Kilkenny Intermediates book Semi Final Spot

Kilkenny 2-7

Cork 0-9

Kilkenny progressed to the knockout stages of the Intermediate All Ireland Championship after beating the Rebels in John Locke Park last Saturday

Sophie O’Dwyer scored Kilkenny’s first point in the 3^rd minute from a 25m free. Three minutes later, Tiffany Fitzgerald played the sliotar upfield from the Kilkenny defence to Sophie O’Dwyer, who passed it to Hannah Scott. Hannah ran up the sideline and cut in towards the Cork goal, she handpassed the sliotar in front of the inrushing Danielle Quigley who doubled first time to the back of the net to put Kilkenny ahead 1-1 to 0-0

From the puckout Cork played the sliotar upfield and wing forward Rachel Harty slotted over the bar

Over the next six minutes, game went from end to end with some great defending from both teams

Heading towards the first waterbreak, Eva Hynes and Rachel O’Shea swapped points

After the mini break, Cork scored two points to narrow the gap to two points through Rachel O’Shea (f) and Rachel Harty

Again over the next eight minutes, scores were hard to come by as both defences stood tall with nothing conceded

In the 29^th minute, Sophie O’Dwyer converted a 25m free for Kilkenny after a Cork defender was deemed to have thrown the sliotar. This was the last score of the 1^st half to leave it 1-3 to 0-4 in favour of Kilkenny at the interval

After the resumption of the second half, play went from end to end without either side adding to their respective tallies despite several opportunities for both sides for the first 10 minutes of the second half

Cork lifted their game adding three points through Rachel O’Shea (f), Rachel Harty & Lauren Callanan while the homeside added a lone point from Eva Hynes (f) to leave the score at the second waterbreak KK 1-4 Cork 0-7

When play resumed Kilkenny were first off the mark when Eva Hynes pointed following a neat pass from Laura Hegarty

The homeside built on this tally when Hynes added a further point from a placed ball

The Kilkenny side went three points clear when Laura Hegarty pointed despite being under immense pressure from the visitors defence

Cork replied with a Finola Neville point but the Cats replied with a well worked goal as Hynes had a shot parried by the Cork keeper, but Hannah Scott pounced on the loose ball to bury the ball to back of the net to put five points between the sides approaching final whistle

The visitors had a late point from Finola Neville but the homeside emerged victorious as the scoreboard read 2-7 to 0-9 putting the Cats through to the All-Ireland Semi Final on the 28^th August

Kilkenny Scorers – Eva Hynes (0-4, 2f), Danielle Quigley, Hannah Scott (1-0 each), Sophie O’Dwyer (0-2, 2f), Laura Hegarty (0-1)

Cork – Rachel O’Shea (0-3, 3f), Rachel Harty (0-3), Finola Neville (0-2, 1f), Lauren Callanan (0-1)

Kilkenny – Sinead Farrell, Niamh Leahy, Roisin Phelan (Capt), Ciara Murphy, Sarah Crowley, Leann Fennelly, Tiffany Fitzgerald, Laura Hegarty, Ciara Phelan, Eva Hynes, Sarah Walsh, Ciara O’Keeffe, Sophie O’Dwyer, Hannah Scott, Danielle Quigley

Subs – Aine Phelan for Sophie O’Dwyer, Roisin O’Keeffe for Ciara O’Keeffe, Jennifer Leahy for Laura Hegarty

Cork – Sarah Ahern, Niamh O’Leary, Aoife O’Callaghan, Grainne Hannon, Kate Kilcommins, Ashling Moloney, Lauren Callanan, Danielle Carroll, Michelle Murphy, Katie Walsh, Hayley Ryan, Rachel Harty, Aoife Hurley, Kate Wall, Rachel O’Shea

Subs – Finola Neville for Kate Wall, Ciara Daly for Grainne Hannon, Claire Kingston for Kate Kilcommins, Emma Flanagan for Katie Walsh

Referee – Mike Ryan, Galway