Intermediates finish strong to see off Wexford

Glen Dimplex Intermediate All Ireland Championship Quarter Final

By Aoife Lanigan, PRO

Kilkenny 0-11

Wexford 0-9

Kilkenny Intermediate Camogie team qualified for the All-Ireland Semi Final against Derry on the 22^nd July after defeating a determined Wexford in Semple Stadium, Thurles last Saturday

This was the third meeting of the sides this year with Kilkenny winning in the League by the minimum and in the Leinster Semi Final by 14 points. This was a hard-fought battle from the start

Kilkenny opened the scoring in the seventh minute, when Afton Grace converted a 21m free over the bar after Laura Greene had been rugby tackled to the ground, Danielle Quigley tagged on a point for Kilkenny after Sarah Barcoe laid off a neat pass to her

Wexford Centre Forward Nora Higgins scored their first point in the 17^th minute, before Emer Hunt equalised Wexford and Oonagh Doyle put the ahead with a pointed 21m free

Afton Grace the equalised for Kilkenny with a pointed after Mairead Kennedy charged through the Wexford defence and was tripped

Laura Greene put Kilkenny ahead again in the 28^th minute with a lovely point from play from the 45m line. But heading into 1^st half injury time Oonagh Doyle equalised again for Wexford with a 21m free to leave the interval score level 0-4 apiece

On the resumption of play, Therese Donnelly slotted over a fine point for Kilkenny before Laura Greene added another point for the Cats to put them two ahead, but by the 40^th minute, Oonagh Doyle had equalised for Wexford with tow pointed frees

From a Kilkenny sideline, the sliotar found its way to Laura Greene via Ellen Gunner and Laura burst through the Wexford defence, slotting over a fine point on the run

Emer Hunt equalised for Wexford while slotting over a point from play

Kilkenny substitute Emma Mulhall scored a beautiful point on the run after Laura Greene played the sliotar forward from midfield to Emma

Over the next five minutes, Wexford scored two points through Oonagh Doyle (1f) to put Wexford ahead by a point at the end of normal time

As the Fourth Official raised the broad which indicated that there was going to be 3 minutes additional time. The Kilkenny players didn’t panic

Ellen Gunner found Laura Greene with a handpass and Laura slotted it over the bar to equalise 0-9 apiece

In the 62^nd minute, Kilkenny were awarded a free after Danielle Quigley was fouled. Ellen Gunner stepped up and sent it straight between the posts

From the puckout, both sets of players tussled for the sliotar in the centre of the pitch. The Referee blew the whistle for the sliotar, he threw it in between players, it broke for Kilkenny’s Sarah Barcoe who drove the sliotar towards the Wexford goal

A Wexford defender attempted to clear it, but Laura Greene blocked her. Therese Donnelly was quickest to react to the breaking ball and she played it to Laura Greene, who passed it out to Danielle Quigley. Danielle looked up and picked out the unmarked Ellen Gunner who drove it straight between the posts

From the resulting puckout, the Referee blew the full-time whistle, leaving the full time score 0-11 to 0-9 in favour of Kilkenny

Scorers –– Kilkenny – Laura Greene 0-4, Afton Grace 0-2 (2f), Ellen Gunner 0-2 (1f), Danielle Quigley, Therese Donnelly, Emma Mulhall 0-1 each

Wexford – Oonagh Doyle 0-6 (5f), Emer Hunt 0-2, Nora Higgins 0-1

Kilkenny: Cliona Murphy, Niamh Leahy, Jenni O’Dea, Jane Cass, Niamh Phelan, Roisin Phelan, Hannah Scott (Capt), Laura Greene, Mairead Kennedy, Danielle Quigley, Sarah Barcoe, Emma Manogue, Therese Donnelly, Caroline Kennedy, Afton Grace

Subs: Ellen Gunner for Caroline Kennedy, Emma Mulhall for Afton Grace, Sinead Farrell, Katie Byrne, Keara Ryan, Aine Doyle, Rachel Whelan, Kate McCluskey, Eimear Leahy, Vivienne Holmes, Ava Shefflin, Hannah Larkin, Rachel Brennan, Anna Doheny, Laoise Nolan

Wexford: Emma Kiely, Kellyanne Dempsey, Ellie O’Connor, Sinead Furlong, Lettie Whelan, Dearbhla Doyle, Grace Roche, Karen Tomkins, Ciara O’Connor, Oonagh Doyle (Capt), Nora Higgins, Aoife McCrea, Sarah Doyle, Caoimhe Byrne, Emer Hunt

Subs: Sadhbh Buttle for Ciara O’Connor, Donna Delahunty for Ellie O’Connor, Grace Donovan for Aoife McCrea, Cathy O’Connor for Sarah Doyle, Kate Butler, Roisin Cooney, Lorna Fortune, Eabha Farrell, Ciara Butler, Shauna Kelly, Clodagh Jackman, Keeva Steadmond, Ella O’Connor, Anne Byrne, Aoife Doyle