Kilkenny Intermediates make it two wins from two in the championship

Kilkenny 2-13 Cork 1-8

by Aoife Lanigan, PRO

Kilkenny beat Cork in the second round of the Glen Dimplex intermediate All-Ireland championship in sun-drenched John Locke Park, Callan last Saturday.

This was the fourth meeting of the sides this year with the Cats prevailing on this occasion.

Kilkenny took an early lead, scoring the first three points through Afton Grace (2) and Laura Greene.

Rose Murphy opened the scoring for Cork with a point from play.

Therese Donnelly added a fine point for Kilkenny before Cliona O’Callaghan scored a goal for Cork against the run of play.

Lauren Homan then added a pointed free and Cliona O’Leary tagged on a point from play to put Cork two points ahead.

Aoife Cantwell scored a lovely point for Kilkenny before Lauren Homan and Laura Greene traded points.

Cork added two points from play through Cliona O’Leary and Avril Cashman to leave the interval score 1-6 to 0-6 in favour of the Rebels

On the resumption of play, Lauren Homan scored a pointed free for Cork to put them four points ahead but Kilkenny were a different team from the 36th minute onwards.

Afton Grace scored three points (two frees) and Tara Ronan added a point from play to equalise the match 0-10 to 1-7 after 43 minutes.

Over the next 10 minutes, no scores were added to either tallies as both defences held strong.

Then in the 53rd minute, Kilkenny were awarded a 65m free on the stand sideline and as the sliotar was in flight towards goal, substitute Ellen Gunner went behind her marker and when the ball went over the Cork defenders head it bounced in front of

Gunner and she pulled first time to the back of the net.

Again after a lull in scoring, Therese Donnelly took a shot towards the Cork goal and while it was originally blocked, substitute Emma Manogue lifted the sliotar and rounded four defenders before making a better angle for herself and struck a rasper of a shot to rattle the net and that put Kilkenny six points ahead.

Tara McCarthy then scored a point for Cork in the 62nd minute, their first effort in 30 minutes.

Laura Greene and Ellen Gunner (free) finished out the scoring for Kilkenny to leave the final score Kilkenny 2-13 Cork 1-8.

Kilkenny now go on to play Galway in the third round of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Championship on Saturday in Kenny Park, Athenry at 5pm.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny – Afton Grace (0-5, 0-3 free); Ellen Gunner (1-2, 0-2 frees); Emma Manogue (1-0); Laura Greene (0-3); Aoife Cantwell, Therese Donnelly, Tara Ronan (0-1 each).

Cork – Cliona O’Callaghan (1-0); Lauren Homan (0-3, 0-2 frees); Cliona O’Leary (0-2); Rose Murphy, Avril Cashman, Tara McCarthy (0-1 each).

Kilkenny – Cliona Murphy, Niamh Leahy, Jenni O’Dea, Jane Cass, Niamh Phelan, Roisin Phelan, Hannah Scott (capt), Laura Greene, Aoife Cantwell, Sarah Barcoe, Tara Ronan, Danielle Quigley, Therese Donnelly, Caroline Kennedy, Afton Grace.

Subs: Emma Manogue for Tara Ronan, Ellen Gunner for Afton Grace, Katie Byrne for Jane Cass, Mairead Kennedy for Sarah Barcoe, Sinead Farrell, Emma Mulhall, Keara Ryan, Aine Doyle, Kate McCluskey, Eimear Leahy, Vivienne Holmes, Ava Shefflin, Hannah Larkin, Anna Doheny.

Cork – Stephanie Beausang, Ashling Moloney, Niamh O’Leary, Emma Flannagan, Aoife O’Callaghan, Meadhbh Ring, Laura Doyle, Avril Cashman, Rachel Harty, Rose Murphy, Lucy Allen, Cliona O’Leary, Cliona Dooley, Cliona O’Callaghan, Lauren Homan.

Subs: Fiona Neligan for Cliona O’Callaghan, Claudia Keane for Cliona O’Leary, Leanne O’Sullivan for Laura Doyle, Tara McCarthy for Avril Cashman, Isobel Sheehan for Lucy Allen, Ciara Hurley, Emily O’Donovan, Ciara Golden, Leah Hallihan, Aoibhinn Kidney, Jenny Doyle, Ciara Ring, Aoife Walsh, Caoimhe Buckley, Lauren Callanan.