Thomastown race through the gears and deliver scoring burst to reach county final

Thomastown 7-21

Young Irelands 2-7

Thomastown are hungry to get their hands on the Kilkenny senior camogie crown once more!

A slow start gave way to a strong finish as they booked their place in the senior camogie county final thanks to a big win over Young Irelands (Gowran) in the first semi final played at MW Hire Training Centre, Dunmore on Sunday afternoon

After a slow start to the game, Roisin O’Keeffe opened the scoring for Thomastown with a hand passed goal on 6 minutes. Young Irelands were keen to show their scoring threat and replied with a similar score from Paula Farrell less than a minute later, while Anna Farrell and Steffi Fitzgerald traded pointed frees soon after

The game took a turn Thomastown’s way when an Anna Farrell free from the centre of the pitch was blocked out by the Young Irelands goalie, only for Eimear Donnelly to meet the sliotar with a first time pull to rattle the net on 11 minutes. With Lisa Donnelly and Ciara O’Keeffe exchanged points approaching the water break, the score read at 2-2 to 1-2 in favour of the girls in blue

After the break Thomastown picked up the pace, extending their lead with two well taken points by Sarah Walsh and Eva Hynes. Gowran came back, Steffi Fitzgerald converting a free

Thomastown rallied, with Eimear Donnelly (2), Sarah Walsh and Anna Farrell (45) all adding to their team total

On the 25^th minute Paula Farrell got her second goal for Young Irelands after some neat interplay with Sarah O’Donnell

Two minutes later Roisin O’Keeffe scored her 2^nd goal with another hand pass. Therese Donnelly with a point and Anna Farrell closed out the scoring for the first half with the Thomastown now boasting a commanding lead to 10 points (3-10 to 2-3)

They extended that lead when play resumed, Eva Hynes pointed for Thomastown but Young Irelands replied with two pointed frees from Steffi Fitzgerald and a point from play from Sarah Ann Quinlan to narrow the gap once more

Sensing Young Irelands were poised to mount a challenge, Thomastown picked up the pace and went on a scoring spree. Their golden spell came between the 40^th and 52^nd minutes when they hit 2-7 without reply – Roisin O’Keeffe (1-1), Eimear Farrell (1-0), Anna Farrell (0-2, 2f), led the way while there were points also from Sarah Walsh, Therese Donnelly, Niamh Donnelly and Eva Hynes

Young Irelands registered one last point from Steffi Fitzgerald with six minutes remaining, their last score of the game, but the girls in blue were rampant coming home over the final minutes. They hit a further 2-3 to their tally with Donnelly girls, Therese (2-1) and Niamh (0-2) getting the scores which see them through to a final

Thomastown – Roisin O’Keeffe (3-1), Therese Donnelly (2-3), Anna Farrell (0-5, 4f), Eimear Donnelly (1-2), Sarah Walsh, Eva Hynes, Niamh Donnelly (0-3 each), Eimear Farrell (1-0), Lisa Donnelly (0-1)

Young Irelands – Paula Farrell (2-0), Steffi Fitzgerald (05, 4f), Ciara O’Keeffe, Sarah Ann Quinlan (0-1 each)

Thomastown – Kate McDonald, Eimear Corr, Ailish Butler, Sally Teehan, Sinead O’Keeffe, Meighan Farrell, Joanne Fitzpatrick, Anna Farrell, Lisa Donnelly, Blathnaid Galway, Sarah Walsh, Eva Hynes, Eimear Donnelly, Therese Donnelly, Roisin O’Keeffe

Subs – Niamh Donnelly for Blathnaid Galway, Eimear Farrell for Eimear Donnelly, Aine Lannon for Roisin O’Keeffe, Sarah Barcoe for Eva Hynes, Niamh Bolger, Aine Kirwan, Sarah Walsh, Lisa Carey, Nicole Corway, Chloe Corway, Laura Tennyson, Sinead Brennan, Ruth Ryan, Ailish O’Shea, Niamh O’Shea

Young Irelands – Hannah Brennan, Eimear Naddy, Nicole Carter, Mia Murphy, Amy Lennon, Tiffanie Fitzgerald, Aoife Farrell, Ciara O’Keeffe, Ruth Loughlin, Nessa Farrell, Steffi Fitzgerald, Grace O’Donnell, Sarah O’Donnell, Sarah Ann Quinlan, Paula Farrell

Subs – Rachel Doyle for Miriam Brennan, Amy Lennon for Ruth Loughlin, Laura Langton for Nessa Farrell, Rebecca Lennon, Niamh Walsh, Kate Drennan, Rebecca Nevin, Orlaith Byrne, Emma Farrell, Aoife Naddy, Sinead Healy, Lea Brennan, Caitlin Simpson, Maggie Simpson, Aisling Rudkins