Galway up next for Shefflin’s Stripeywomen
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Glen Dimplex All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Round 3
Dublin 1-14 Kilkenny 1-19
Parnell Park
Kilkenny secured their second win of this season’s Glen Dimplex All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship with a deserved victory of Dublin in Parnell Park last weekend. Aoife Prendergast top scored for the Stripeywomen as Tommy Shefflin’s team left the capital with maximum points. Alongside Dicksboro’s Prendergast, the Noresiders had great performances from many, including captain Katie Power, Laura Murphy and Steffi Fitzgerald as they bounced back from the home defeat to Waterford.
The home side got off to a good start, registering the opening score of the game in the first minute. Following a little bit of scrappy play, Sinead Wylde played the ball towards Gaby Couch who popped the ball over from the edge of the football arc. A similar pattern of play followed at the other end from the restart, eventually the ball was won by Steffi Fitzgerald who powered forward before being fouled. Dicksboro’s Aoife Prendergast stepped up and slotted the placed ball over to level matters in the early stages. The Dubs edged ahead when the talented Aisling Gannon fired over from distance in the 5th minute, a fine effort from out on the right.
Both sides were struggling to take control early on, but the next score was a well worked one from the Stripeywomen. A long ball out of defence was pounced on by Katie Power, who despite wearing number 6, appeared to be operating in an attacking role. The captain managed to get the ball to Clara’s Mary O’Connell who drove through the heart of the opposition defence before popping a pass to Sophie Holden on the loop who turned to fire over. Aoife Prendergast was then fouled off the ball which resulted in a free which she duly converted. The Dicksboro player then popped over another free seconds later to edge her side 2 points ahead and repeated the routine again to notch her fourth score of the game.
Dublin appeared to be finding it difficult to work the ball up the pitch from their restarts and Kilkenny punished this with a nice score from Mary O’Connell. Aoife McKearney then popped over a free from the home side to help settle the nerves of those in blue. The next score wouldn’t do much for the nerves of the home players or supporters. Again, the puck-out strategy of the home side caused problems and Kilkenny pounced on it and sent a long ball towards Aoife Prendergast who, despite coming under pressure from the keeper found the net to extend the visitors lead to six points with 18 minutes played. A home score was needed, and they got it courtesy of Aisling O’Neill who rifled over from 45 metres out. Another long ball into the home defence saw Katie Power collect it before creating the angle to pop over a fine point to highlight Kilkenny’s first half superiority. The home side almost created a goal scoring chance, but great defending from Michelle Teehan saw the Marble City side survive the scare and go on the attack. Once again, Katie Power’s intelligent running and movement saw the Piltown player fouled, the result another score for Prendergast. The same duo conspired for the next score also; Power’s strength and presence of mind saw the ball popped to Aoife who struck over from play.
The Dubs main threat appeared to be Aisling O’Neill, and they managed to work the ball forward to the Castleknock player who showed her class in splitting the posts. Tommy Shefflin’s ladies responded with the next score. Sophie Holden did brilliantly and played a pass to Sarah Barcoe who burst forward before dissecting the Dublin posts from about the 21. Kilkenny won the ball from the restart and sent it forward early. Holden and Power were battling with their markers, and latter used all her experience to draw the foul. With the aid of the upright, Aoife Prendergast maintained her flawless place ball record in the opening half to register another score. A foul by Laura Murphy on Sinead Wylde gave Aoife McKearney her second point of the day from the resulting free to leave the home side eight points in arrears at the short whistle.
With the aid of the breeze in the second period, a fast start following the interval was required by the home side and that is exactly what they got. Dublin played the ball forward and Aisling O’Neill outpaced her marker Ciara Phelan before striking low shot past Aoife Norris to bring the sky-blue ladies back into the game, the deficit down to just five points. From their next attack they almost struck a second major, but thankfully from a Kilkenny point of view, Aoife Norris got her body behind the shot before making her clearance, which fell to Aisling Gannon who took the point to make it a 4-point game.
Kilkenny opened their second half account thanks to a lovely point from the now heavily strapped Steffi Fitzgerald with 35 minutes on the clock in Parnell Park. The visitors notched the next score from the restart, a great turnover by Caoimhe Keher Murtagh gave Aoife Prendergast a chance from close to the right sideline, and despite the wind she nailed her effort. Aoife Norris was then called into action again, making a good save to deny Aisling Gannon, the Piltown netminder, once again showing her quality. Dublin got back straight away, a third score of the game for Lucan Sarsfield’s Aoife McKearney. Shefflin’s charges then nearly raised a green flag, Mary O’Connell denied by a tremendous tackle from Crumlin’s Abby Ryan. The visitors didn’t leave empty handed as O’Connell set up Aoife Prendergast for another tidy score to leave the gap at six points.
Aoife McKearney was then given a chance to take her personal tally to four points, and she did exactly that from a placed ball which was made a little easier following a little dissent from those in stripes. Aisling O’Neill then fired over after Caoimhe Dowling had been caught in possession, a sign that Dublin’s hunger was greater than that shown in the opening half. Katie Power than showed her undoubted battling qualities to win the ball and again, her vision and game intelligence to pick out Mary O’Connell and the Clara women split the posts for a sweet point. That was to be her last action of the game as she was replaced by Kellyann Doyle whose first involvement saw her set up Steffi Fitzgerald for a cracking score. The away side got the next point also, some good pressure from Katie Power saw Dublin’s Sinead Wylde throw the ball and Aoife Prendergast made light work of the wind in splitting the posts.
One of Kilkenny’s most influential players on the day, Steffi Fitzgerald was then fouled as she tried to wriggle away from her marker. The outcome? Another point for Aoife Prendergast. The Dubs main women then showed her class again, Aisling O’Neill collecting the ball before turning and firing over.
Gerry McQuaid’s charges got the next point also, sub Aine Rafter shooting over from distance. Another of Shefflin’s stars in the capital, Katie Power then collected the sliotar before jinking and firing over off her left side for a lovely score, the last one of the game to help secure a second win in the group. Final score in Parnell Park, Dublin 1-14, Kilkenny 1-19.
Kilkenny: Aoife Norris, Ciara Phelan, Tiffanie Fitzgerald, Michelle Teehan, Caoimhe Dowling, Laura Murphy, Niamh Deely, Laura Greene, Aobha O’Gorman, Sophie Holden (0-1), Katie Power (0-2), Mary O’Connell (0-2), Steffi Fitzgerald (0-2), Aoife Prendergast (1-11), Sarah Barcoe (0-1).
Dublin: E Hurley, A Ryan, E O’Byrne, H Leddy, C Shanahan, K Finnegan, C Gannon, S Cherry, G Couch (0-1), A McKearney (0-4), S Wylde (0-1), N Gannon, G O’Shea (0-2), A Gannon (0-2), A O’Neill (1-3), Sub: A Rafter (0-1).
