Two out of two for hard-working Kilkenny Intermediates

Kilkenny V Tipperary

By Aoife Lanigan, PRO

Kilkenny 3-10

Tipperary 1-8

Kilkenny Intermediates made it two wins from two, but had to fight all the way to get the better of Tipperary in the second round of the Very League Division 2B at The Ragg on Saturday.

Ellen Cunneen opened the scoring for Tipperary with a pointed free within the first minute.

Claire Doheny won a free for Kilkenny. The ball went narrowly wide but, from the puckout, Vivienne Holmes fielded the ball and laid it off to Danielle Morrissey, who found Afton Grace who slotted the sliotar over the bar to equalise for Kilkenny.

Danielle Morrissey scored a excellent point from play for Kilkenny after a Danielle Quigley one-two.

Ellen Cunneen equalised for Tipperary with a pointed free but Danielle Morrissey and Claire Stakelum traded points to leave the score 0-3 apiece after 11 minutes.

Kilkenny took control for the rest of the first half, keeping Tipperary scoreless before Danielle Morrissey scored the next three points from placed balls.

In the 30th minute Danielle Quigley played the sliotar back across the goal from the endline. Claire Doheny slipped as she went to collect the sliotar but recovered very quickly to beat the Tipperary defender. She won back the ball, pausing only to unleash a rasper of a shot towards goal.

It looked like the Tipperary goalie had it saved but it flew over her head, hit the underside of the crossbar and ended in the net.

Afton Grace hit a lovely point for Kilkenny after Vivienne Holmes found her unmarked.

Mairead Kennedy finished off the first half scoring with a fine point for Kilkenny to leave the interval score 1-8 to 0-3.

On the resumption of the play, Danielle Morrissey hit the sliotar upfield to Claire Doheny who flicked it onto Vivienne Holmes.

She handpassed to Afton Grace, who took a shot at goal. The Tipperary goalkeeper batted it out, only for the inrushing Danielle Quigley to flick it over her head and into the back of the net.

Straight from the puck out, substitute Sarah Madden responded with a point for Tipperary, but the hosts were about to be hit by another hammer blow. With 35 minutes on the clock Vivienne Holmes took a shot towards the Tipperary goal. Her effort was partially blocked, but the breaking ball found its way to Danielle Quigley who slotted home her second goal in as many minutes.

Ellen Cunneen pointed a free for Tipperary in the 36rh minute, then added another point from play after she got away from her marker and slotted over the bar.

Tipperary were getting more into the game and substitute Aoife Dwyer took a shot towards the Kilkenny goal. It looked destined for the top corner of the net, but it hit the angle of the goalpost and bounced back into play, the sliotar eventually found its way back to Aoife Dwyer and she converted a fine point.

Danielle Morrissey added to her tally with a free for Kilkenny in the 46th minute after Afton Grace had been fouled. Two minutes later, Ellen Cunneen pointed a free for Tipperary.

Sarah Madden hit the sliotar up towards the Kilkenny goal in the 49th minute, Cliona Murphy came off her line to clear it, but Claire Stakelum just flicked the sliotar passed her into the net, leaving the score 3-9 to 1-8 in Kilkenny’s favour.

For the next 11 minutes, both defences stood strong, not allowing either side to add to their tally until Eimear Leahy pointed for Kilkenny after Claire Doheny came out with the sliotar from a ruck and laid it off to Leahy to point it.

The last score of the game, the final whistle brought Kilkenny their second win of the campaign. They’ll be hoping to make it three on the spin when they play Wexford on Saturday, March 18.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny – Danielle Quigley (2-0); Danielle Morrissey (0-6, 0-5 frees); Claire Doheny (1-0); Afton Grace (0-2); Mairead Kennedy, Eimear Leahy (0-1 each).

Tipperary – Ellen Cunneen (0-5, 0-4 frees); Claire Stakelum (1-1); Sarah Madden, Aoife O’Dwyer (0-1 each).

Kilkenny – Cliona Murphy; Jenni O’Dea, Aideen O’Connor, Jane Cass; Niamh Leahy, Roisin Phelan, Hannah Scott (C); Keara Ryan, Mairead Kennedy; Danielle Quigley, Danielle Morrissey, Aoife Doyle; Afton Grace, Vivienne Holmes, Claire Doheny.

Subs: Rachel Whelan for Jenni O’Dea, Eimear Leahy for Vivienne Holmes, Emma Mulhall for Aine Doyle, Anna Doheny for Keara Ryan, Caroline Kennedy for Afton Grace, Ellen Gunner for Caroline Kennedy.

Tipperary – Aisling Carey; Nessa Murray, Rachel Maher, Aine Greed; Eimear Murphy, Lisa Cahill, Cinnait Walsh (JC); Ciara Ryan, Katie Fitzgerald; Ciara McKeogh, Rachel Dwyer, Claire Skakelum (JC); Clodagh Horgan, Eimear Myles, Ellen Cunneen.

Subs: Sarah Madden for Cinnait Walsh, Caroline Shanahan for Eimear Murphy, Aisling Sheedy for Nessa Murray, Amy Callanan for Ciara McKeogh, Laura Leenane for Clodagh Horgan, Eimear Fogarty for Aoife O’Brien.