U23 All Ireland Championship Semi Final
Kilkenny 1-12 Galway 1-13
by Liam Kelly O’Rourke, Kilkenny People
Kilkenny’s hopes of qualifying for the final of the All-Ireland under-23 camogie championship came to an end on Saturday 29th June, despite a valiant effort away to Galway on a damp but humid day at Kenny Park, Athenry
This year’s competition proved to be historic for a number of reasons, not least it provided both teams with an opportunity to qualify for the competition’s inaugural final. Traditionally, many of the players involved would have played Intermediate for their counties, an option no longer available to ‘tier one’ camogie teams.
The game proved to be tight throughout, very much in keeping with the tone of the previous week’s round-robin clash in UPMC Nowlan Park which ended in a stalemate.
Robust defence
Kavanagh’s forward-line were nullified in front of goal that day and yet again a robust Galway defence made life difficult for a committed and talented set of Kilkenny attackers. Rachel Dowling was the Noresiders scorer in chief from play and frees, bagging 0-6 in the first half alone, with further notable performances from Ellen Gunner and Amy Brennan who each chipped in on the scoreboard.
After a nip and tuck match which did little to separate them, a late first half penalty gave the home outfit a much needed lift and 1-7 to 0-8 lead at half-time.
Laura Kelly’s smart low finished proved to be too hot for Sinead Farrell to handle in the Kilkenny goal.
However, 12 minutes into the new half, the away side bit back as St Brigid’s Lauren Ronan broke past the Galway defence to net and draw the teams level (1-10 apiece).
A final place was all to play for heading into stoppage time with the Westerners leading by the smallest of margins after another period of tight camogie.
A close range free from Rachel Dowling in the dying minutes left the one point margin between the teams, and despite being egged on to go for the bulls-eye and try her luck on goal, she perhaps wisely opted for the security of a point.
However, hindsight is a wonderful thing and despite the determined kittens throwing the kitchen sink at the Tribeswomen, that allusive leveller never arrived.
Cork will now play Galway in the decider after their emphatic win over neighbours Tipperary in the other semi-final.
Proud
The former Kilkenny senior camogie shot stopper turned manager was ‘heartbroken’ but ‘proud’ upon reflection at the full-time whistle.
“We’re obviously two very closely matched teams,” she told the Kilkenny People after the match.
“We came up here and we believed we could do it and it’s a credit to the girls that they didn’t fear coming to Kenny Park at all.“It didn’t matter whether they were in Kenny Park or Nowlan Park or Croke Park, they were just going to come here and give it 100% and work and that’s what they did,” Kavanagh added.
Kilkenny – Sinead Farrell; Hannah Larkin, Katie Ryan, Sofia Kerr; Katie Byrne, Tara McGrath, Aisling Browne; Laura Phelan, Muireann Gannon; Amy Brennan, Ellen Gunner, Ciara O’Keeffe; Lauren Ronan, Rachel Dowling, Keara Ryan.
Galway – Laura Freeney; Reitseal Kelly, Ava Crowe, Emily Brogan; Katie Manning, Katie Anna Porter, Joanne Daly; Aoibhe Carr, Jennifer Hughes; Aoibhe Joyce, Kayla Madden, Laura Kelly, Niamh McInerney, Cora Kenny, Katie Gilchrist.
Referee – Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick).
