Tribeswomen await Meagher’s ladies in semifinal
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship
Kilkenny 2-19 Waterford 1-19 (AET)
Croke Park, Dublin
It may have taken extra time, but Kilkenny are back in the Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship semifinals having got the better of a talented Waterford side in Croke Park last Saturday afternoon. Played in front of a disappointing crowd, Jimmy Meagher’s outfit were three points ahead when the long whistle sounded at the end of extra time, thanks to a brace of majors from substitute Katie Nolan. Having won all their group games enroute to the last eight clash, this was certainly a step up in quality of opponent and the Noresiders had to work hard to secure a last four berth for the first time since 2022.
The game was a little scrappy early on as both sides appeared nervous, knowing stakes were high for the winner. Aoife Prendergast, who would top score for the Stripeywomen once again, was off target with her first placed ball effort, but would settle into her groove soon after. The opening score of the encounter came on 4 minutes, courtesy of Modeligo’s Mairead O’Brien who turned Niamh Deely before splitting the posts. Michael Boland’s charges would register the next score also, when their taliswoman, Beth Carton notched the first of her 9-point haul. The Deise were looking hungry and buzzing round all areas of the Croke Park pitch, getting to the loose ball, that little bit quicker.
Kilkenny got the scoreboard moving in the 11th minute, O’Loughlin’s Laura Murphy finding Aoife Prendergast with a lovely pass and the Dicksboro player applied the finish. Murphy, so vital to everything this team does, then forced a turnover before powering forward and striking over a lovely point. A brace of placed ball efforts from Prendergast following fouls on Asha McHardy and the lively Laura Murphy saw the ladies in black and amber go two clear at the midway point of the opening period. Waterford reduced the arrears to the bare minimum when Cappoquin’s Orla Hickey rifled over from distance. Another of the impressive Dicksboro contingent, Asha McHardy then pointed having been well picked out by O’Loughlin’s Laura Greene, who like fellow Laura, Murphy, had started the quarter final brightly.
Waterford then got more of a foothold in the game as their strong direct running caused problems for the Kilkenny defence. Beth Carton converted three placed balls on the bounce as referee Joe Mullins provided the shooting opportunities for the De La Salle clubwoman, with a couple of harsh calls, especially on two members of the Noresiders full back line, Ava Brett and the experienced Steffi Fitzgerald, both penalised by the Clare whistler as the Deise edged ahead. A placed ball from Aoife Prendergast levelled matters once more, but a fine score from Annie Fitzgerald after she had won her battle with Michelle Teehan edged the opposition ahead. Then came a big moment in the game, and one that would Waterford will reflect on during the off season. Midfielder Abby Flynn burst forward and tried, unsuccessfully to pick out a teammate in front of goal, however referee Mullins blew the whistle and signaled penalty to The Deise for captain Caoimhe Dowling’s challenge on the De La Salle player after she had given the pass. Beth Carton stepped forward but unfortunately for her and her team, she pulled her shot wide, relief for Kilkenny. Laura Greene then did well to shake off the attention of Vikki Falconer before firing over. Michael Boland’s side responded well to the penalty miss, hitting the last two scores of the first half, thanks to efforts from Eimear O’Neill and Lorraine Bray, to lead by two at the short whistle.
The Kilkenny management team must have had a positive impact during the interval as the Stripeywomen came out of the blocks quickly when play resumed. Another burst forward from Laura Murphy saw the O’Loughlin’s woman halted illegally and Aoife Prendergast converted the free awarded. The ladies in black and amber built on this with scores from Thomastown’s Sarah Barcoe and the impressive Laura Murphy, with contributions from Ava Brett and Asha McHardy. Waterford hit back with another brace of Beth Carton placed balls to keep their noises in front. The first change for Kilkenny then came with St Martin’s Katie Nolan replacing Clara’s Emma Shortall on 44 minutes. The Noresiders then went two points clear thanks to efforts from the pacey Sarah Barcoe, player of the match, Laura Murphy and a free from Aoife Prendergast.
Deise midfielder Orla Hickey then split Aoife Norris’s posts following good pressure on Kilkenny forcing the turnover. St Brigid’s Claire Doheny then entered the fray in place of Asha McHardy and helped create a third point of the game for Sarah Barcoe. One of Waterford’s main threats on the day in the absence of the suspended Niamh Rockett was Annie Fitzgerald and the Gailltir woman struck over a tidy score with about six minutes of normal time remaining in Drumcondra. Brickey Rangers player Eimear O’Neill registered her second point of the afternoon, but sub Claire Doheny made an impact and got on the scoresheet to nudge the black and amber clad ladies ahead as the last eight clash approached the 60th minute. Kilkenny netminder Aoife Norris was called into action and batted a shot away to keep her side in the lead, but Clare whistler Mullins was about to give The Deise the chance to level, once again from the placed ball, a chance that Beth Carton didn’t pass up on. Indeed, Waterford could have nicked it deep into injury time, but Lorraine Bray was off target with her effort just ahead of the full-time whistle. Extra time pending to separate the sides.
The dangerous Annie Fitzgerald got the scoreboard moving in extra time, right from the throw in, beating Angela Carroll before notching her 3rd of the day. Then came the games first green flag raiser. Steffi Fitzgerald put her marker under pressure, emerged with the sliotar and raced towards goal. The Young Ireland’s player struck her shot well, but Waterford keeper Brianna O’Regan blocked the effort with her hurl, but fortunately for Kilkenny, Katie Nolan was on hand to bat the ball beyond the helpless De La Salle netminder. The ladies in stripes bult on this with another placed ball effort from Aoife Prendergast. Michael Boland’s team dug in and struck the games next two scores, a Beth Carton free and a nice point from wing back Rachael Walsh. The first period of extra time came to a close, marked by a ‘45 from the deadly Aoife Prendergast.
When play resumed, Waterford nearly created a goal chance, but they did register a point, again from Carton. Then came the Noresiders second major of the day. Again, the creator was the experienced Steffi Fitzgerald as she took possession around the ‘45. Steffi powered towards goal, drawing the last defender before popping a pass to Katie Nolan. The former All-Star composed herself before batting the ball past the advancing Brianna O’Regan to give Jimmy Meagher’s side a 5-point lead with the same number of minutes remaining. The Deise didn’t lie down and raised a green flag of their own courtesy of sub Maggie Gostl. Annie Fitzgerald floated a free into the danger zone and as the ball dropped, De La Salle’s Gostl struck the sliotar to the Kilkenny net to leave two points between the sides. There would only be one further score, and fittingly it came from the most impressive performer on the day, O’Loughlin’s Laura Murphy. A last four berth secured and a meeting with old foes Galway. Final score: Kilkenny 2-19, Waterford 1-19.
Scorers for Kilkenny: A Prendergast (0-9, 0-7 frees, 0-1 45), K Nolan (2-0), L Murphy (0-4), S Barcoe (0-3), L Greene, A McHardy and C Doheny (0-1 each).
Scorers for Waterford: B Carton (0-9, 0-8 frees), M Gostl (1-0), A Fitzgerald (0-3), O Hickey and E O’Neill (0-2 each), M O’Brien, L Bray and R Walsh (0-1 each).
KILKENNY: A Norris; A Brett, T Fitzgerald, C Dowling (Capt); A Carroll, N Deely, M Teehan; L Greene, L Murphy; A Prendergast, C Keher Murtagh, A McHardy; E Shortall, S Fitzgerald, S Barcoe.
Subs: K Nolan for E Shortall (44), C Doheny for A McHardy (53), R Dowling for S Barcoe (61-63 temp), R Phelan for C Keher Murtagh (60+8), R Dowling for S Barcoe (70+4).
WATERFORD: B O’Regan; V Falconer, L Forrest, A McNulty; C Carroll, K Corbett Barry, R Walsh; O Hickey, E O’Neill; L Bray (Capt), B Carton, B Bowdren; A Fitzgerald, L Bray, M O’Brien.
Subs: A O’Sullivan for M O’Brien (45), R Kirwan for B Bowdren (51), M Gostl for L Forrest (59), S Lacey for E O’Neill (70+4).
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clare)
