Late Kilkenny burst denies Tipp

CAMOGIE: Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship Round 1

Kilkenny 1-11

Tipperary 2-7

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Rachel Dowling (Kilkenny)

SCORERS – Kilkenny: Rachel Dowling 0-8 (3 frees, 2 45s); Laura Doherty 1-0; Julie Lennon, Rose Kelly, Louise Hickey 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Lucy Purcell 1-2; Caithlyn Treacy 0-4 (3 frees); Kate Ferncombe 1-0; Danielle Ryan (Annacarty 0-1).

A late Kilkenny goal denied Tipperary victory in the opening round of the All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Camogie Championship in Thomastown on Sunday.

A second Tipperary goal with four minutes of normal time remaining by joint captain Kate Ferncombe gave the visitors a four-point lead and the signs were looking good for an opening round win. However, Kilkenny finished the strongest of the two sides with 1-2 without reply to claim victory.

Despite playing against the wind in the first half, Tipp started well and had the opening score with a pointed free from Caithlyn Treacy. Kilkenny responded with a point from Rachel Dowling who had a good opening half finishing with three points.

Tipperary raced into a four-point lead when Lucy Purcell bagged 1-1. Her goal was a good finish after a long delivery by Kate Ralph. Tipperary’s backs were working well with Niamh Franks and Shauna Heffernan in particular winning key possession and clearing their lines well.

Kilkenny moved full forward Rachel Dowling out the field and she started to cause damage scoring her second point from play while frees from Julie Lennon meant they only trailed by one at the break, 1-3 to 0-5.

Within a minute of the restart, the sides were level thanks to a Rachel Dowling free. Both sides traded points from frees and play in a keenly contested game to leave the visitors in front at the 55th minute mark, 1-7 to 0-9 with all of Tipperary’s points coming from Caithlyn Treacy (3 frees and 1 from play) before Kate Ferncombe goaled.

Kilkenny being Kilkenny never dropped the heads though and the excellent Rachel Dowling immediately narrowed the gap with a free. The home side had all the play now and a goal a minute into injury time from substitute Laura Doherty levelled proceedings before Ava Brett popped up with the winner in the 63rd minute to the disappointment of Tipperary.

All is not lost as there are six teams in the All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship with every team playing each other and the top 4 teams progressing to semi-finals.

In other results at the weekend, Cork had a big win over Dublin 3-21 to 0-8 while Galway beat Waterford 3-10 to 2-6. Next up for Tipperary is a trip to Dublin this Sunday.

TEAMS - Kilkenny: Ali Kennedy, Cliodhna Murphy, Angela Carroll, Sofia Kerr, Tara McGrath, Laura Phelan, Anna Doheny, Ava Brett, Caoimhe Keher Murtagh, Lauren Ronan, Julie Lennon, Orlaith Kirwan, Rose Kelly, Rachel Dowling, Katie Brennan:

Subs used: Laura Doherty, Louise Hickey.

Tipperary: Kacey Meehan (Brian Borus); Aoife Bourke (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Alison Fitzgerald (Holycross/Ballycahill), Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla); Shauna Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris), Niamh Franks (Shannon Rovers); Kate Ferncombe (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Kate Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty), Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers), Danielle Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla), Anna Murphy (Boherlahan-Dualla), Caithlyn Treacy (Moneygall), Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields).

Subs: Aine Finn (Newport/Ballinahinch) for Murphy (40), Ali O’Kelly (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Treacy (55).

Referee: Aaron Hogg (Clare).