Stripeywomen march on in search of silverware
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship
Group 2, Round 3, UPMC Nowlan Park
Kilkenny 5-15
Offaly 3-9
On the day that Irish boxing legend Katie Taylor visited UPMC Nowlan Park, our senior camogs put on a winning performance, hitting five majors as they condemned Offaly to a second defeat in Group 2 of the 2026 Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship to remain unbeaten and sit proudly at the top of the table ahead of next week’s clash with the Bannerwomen, who sit just below them on scoring difference. When Limerick whistler Donnacha O’Callaghan sounded the long whistle, the home side were 12 points to the good as they registered their third win of the campaign.
Jack Maher’s side got off to a bright start, playing with the aid of a strong breeze in the opening period and hit the games first two scores, both courtesy of Moneygall’s Mairéad Teehan, one from play, the other from a placed ball. The home side got their scoring underway in the third minute, thanks to a lovely point from O’Loughlin’s Laura Murphy but the travelling side responded with fine efforts from Naomh Brid’s Grace Teehan and No. 14, Faye Mulrooney of Birr as they moved into a 3-point lead after six minutes of action on Noreside. Kilkenny began to get to grips with the Faithful County’s challenge and struck the first of their five majors as the game reached the ten-minute marker, Clara’s Emma Shortall firing to the net past Offaly netminder, Shinrone’s Emer Reynolds to deadlock matters for the first time in the round 5 encounter.
The mark of a good side is when they build on raising a green flag, and that’s exactly what Jimmy Meagher’s outfit did. The impressive Asha McHardy continued her good form, striking over the games next two scores before Young Ireland’s Steffi Fitzgerald split the opposition posts to push the Kilkenny lead out to three at the mid-way point of the opening period. The home side were about to double their lead, and it would be thanks to a nice goal from in-form Thomastown player Sarah Barcoe, continuing her green flag streak, having hit a brace in the win over Limerick in round 2. Jack Maher’s charges didn’t buckle; indeed, they stunned Kilkenny with a goal of their own, the first of three green flags raised by the visitors, Drumcullen’s Clodagh Leahy beating Aoife Norris to the delight of the travelling supporters.
The ladies in black and amber regrouped and registered the next two scores, Dicksboro’s Aoife Prendergast opening her account with a place ball effort while Steffi Fitzgerald rifled over her second of the afternoon to leave the home side, five ahead on 21 minutes. Offaly goal scorer Clodagh Leahy added a point to her tally after some nice play, but once again Kilkenny responded, via one of the more experienced members of the panel, Steffi Fitzgerald. The Young Ireland’s clubwoman notched her third point of the clash, before registering a third goal for her side on 29 minutes, the Kittens very much in command in UPMC Nowlan Park. The last score of the opening period came from Offaly, centre forward Rachel Brennan from the St Cillian’s club striking over a fine point to leave the visitors trailing by seven at the short whistle.
The home side continued to dominate proceedings when play resumed; O’Loughlin’s Laura Murphy notching her second point of the clash, four minutes into the second half. Some ill-discipline from Kilkenny gave Drumcullen’s Clodagh Leahy a second point of the round 3 encounter, but this was cancelled out by a placed ball from ‘Boro’s Aoife Prendergast and followed quickly by a tidy score from the hard-working Asha McHardy to extend the hosts lead to some nine points on Noreside. Offaly were seeking a way back into the game, but after a nine-minute lull in scoring, Meagher’s ladies struck goal number four, this time Aoife Prendergast blasting home from a penalty awarded by Feohanagh/Castlemahon referee, Donnacha O’Callaghan to leave the Stripeywomen twelve points ahead with 13 minutes of normal time remaining.
Dicksboro’s Asha McHardy added to her first half tally with a sweet strike, but the hosts lead was about to reduce a little, as the games sixth goal arrived, courtesy of Offaly vice-captain, Mairéad Teehan who gave Aoife Norris little chance when firing to the net. The Palmerstown influence on this Kilkenny panel is clear to see and one of the most impressive of the ‘Boro contingent, Asha McHardy split the Faithful County’s posts to leave the home sides lead at eleven with seven minutes left. Moneygall’s Ciara Maher, who had started ahead of St Rynagh’s Allie Butler, then rifled over a tidy score, but white flags were not going to get Jack Maher’s side back into the encounter. The games next two scores were registered by the Noresiders, a placed ball from Aoife Prendergast and a fine point from play by the veteran Katie Nolan, a great attacking option to be able to spring from the bench.
One of Offaly’s best performers on the day, Moneygall’s Mairéad Teehan became the third visiting player to beat Piltown’s Aoife Norris and in doing so raise another green flag for last season’s intermediate champions to reduce the arrears to nine points with a couple of minutes left to play in UPMC Nowlan Park. The visitors’ third major sparked Kilkenny into action once more and sub Emma Mulhall of Conahy Shamrocks notched her sides’ fifth and final major with a good finish as the game reached its conclusion. Naomh Brid’s Grace Teehan fired over her second on the game, but the final word would come from the home side and place ball specialist Aoife Prendergast, who struck the games last score to rubber stamp the Kittens third win of the campaign, final score, Kilkenny 5-15 Offaly 3-9.
SHERRY SAYS..
Meagher’s charges go marching on! Three from three is the perfect start to Kilkenny’s bid for another O’Duffy Cup. Jack Maher’s Offaly were the latest side put to the sword, as UPMC Nowlan Park was treated to EIGHT majors during the round 3 clash last weekend. Young Ireland’s Steffi Fitzgerald, who was part of Brian Dowling’s golden spell with our senior camogs led by example and had great support around her from the likes of Aoife Prendergast, Asha McHardy and rising star Sarah Barcoe.
I know the ladies won’t be happy at conceding three majors, so they will no doubt be working on this ahead of next weekend’s clash with the only other side to hold a perfect record at this stage in Group 2, Clare. Both sides will go into the Round 4 clash knowing that their places in the knockout phase of the 2026 Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship are almost nailed on, but each will be determined to maintain the winning habit when they clash.
