Kilkenny Intermediates claim opening league win over Clare

Very League Division 2B Round 4

Kilkenny 1-8

Clare 0-8

By Aoife Lanigan, PRO

The Kilkenny intermediates came away from Fr McNamara Park, Ennis with the all-important two points when they beat Clare in a hard-fought match on Saturday 2nd March

In a low scoring first half, Clare’s sharpshooter Aisling Cooney shot over their first point from a free in the fourth minute.

Eimear Leahy slotted over the equaliser for Kilkenny while under pressure from the banner’s defence.

Rachel Dowling and Cooney traded points from placed balls.

Then Caroline Kennedy got in behind the Clare defence and slotted home a goal before Cooney tacked on a pointed free for Clare to leave the interval score 1-2 to 0-3 in favour of the stripey women.

On the resumption of play, Rachel Dowling put over a lovely point from play for Kilkenny.

Aisling Cooney and Emma O’Donoghue fired over a point apiece to narrow the gap to a point.

Caroline Kennedy (KK) slotted over a point from play. This was followed by a score from Clare’s speedy wing-forward Hannah Mai Neylon, who weaved her way through the Kilkenny defence.

Rachel Dowling notched her third point, a lovely score from out on the wing for Kilkenny, before Hannah Mai Neylon hit back with a point for Clare.

Heading towards full-time there were two points between the sides. Clare went for goal, but a great reaction save from Ali Kennedy in the Kilkenny goal, after the sliotar came off a forward’s helmet in a packed goalmouth, kept the home side at bay.

Kilkenny cleared their lines upfield towards Claire Doheny and she fired over a point.

The referee blew the full time whistle with the score 1-8 to 0-8, giving Kilkenny their first two points of the campaign.

Kilkenny will be back out again this weekend with a home game against Tipperary.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny – Caroline Kennedy (1-2); Rachel Dowling (0-3, 0-1 free); Claire Doheny, Eimear Leahy, Aoife Cantwell (0-1 each).

Clare – Aisling Cooney (0-5, 0-4 frees), Hannah Mai Neylon (0-2), Emma O’Donoghue (0-1).

Kilkenny – Ali Kennedy; Jane Cass, Rachel Brennan, Laoise Nolan; Shauna Treacy, Hannah Scott, Carlise Comerford; Eimear Leahy, Mairead Kennedy; Aoife Cantwell, Rachel Dowling, Claire Doheny; Emma Mulhall, Caroline Kennedy, Emma Shortall.

Subs: Ellen Gunner for Emma Mulhall, Lauren Ronan for Emma Shortall, Ellen Purcell for Carlise Comerford, Afton Grace for Caroline Kennedy, Kate McCluskey for Mairead Kennedy, Cliona Murphy, Mairead Corcoran, Sofia Kerr, Aisling Prendergast, Lauren Phelan, Niamh Crowley, Rose Kelly, Lauren East, Cria Langton (captain), Niamh Leahy, Tara Murphy, Ciara Foskin.

Clare – Sophie Cullen; Rebecca Crowe, Bonny Wiley Murphy, Sinead Hogg; Rachel Kelly, Kate O’Gorman, Sinead O’Keeffe (captain); Sinead Power, Jennifer Nicholas; Hannah Mai Neylon, Emma O’Donoghue, Aisling Cooney; Aibhin McNamara, Olivia Phelan, Mary Hanrahan