U23 All Ireland Championship Semi Final
Kilkenny 2-14
Galway 0-18
By Aoife Lanigan, PRO
Kilkenny U23 team are through the U23A All Ireland Final after a fantastic goal from Claire Doheny deep in injury time defeated a dogged Galway side in Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park, Birr last Saturday
Leah Brett opened the scoring with a point from play for Kilkenny after two minutes. Galway scored the next two pointes from Emma Madden and Caoimhe Kelly
In the 4th minute, Keara Ryan fired the sliotar towards the Galway goal, defender Ally Hesnan went to clear it but Claire Doheny dispossessed her & Claire ran along the end line and batted the sliotar to the back of the net from a tight angle
Ellen Gunner slotted over a pointed free to put Kilkenny 1-2 to 0-2 after five & a half minutes. Aoibheann Barry hit over a placed ball for the Tribeswomen which was followed by another point from Galway’s Niamh McInerney & an Aoibheann Barry free to level the match
Ellen Gunner then hit over two points to put Kilkenny back ahead again but Galway shot over the next three points through Aoibheann Barry (2fs) & Caoimhe Kelly.
Aoibheann Barry & Ellen Gunner swapped points. Barry scored another pointed free for Galway. Claire Doheny scored a fine point for Kilkenny before Niamh McInerney closed out the scoring of the first half with a point from play for Galway to leave the Westerners ahead 0-11 to 1-6
On the resumption of play, Keara Ryan scored an excellent point for Kilkenny. Aoibheann Barry converted another free for Galway. Ellen Gunner fired over two frees for Kilkenny to equalise the match
Galway hit over two points of their own through Niamh McInerney & Shannon Corcoran, then Ellen Gunner slotted over another free to leave a point between the sides
Over the next five minutes, Galway hit three points without reply through Emma Brogan, Niamh McInerney & Aoibheann Barry (f), to push out the lead to four points. This was the biggest lead that either of the teams had, but Kilkenny didn’t panic
Gunner slotted over another pointed free before Kate McCluskey got on the scoreboard with a lovely point after a neat pass from Leah Brett. Aoibheann Barry fired over another free for the Westerners
Heading into injury time, Kilkenny were three points down, their heads didn’t drop however and they won two frees which Gunner converted to leave the minimum between the sides
With 62.30 on the clock, Amy Brennan playing around midfield now, drove a shot upfield, a Ruck ensued, the Referee blew this whistle for a throw in. Ellen Gunner won it, she handpassed it out to Lauren Ronan, who hit a high shot towards the Galway goal. Claire Doheny outjumped two Galway defenders, turned and hit an unstoppable shot to the top left corner of the net, to put Kilkenny two points ahead
From the puckout, Galway went downfield to try & rescue the match, but Captain Rachel Brennan cleared the sliotar to Lucy Boyd who drove it upfield and the Referee blew the full-time whistle. There were wild celebrations as Kilkenny were through to the All-Ireland Final which will be against Cork next weekend, time & venue to be confirmed
Scorers – Kilkenny – Ellen Gunner 0-10 (9f), Claire Doheny 2-1, Leah Brett, Keara Ryan, Kate McCluskey 0-1
Galway – Aoibheann Barry 0-9 (8f), Niamh McInerney 0-4, Caoimhe Kelly 0-2, Emma Madden, Shannon Corcoran, Emily Brogan 0-1 each
Kilkenny: Cara Duggan, Rachel Brennan (Captain), Katie Ryan, Sofia Kerr, Niamh Phelan, Aine Rohan, Anna Doheny, Caoimhe Power, Kate McCluskey, Keara Ryan, Ellen Gunner, Amy Brennan, Katie Brennan, Leah Brett, Claire Doheny
Subs: Lauren Ronan for Katie Brennan, Lucy Boyd for Keara Ryan, Rose Kelly for Caoimhe Power, Laoise Nolan, Caoimhe Carroll, Anna Purcell, Marie Claire O’Dwyer, Molly Conroy, Amy Cody, Tara McGrath, Laura Doherty, Louise Hickey, Niamh Davis, Rachel Whelan, Michelle Killeen, Aoife Shealy, Shona Ruane, Eabha Carroll
Galway: Laura Freeney, Reitseal Kelly, Laoise McGrath, Ava Crowe, Ally Hesnan, Ciara Hickey, Katie Anna Porter (Captain), Kayla Madden, Aoibhe Joyce, Kerri O’Driscoll, Emma Madden, Aoibheann Barry, Niamh McInerney, Shannon Corcoran, Caoimhe Kelly
Subs: Emily Brogan for Aoibhe Joyce, Emily Lawless for Kerri O’Driscoll, Orla Mullins for Emma Madden, Ava Bloomer for Ally Hesnan, Caoimhe Hickey, Sarah Lyons, Alison Greaney, Katie Lawless, Emma Deeley, Catherine Hanley, Kayla Earner, Katie Gilchrist, Leah O’Halloran, Leah Murphy, Laura Kelly, Zoe Rodgers, Leann Nic Dhonncha, Eve McGlynn, Alannah Fahy, Sophie Flynn
Referee: John Dooley, Tipperary
By PRO Mon 18th May
