Two Keher-Murtagh goals seal top spot in U16A Group1

Dublin: 2-05

Kilkenny: 2-11

A tenacious Dublin side couldn’t match Kilkenny’s determination on a sunny, breezy day in Callan, with a final score of 2-11 to 2-05 in favour of Kilkenny.

Scoring opened with two points in quick succession from Kilkenny’s corner-forward Lauren Ronan. Further points from Rose Kelly and Amy Cody gave Kilkenny an early lead of 0-04 to 0-00, until Dublin’s Kerri Austin snatched an excellent goal from a long free in. However, in the 15th minute, Kilkenny countered this with a well-taken goal from Caoimhe Keher-Murtagh, who pounced on a loose ball as it hopped up free in the square.

The game restarted after the water-break with Kilkenny holding a deserved lead of 1-04 to 1-00. Dublin burst out of the traps with vivacity, however, with wing-forward Kate Watson burying the ball in the top corner after soloing in from midfield. Kilkenny stayed calm and picked up a tidy point courtesy of Ava Brett, but Dublin retaliated with two rapid points. Regardless, Kilkenny maintained their composure and scored 3 points in the closing 3 minutes, from Keher-Murtagh, Ronan, and Rachel Dowling, leaving the teams to trot in for halftime with Kilkenny maintaining a respectable 3-point lead.

A raucous Dublin crowd spurred on their team as the second half began, but the heat was impacting play at this stage as the rate of scoring slowed dramatically. Only 3 points were scored in the third quarter, with 2 for Kilkenny courtesy of Dowling and Ronan, while Dublin’s Clara Finn slotted one over on the stroke of the water-break.

Kilkenny secured the win with a commanding performance in the last quarter, picking up a tidy 1-01 in contrast with Dublin’s 0-02. The match concluded on a scoreline of 2-11 to 2-05, and Kilkenny will be undoubtedly satisfied with a performance that left room for improvement, including 11 wides in the second half, but was still a strong showing against a confident Dublin outfit.

Dublin: 1. Enya Kennedy; 2. Mia Browne, 3. Éabha Ní Mhaolagain, 4. Sibéal Cherry; 5. Aoife Kenny, 6. Sarah Power, 7. Lauren Bourke; 8. Zara Thorne (Capt.), 9. Clara Finn; 10. Kate Watson, 11. Kerri Austin, 12. Aoibheann Stokes; 13. Iseult Costello, 14. Ella Wilson, 15. Saoirse Behan

21 Caoimhe French for 15 Saoirse Behan, 29 Tara Brady for 14 Ella Wilson, 15 Saoirse Behan for 10 Kate Watson

Kilkenny: 1. Ali Kennedy; 2. Síofra Meegan, 3. Marie O’Keeffe, 4. Laura Phelan; 5. Emma Corr, 6. Sofia Kerr (Capt.), 7. Lucy Walsh; 8. Anna Doheny, 9. Amy Cody; 10. Rose Kelly, 11. Rachel Dowling, 12. Ava Brett; 13. Lauren Ronan, 14. Caoimhe Keher-Murtagh, 15. Ciara Dunne

Subs – 17 Angela Carroll for 5 Emma Corr, 27 Aoife Cloverdale for 8 Anna Doheny, 26 Muireann Gannon for 12 Ava Brett, 22 Cliodhna Murphy for 9 Amy Cody, 18 Julie Lennon for 2 Siofra Meegan

Referee: John Dermody (Westmeath)