Last minute Meath goal breaks Cats hearts

Kilkenny 1-12

Meath 3-7

There was heartbreak at the final whistle for the Kilkenny Intermediates as a goal in the seventh minute of injury time helped Meath sneak past the Cats in the Littlewoods Ireland Division 2 National League Quarter Final last Saturday in St Brendan’s Park, Birr

Maire Kirby kicked the sliotar over the line after a Jane Dolan free had been saved

Ciara O’Keeffe opened Kilkenny’s account in the first minute with a neat point, Meath equalised from the puckout with a point from Amy Gaffney

Jane Dolan put Meath ahead with a pointed free but Aine Phelan equalised for Kilkenny after Ciara Phelan played a neat pass to her

Leading up to the first waterbreak, Aedin Slattery& Danielle Quigley traded points to leave the score 0-3 a piece at the mini break

Jane Dolan converted a 45’ for Meath after Sinead Farrell came off her line to stop a certain goal for Meath to divert it away over the end line

Ciara O’Keeffe equalised for Kilkenny when she slotted over after an Aine Phelan free had dropped short

Kilkenny then took control of the rest of the first half keeping Meath scoreless

Hannah Scott ran at the Meath defence, drawing two defenders, she handpassed to Ciara Phelan & Ciara doubled on it first time to rattle the back of the net. Aine Phelan added a point from play and Sophie O’Dwyer pointed a 21m free to leave the score at the interval 1-6 to 0-4

From the resumption of the new half, Meath took the game to Kilkenny and within 4 minutes, what had been a five point deficit was turned into a one point lead, with Megan Thynne and Jane Dolan scoring a goal a piece

Kilkenny did get back into the game scoring four points on the spin to go three ahead, Hannah Scott (1 pt) and Sophie O’Dwyer (3 pts). Meath hit back again with points from Thynne, Dolan and Kristine Troy levelling up matters entering the final minutes

Extra time looked a likely possibility but when O’Dwyer slotted over her fifth and sixth points, Kilkenny looked to have the finishing line in sight

But Meath were awarded a 21m free and after it being saved, Maire Kirby popped up tp break Kilkenny’s hearts to leave the final score 1-12 to 3-7

Scorers – Kilkenny – Sophie O’Dwyer (0-6, 4f), Ciara Phelan (1-0), Ciara O’Keeffe, Aine Phelan (0-2 each), Danielle Quigley, Hannah Scott (0-1 each)

Meath – Jane Dolan (1-3, 3f), Megan Thynne (1-1), Maire Kirby (1-0), Amy Gaffney, Aedin Slattery (0-1 each), Kristina Troy (0-1, f)

Kilkenny – Sinead Farrell, Niamh Leahy, Roisin Phelan (Capt), Ciara Murphy, Tiffanie Fitzgerald, Leann Fennelly, Laura Hegarty, Aisling Curtis, Laura Greene, Hannah Scott, Ciara Phelan, Ciara O’Keeffe, Sophie O’Dwyer, Aine Phelan, Danielle Quigley

Subs : – Eva Hynes for Laura Greene

Meath – Maggie Randle, Louise O’Donoghue, Ellen Burke, Sophie Payne, Leah Devine, Maeve Clince, Tracy King, Kristina Troy, Aedin Slattery, Grace Coleman, Aoife Minogue, Jane Dolan, Amy Gaffney, Sinead Hackett, Megan Thynne

Subs :- Sophie Healy for Sophie Payne, Maire Kirby for Shauna Hackett