Late O’Sullivan free denies Kilkenny victory in the Minor Camogie Championship

Kilkenny 2-11

Waterford 1-14

Kilkenny Minors started their All Ireland campaign with a draw away with their near neighbours Waterford in WIT Arena last Sunday

Kilkenny had the perfect start with a goal within 45 secs, scored by Dicksboro’s Asha McHardy. Alannah McNulty scored Waterford’s first point in the first minute

Over the next eight minutes, the game moved from end to end with plenty of wasted shooting by both sides

Emma Mulhall scored a point for Kilkenny in the 9^th minute and Emma Shortall added a pointed for Kilkenny on the 13^th minute mark

Alannah O’Sullivan got Waterford’s second point as the 1^st Waterbreak approached

After the mini break, Kilkenny were awarded a 45m free and Amy Clifford converted the free over the bar

Alannah O’Sullivan narrowed the gap to three with a pointed 45’ for Waterford

Amy Clifford and Alannah O’Sullivan swapped pointed frees before Ellen Boylan closed out the first half scoring with a point from play for Waterford to leave the interval score 1-4 to 0-5 in favour of the visitors

On the resumption of the second half, Kilkenny extended their lead with points from the hard working Claire Doheny and a free from Amy Clifford

Waterford’s sharpshooter Alannah O’Sullivan converted a pointed free in the 34^th minute

Kilkenny scored their second goal in the 36^th minute as Asha McHardy had drifted back into defence to win the ball, she played it across to Laoise Nolan, who fired a shot up towards Emma Shortall. Emma sprinted towards goal and sent in a rasper of a shot, the Waterford goalie parried the sliotar away, but the incoming Sarah Barcoe doubled on it to the back of the net, this put Kilkenny 2-6 to 0-6 ahead

Emma Shortall scored her second point for Kilkenny in the 39^th minute. Asha McHardy added another point for Kilkenny, it seemed it was heading for the goal, but it hit the Waterford goalies helmet and flew over the bar

Waterford then scored 1-2 to no reply over the four minutes, Alannah O’Sullivan with a pointed free, Mairead O’Brien with a point from play. Their goal coming from goof interplay between sub Rhona
Drohan and Rachel Whelan with Walsh firing a bullet like shot passed Ellie O’Neill in the Kilkenny goal

Amy Clifford stopped the mini rot with a pointed free for Kilkenny as the Referee blow for the second waterbreak, Kilkenny leading 2-9 to 1-8

Waterford scored the next three points on the resumption of play, through Rachel Walsh, Laoise Forrest (f) and Alannah McNulty to narrow the gap to a point

Amy Clifford pointed a 45m free for Kilkenny but Ellen Boylan and Alannah O’Sullivan (f) pointed for Waterford to level the match for the first time

Heading towards the end of the match, Amy Clifford converted a free for Kilkenny after Asha McHardy was fouled but with the last play of the match, Kilkenny were denied a free out of defence when one of their players was pushed to the ground and referee claimed she lay on the sliotar and gave a free into the home side, Alannah O’Sullivan converted the resulting free and the Referee blew the full time whistle soon after

Full time score Kilkenny 2-11 Waterford 1-14

Next up for Kilkenny is a home tie with Wexford in Thomastown on Sunday 8^th August at 2pm

Kilkenny Scorers – Amy Clifford (0-6, 6f), Asha McHardy (1-1), Sarah Barcoe (1-0), Emma Shortall (0-2), Emma Mulhall, Claire Doheny (0-1 each)

Waterford – Alannah O’Sullivan (0-7, 7f), Rachel Walsh (1-1), Alannah McNulty, Ellen Boylan (0-2 each), Mairead O’Brien (0-1), Laoise Forrest (0-1, f)

Kilkenny – Ellie O’Neill, Mairead Corcoran, Laoise Nolan, Niamh Phelan (Joint Captain), Amy Clifford, Kate McCluskey, Aine Kirwan, Sontae Jackson, Rachel Whelan, Emma Manogue, Emma Shortall, Sarah Barcoe, Asha McHardy, Emma Mulhall, Claire Doheny

Subs – Moya O’Brien for Sontae Jackson, Amy Brennan for Sarah Barcoe, Leah Brett for Emma Shortall

Waterford – Hayleigh Acheson, Faye Murphy, Laoise Forrest, Maeve Sheridan, Bevin Bowdren, Sarah Maher, Aoife Hartley, Aine O’Neill, Ellen Boylan, Rachel Whelan, Kelsie Obanya, Mairead O’Brien, Alannah McNulty, Mollie Comerford, Alannah O’Sullivan

Subs – Rhona Drohan for Maeve Sheridan