh Leahy, Ali Kennedy, Kellyann Whelan, Rachel Whelan

Tipperary – Laura Leenane, Lorna Ryan, Miriam Murphy, Tara Hoare, Laura Shinners, Gemma Fox, Lily Fahie, Caroline Shanahan, Ciara Brennan, Amy Quinlisk, Jenny Grace, Orla O’Brien, Anna Fahie, Jillianne Quirke, Emma Flanagan

Subs – Sophie Pembroke for Laura Shinners, Maria Connolly for Miriam Murphy, Ciara Ryan for Caroline Shanahan, Emma O’Halloran, Eva O’Dwyer, Emma O’Sullivan, Saoirse McGrath, Hazel Brennan, Eimear Fogarty, Emma Kelly, Shauna McBride, Amy Callinan, Eimear Carey, Sinead Meagher, Amy Quigley, Dani Ryan, Kellie Healy, Aoife O’Brien

Referee – Shane Foley (Carlow)