Glen Dimplex Senior All Ireland Championship 3rd Round
Kilkenny 5-15
Offaly 3-9
By Aoife Lanigan, PRO
Kilkenny are on the brink of the last six of the Glen Dimplex Senior All Ireland Championship after a great 12 point win over last years Intermediate Champions Offaly in UPMC Nowlan Park last Saturday
A pre-match pep-talk from world champion boxer Katie Taylor who made a surprise visit to the Kilkenny dressing room before the game, proved inspirational as the Cats remained undefeated in their quest for the O’Duffy Cup
Offaly playing with the breeze at their backs, made a fine start and kicking off with two Mairead Teehan points. They followed that brace up with scores from Grace Teehan and Faye Mulrooney to lead 0-4 to 0-1. Kilkenny’s point coming from Laura Murphy
SHOT
With 10th minute on the clock, Asha McHardy was the creator, taking a shot towards the Offaly goal before Emma Shortall snuck in & flicked the sliotar to the back of the net
This goal sucked the wind out of the visitors sails. Kilkenny pressed on, hitting another 1-3, the scores coming via Asha McHardy (0-2), with a Steffi Fitzgerald point and another goal from the in form Sarah Barcoe, adding to her brace last week against Dublin
Clodagh Leahy gave Offaly a lifeline with a goal in reply, but Kilkenny scored the next two points courtesy of Aoife Prendergast (f) & Steffi Fitzgerald
Clodagh Leahy converted a free for Offaly, to which Steffi Fitzgerald slotted over a point before a clearance from Kilkenny’s defence by Asha McHardy found Fitzgerald. She ran at speed towards the Offaly goal, pausing only rattled the back of the net
Rachel Brennan closed out the scoring of the first half with a point. As the sides headed for the dressing rooms, Kilkenny were 3-7 to 1-6 in front
On the resumption of play, Laura Murphy and Aoife Prendergast fired over a point each for Kilkenny. Over the next nine minutes, both teams tried to add to their tallies but to no avail
PENALTY
Then, in the 47th minute, Caoimhe Keher Murtagh was taking aim for a shot on goal when she was unceremoniously brought down in the square. With the Penalty awarded, Aoife Prendergast made no mistake
Mairead Teehan then got in for Offaly’s second goal, but that was cancelled out when Kilkenny hit three unanswered points from Asha McHardy, Aoife Prendergast (f) & Katie Nolan
Teehan hit another goal for the Midlanders side with 58 minutes on the clock, but again that was cancelled out when Emma Mulhall rattled in Kilkenny’s fifth goal a minute later
Heading into injury time, Grace Teehan & Aoife Prendergast (f) swapped points, but Kilkenny were already assured of the spoils, trooping off with a 5-15 to 3-9 win wrapped up
There will be a break in Group 2 matches next weekend, but Kilkenny will be back the following Saturday with another home game in UPMC Nowlan Park against Clare. Throw in is @ 3.30pm for what will be a battle for the top of the table
Scorers – Kilkenny – Aoife Prendergast 1-4 (1-0 pen, 4f), Steffi Fitzgerald 1-3, Asha McHardy 0-5, Emma Shortall, Sarah Barcoe, Emma Mulhall 1-0 each, Laura Murphy 0-2, Katie Nolan 0-1
Offaly – Mairead Teehan 2-2 (1f), Clodagh Leahy 1-2 (2f), Grace Teehan 0-2, Faye Mulrooney, Rachel Brennan, Ciara Maher 0-1 each
Kilkenny: Aoife Norris, Ava Brett, Maria Brennan, Angela Carroll, Caoimhe Dowling (Capt), Niamh Deely, , Laura Greene, Laura Murphy, Aoife Prendergast, Caoimhe Keher Murtagh, Asha McHardy, Emma Shortall, Steffi Fitzgerald, Sarah Barcoe
Subs – Miriam Bambrick for Caoimhe Dowling, Emma Mulhall for Sarah Barcoe, Rachel Dowling for Laura Greene, Katie Nolan for Tiffanie Fitzgerald, Claire Doheny for Emma Shortall, Ellen Gunner, Laura Phelan, Sofia Kerr, Jessica Smith, Ciara Dunne, Leah Brett, Una Duggan, Aisling O’Sullivan
Offaly: Emer Reynolds, Aoife Liffey, Amy Byrne (Capt), Megan King, Una Kilmartin, Aisling Brennan, Orlagh Phelan, Mairead Teehan, Ciara Maher, Grace Teehan, Rachel Brennan, Fianait Dooley, Clodagh Leahy, Sarah Harding, Faye Mulrooney
Subs: Ellen Regan for Orlagh Phelan, Katie O’Connell for Sarah Harding, Kacey Larkin, Nicola Cleary, Becky Bryant, Orla Kilmartin, Elizabeth Kilmartin, Eilish Gleeson, Aine Rigney, Molly Hogan, Sarah O’Rourke, Karla Mannion
Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan, Limerick
By PRO Fri 12th Jun
