Derry find that extra gear as Kilkenny Intermediates run out of steam

Intermediate All Ireland Semi Final

Kilkenny 0-14

Derry 0-21 AET

by Aoife Lanigan, PRO

It was not to be for the Kilkenny intermediate camogie team as Derry dashed their All-Ireland hopes with an extra-time semi-final rally.

Heading to the third quarter mark in FBD Semple Stadium , Derry led by 0-10 to 0-5 but then failed to score again until the last seconds of added time.

During this time, Kilkenny hit a purple patch with scores from Ellen Gunner (two frees), Claire Doheny and Niamh Phelan pulling down the lead. They then went ahead when Emma Manogue turned on a sixpence to pop over a point in the 62nd minute.

Derry dug deep and went on an attack; Mary Hegarty’s shot brought a great save from Cliona Murphy. The resulting 45 was converted by Aoife Shaw to send the game into extra-time.

Kilkenny got the scoring underway in the opening minute through Laura Greene.

Derry took the lead in the 10th minute 0-3 to 0-2 when Aine McAllister slotted over a free from distance after Aoife Shaw (free) and Mairead McNicholl had also registered points.

Sarah Barcoe, Emma Manogue and Laura Greene added points for Kilkenny, to put them ahead before Derry then scored three unanswered through Mary Hegarty and two from Aine McAllister.

Heading towards half time, Emma Manogue slotted over a free to leave the interval score 0-6 to 0-5 in favour of the Oak Leaf County.

Mary Hegarty and Eimear McGuigan duly added points on the restart to push Derry further ahead.

In the 38th minute Derry were awarded a penalty as a result of the controversial ‘charging’ rule that earned Kilkenny goalie Cliona Murphy a yellow card. She redeemed herself, however, by saving Aoife Shaw’s effort.

Shaw then converted two frees to put her side in control at 0-10 to 0-5 with 45 minutes gone on the clock.

Kilkenny though sparked a revival, started by an Ellen Gunner pointed free.

Kilkenny started to push forward and Derry looked in trouble.

Derry’s physical power in the tackle and fast runs forward suddenly started to wane and the gap started to close going into added time, Kilkenny pointed through Claire Doheny, Niamh Phelan, Emma Manogue and Ellen Gunner (free).

With the teams now level, the Derry goalie Gribben reached to prevent a lead point from Emma Mulhall but could not stop an Emma Manogue effort to put Kilkenny ahead.

Just a minute later Shaw converted a 45 after Cliona Murphy saved a shot to send the game to extra time.

From the start of extra-time Derry rediscovered their earlier drive and made it 0-16 to 0-11 by half time with points through McGill, Shaw (2), Mairead McNicholl and Aine McAllister.

Shaw added another point at the start of the second period of extra-time.

Ellen Gunner pointed two frees for Kilkenny, but the Oak Leaf County tagged on another three points through Aine McAllister (2) and Mary Hegarty.

Keara Ryan and Aine McAllister traded points to leave the final score 0-21 to 0-14 in favour of the Ulster side.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny – Emma Manogue 0-4 (1f), Ellen Gunner 0-4 (4f), Laura Greene 0-2, Sarah Barcoe, Claire Doheny, Niamh Phelan, Keara Ryan 0-1 each

Derry – Aine McAllister 0-8 (3f), Aoife Shaw 0-6 (4f), Mary Hegarty, Mairead McNicholl, Aine McGill 0-2 each, Eimear McGuigan 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, Emma Manogue, Aoife Cantwell, Therese Donnelly, Sarah Barcoe, Afton Grace.

Subs: Claire Doheny for Afton Grace, Ellen Gunner for Mairead Kennedy, Emma Mulhall for Danielle Quigley, Caroline Kennedy for Sarah Barcoe ET, Aideen O’Connor for Niamh Leahy, Katie Byrne for Aoife Cantwell, Sarah Barcoe for Emma Manogue, Keara Ryan for Jenni O’Dea, Danielle Quigley for Therese Donnelly, Sinead Farrell, Aine Doyle, Kate McCluskey, Eimear Leahy, Vivienne Holmes, Ava Shefflin, Hannah Larkin, Rachel Brennan, Rachel Whelan, Anna Doheny, Laoise Nolan.

Derry – Niamh Gribbin, Niamh Quinn, Leah Lennon, Sinead McGill, Rachel Downey, Aoife Ni Chaiside, Lauren McKenna, Dervla O’Kane, Rachel McAllister, Mairead McNicholl, Aine McAllister, Eimhear McGuigan, Aoife Shaw, Aimee Lennon, Mary Hegarty.

Subs: Orlaith Hull for Aimee Lennon, Aine McGill for Eimhear McGuigan ET, Shannon O’Connor for Mairead McNicholl, Eimear McCloskey for Rachel McAllister, Eimear Doherty for Rachel Downey, Laura Coyle, Bronagh McCullagh, Eimear Murphy, Eimear O’Kane, Niamh McQuillan.