Morrissey top scores as Kerry suffer semi heartache
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Semi-Final
FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles
Kilkenny 2-14
Kerry 2-12
Kilkenny left everything on the FBD Semple Stadium pitch as they battled Kerry for over eighty-odd minutes to claim their place in this year’s Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final. Danielle Morrissey finished the game with 0-8 and put on an excellent scoring display to help drive her team over the line, but it was Caroline Kennedy’s goal in the second period of extra time that proved decisive in delivering a final berth for Seamus Kelly’s side.
The game started a little scrappily, Kilkenny had the advantage of a stiff breeze in the opening period as both sides tried to settle in Semple Stadium. Conahy’s Danielle Morrissey went close from a sideline cut before Kerry centre forward, Patrice Diggin opened the scoring on 5 minutes, driving over her effort from about ‘45 metres out to give the Kingdom the lead. Seamus Kelly’s side levelled matters shortly after, a booming effort from distance by Danielle Morrissey.
The Noresiders then paid the penalty for a few early misses when a lapse in defence allowed Amy O’Sullivan to bat the sliotar past Cliona Murphy in the Stripeywomen’s goal to give Kerry a three-point lead after eight minutes of action in Thurles. The next score came from those in stripes, a testing ball into the Kingdom’s defence was won by Caroline Kennedy and the Slieverue player showed good strength to turn her marker before firing over. The ladies in green and gold then hit two placed balls from Jackie Horgan, but Dicksboro’s Rachel Dowling notched a brace of points from play herself to leave Kilkenny two behind with 22 minutes played.
Danielle Morrissey registered her 48th point of this year’s championship campaign on 27 minutes when she popped over a free to leave her side just one point in arrears. Things got a whole lot better for Kilkenny just a minute later. Some great pressure saw the Kittens win the ball back, and The Village’s Hannah Scott drove the ball long towards her forwards. Caroline Kennedy took possession before slipping the ball to the on-running Claire Doheny. The St Brigid’s clubwoman found Rose Kelly with a nice pass and the Dicksboro attacker rifled the sliotar past Aoife Fitzgerald in the Kerry goal. Our ladies were now two points up as the game approached the interval. There was still time for one more score, a free from Danielle Morrissey as Seamus Kelly took his side into the changing rooms, 3 points to the good on a half time scoreline of Kilkenny 1-6, Kerry 1-3.
When play resumed after the break, Kilkenny struck first and it was Rachel Dowling’s third point of the semi-final as they extended their lead in Thurles, after Hannah Scott had taken a nice catch in defence and got the ball forward quickly. Kerry needed to register quickly, and they got the scoreboard moving for the first time since the 18th minute of the game, thanks to a well-taken score from Patrice Diggin, who benefited from a good advantage by referee Brian Kearney.
Kingdom manager, Brian D’Arcy would have reminded his charges that they were still very much in the semi-final encounter, and would have the wind advantage, but would need to regain a foothold in the game, and this is exactly what his side did over the next ten minutes of play in Semple Stadium. More concerted pressure saw Kerry draw a serious of fouls from Kilkenny, which presented Jackie Horgan with the chance to convert a hat trick of placed balls to deadlock matters as we approached the mid-way point of the second period.
Kilkenny were struggling to gain forward momentum, and it took until the 18th minute of the second half for the girls in black and amber to add to Rachel Dowling’s early effort, thanks to a fine point from play by Conahy’s Morrissey. Kerry’s placed ball expert, Jackie Horgan then tagged on another two scores, one a free, the other a ‘45 as the Kingdom re took the lead with about six minutes of normal time remaining. Kitten’s goal scorer, Rose Kelly then rifled over her first point of the game to level things up as the tension in Thurles went up a few levels.
Both sides were trying hard to gain the upper hand as time was running out, and it looked like a wonder score from Amy O’Sullivan might be enough. The Kerry goal scorer picked up the ball tight to the left sideline, and showed great courage and skill to send her shot between the Kilkenny posts, to the delight of the Kingdom faithful in attendance. Time was ticking by, the game entered 3 minutes of additional time, it looked to many that Bryan D’Arcy’s side would hang on, but no one told Danielle Morrissey. The Conahy player picked up possession and drove forward and drew the foul, the ball was moved to sub Kate McCluskey who was held up, but credit to referee Kearney, he brought play back for the earlier foul. Morrissey stepped up to the free and struck it perfectly between the Kerry posts. All square in Semple, we were heading for extra-time.
Extra-time began with a bang. Kilkenny’s Danielle Morrissey sent over a monster placed ball from midfield to edge her side ahead, but Kerry were determined to keep plugging away. The ladies in green and gold emerged with the ball and moved it to Ellen O’Donoghue out on the right sideline. The number 15 looked to be going for a point, but her effort dropped short, and into the grasp of Jackie Horgan, who swiveled before unleashing a fierce shot past Cliona Murphy, the Kilmacow keeper powerless to prevent the major. Kerry now 2 up in the first period of extra time.
The Kingdom’s second major seemed to shock the Stripeywomen and they took a couple of minutes to settle again and managed to collect a placed ball score from Morrissey along with another quality effort, again from distance, from the impressive Rachel Dowling to leave the semi-finalists all square at the interval in extra time.
Play resumed for the second period of extra time, and again it was the hugely influential Danielle Morrissey who notched the next score, this time a sweet strike from out on the right side about ‘45 metres out, a top score from a top player. Again, Kerry responded and deadlocked matters once more, this time Patrice Diggin with a cracking point, following good work from Ellen O’Donoghue.
Then came the score that proved to be the most crucial in the semi-final battle. Hannah Scott again, launched a long probing ball into the Kerry defence. Captain Cria Langton collected the ball and gave a pass to Caroline Kennedy. The Slieverue player showed great determination and strength to hold off a couple of Kingdom challenges before striking past Aoife Fitzgerald in the opposition goal, despite a clear tug of her jersey. Kilkenny were now three ahead with just over 5 minutes remaining in extra time.
Kerry tried to respond and get back in the game, but could only muster one further score, another good effort from Patrice Diggin who had pulled into space. D’Arcy’s side needed a goal and went in search of what would have been a winning score, but to Kilkenny’s credit they stood firm and blocked anything that the Kingdom threw at them. Then relief, referee Brian Kearney sounded the long whistle. Our Intermediate camogs were heading to Croke Park for this season’s decider. Full-time score, Kilkenny 2-14, Kerry 2-12.
Scorers for Kilkenny: D Morrissey 0-8 (5fs), C Kennedy, R Kelly 1-1 each, R Dowling 0-4.
Scorers for Kerry: J Horgan 0-7 (6fs, 1 ‘45), P Diggin 0-4, A O’Sullivan 1-1.
KILKENNY: C Murphy; N Leahy, R Whelan, J Cass; M Kennedy, S Treacy, H Scott; D Morrissey, L Ronan; C Doheny, C Kennedy, A Cantwell; R Kelly, C Comerford, R Dowling.
Subs: N Crowley for Comerford (41), C Langton for Doheny, K McCluskey for Cantwell (Both 60), E Purcell for Scott (76), L Phelan for Leahy (80).
KERRY: A Fitzgerald; R McCarthy, S Murphy, M Costello; R Quinn, N Leen, A Behan; C Spillane, R O’Connor; L Collins, P Diggin, AM Leen; A O’Sullivan, J Horgan, E O’Donoghue.
Subs: K Lynch for AM Leen (45), N Quinn for Spillane (57), A O’Connor for Behan (60), C O’Sullivan for R Quinn (67), A McCarthy for Collins (71).
Referee: B Kearney (Kildare).
