Dublin matched their much vaunted opponents all the way in a highly competitive Leinster Camogie Championship final
Kilkenny 1-14
Dublin 0-13
It was a case of so near, yet so far for Dublin in this afternoon’s Leinster Camogie championship final against Kilkenny in Nolan Park.
Gerry McQuaids side matched their much vaunted opponents all the way to the final whistle and can certainly take plenty of positives from the game as their attention turns to the All Ireland championship.
The Dubs were still well in the game until two minutes from time when Kilkenny grabbed a scrappy goal scored by Julianne Malone to put a little bit of daylight between the teams and Kilkenny held on to claim the title.
Kilkenny started the game brightly and built a four point to no score lead inside the opening ten minutes with the points coming from Kellyann Doyle and Julianne Malone from play and converted frees from Denise Gaule and Aoife Prendergast.
Dublin settled into the game and an excellent point from the left wing from Aishling O’Neill got Dublin on the scoreboard. Aisling Gannon added a second for the Sky Blues in the fourteenth minute to put two between the sides.
Aoife Prendergast swung over a free just past the midway point of the first half to give Kilkenny a three point advantage, but two converted frees from Aisling Maher put the bare minimum between the teams with nine minutes left in the half.
Two minutes later and the sides were all square as Aishling O’Neill swung over her second point of this Leinster Camogie championship final.
A point from Aoife Prendergast put Kilkenny back in front but Dublin hit back with a point from Aisling Maher from a free. In the final minute of the half Aoife Doyle looked to insure Kilkenny would go into the break a point to the good but deep in injury time Dublin were awarded a free which Maher converted to leave the score at half-time 0-07 apiece.
Dublin took the lead for the first time in the contest just after the break from half-time substitute Grace O’Shea. Kilkenny hit back with two quick frees scored by Denise Gaule and Aoife Prendergast.
Another half time substitute Louise O’Shea drew the sides level again with a fine point from play. Three points in as many minutes from Julianne Malone from play and two frees from Kate Nolan put Kilkenny ahead with fourteen minutes left in the game.
But Dublin weren’t about to fade out of the game and hit back with points from Aisling Maher and two from Aishling O’Neill to make it a level game once more with eight minutes to go.
A point from Asha McHardy put Kilkenny’s noses back in front and then came the pivotal score with two minutes left in this engrossing final with Julianne Malone scoring a scrappy goal, a long ball was played into the Dublin square, Malone jumped in between two defenders and gathered the ball, her initial shot was blocked by goalkeeper Eabha Mooney but she fell over the keeper and just managed to flick the ball to the net and suddenly there was four points between the sides.
Midfielder Steffi Fitzgerald grabbed a point in the final minute to stretch the Kilkenny lead to five. With time running out Dublin needed a goal to get back in the game, despite a late push the goal wouldn’t come and Dublin had to settle for a point from a free from Maher and Kilkenny held on to take the victory in what was a highly entertaining Leinster Senior Camogie Final.
Scorers – Dublin – Aisling Maher 0-06 (5f), Aishling O’Neill 0-04, Aisling Gannon 0-01, Grace O’Shea 0-01, Louise O’Shea 0-01. – Kilkenny – Julianne Malone 1-02, Aoife Prendergast 0-04 (3f), Denise Gaule 0-02 (2f), Katie Nolan 0-02 (2f), Kellyann Doyle 0-01, Aoife Doyle 0-01, Asha McHardy 0-01, Steffi Fitzgerald 0-01.
Dublin: Eabha Mooney, Zoe Couch, Abbey Ryan, Christine Shanahan, Claire Gannon, Eve O’Brien, Hannah O’Dea, Leah Butler, Gaby Couch, Muireann Kelleher, Aisling Maher, Elyse Jamieson Murphy, Orla Grey, Aisling Gannon, Aishling O’Neill.
Dublin Substitutions: Grace O’Shea for Shanahan (HT), Louise O’Shea for Gray (HT), Aoife Heffernan for A. Gannon (50), Niamh Comerford for Butler (56), Aoibhe Dillon for Jamieson Murphy (61).
Kilkenny: Aoife Norris, Michelle Teehan, Grace Walsh, Tiffany Fitzgerald, Niamh Deely, Claire Phelan, Laura Murphy, Steffi Fitzgerald, Kellyann Doyle, Aoife Doyle, Denise Gaule, Katie Power, Aoife Prendergast, Katie Nolan, Julianne Malone.
Kilkenny Substitutions: Jenny Clifford for Power (42), Asha McHardy for Prendergast (42), Aideen O’Connor for A. Doyle (53), Sinead O’Keefe for Teehan (61).
