Glen Dimplex Senior All Ireland Championship Semi Final
Kilkenny 0-11
Galway 1-14
By Aoife Lanigan, PRO
Kilkenny were defeated by reigning Champions Galway in the Glen Dimplex All Ireland Senior Semi Final in FBD Semple Stadium last Saturday
As expected, given her excellent marking jobs all season and most recently on Waterford’s Beth Carton, Ava Brett had the task of picking up another former player of the year, Aoife Donohue, she kept her scoreless and Aoife went off injured in the 40th minute
Galway got the perfect start with their captain Carrie Dolan opening the scoring with a point from play after 25 seconds. Aoife Prendergast equalised with a pointed free after 2 minutes
Niamh Niland put Galway ahead again with a point from play, Aoife Prendergast equalising from a free after Laura Murphy was fouled
Galway then hit three unanswered points from Caoimhe Kelly, Ailish O’Reilly & Niamh McPeake before the end of the first quarter, there were some worrying signs for Kilkenny
The response was encouraging, as Kilkenny’s full back line began to impose themselves, with Tiffanie Fitzgerald prominent & Brett doing her job on Donohue
They needed Aoife Prendergast’s radar to be in from placed balls to get the scoreboard moving and the Dicksboro sharpshooter was pretty spot on, adding to her opening brace with two from just inside her own half
When Sarah Barcoe provided Kilkenny’s first score from play in the 21st minute, the sides were level 0-5 each
Galway finished the half better, with Kelly slotting over her second point and Dolan hitting over her side’s first from a free to make it 0-7 to 0-5 at the break
On the resumption of play Galway were awarded a contentious penalty. Two players shouldered each other and the Galway player went down. Dolan stood over the sliotar, she scored a goal but it was a dubious score as she crossed the 20m line in doing so
Aoife Prendergast responded with another free from distance, Galway hit five points without reply, Niamh McPeake, Caoimhe Kelly, Niamh Niland, Dervla Higgins and a pointed free from Carrie Dolan to push out the score to 1-12 to 0-6
Caoimhe Keher Murtagh made one careering run through the middle, she seemed to be pulled back in the square, she put the sliotar to the boot but Sarah Healy saved. A free was awarded that Prendergast fizzed about an inch over the crossbar
Dolan converted another free for Galway (this was their last score for 18 minutes)
Aoife Prendergast slotted over another pointed free for Kilkenny. Then Kilkenny substitute Rachel Phelan scored a great point. Prendergast slotted over another point before another Kilkenny substitute Claire Doheny fired over a fine point. Alannah Kelly slotted over the final point of the match to leave Galway 1-14 to 0-11 ahead at the final whistle
Scorers – Kilkenny – Aoife Prendergast 0-8 (8f), Sarah Barcoe, Rachel Phelan, Claire Doheny 0-1 each
Galway – Carrie Dolan 1-4 (1-0 pen, 3f), Caoimhe Kelly 0-3, Niamh McPeake, Niamh Niland 0-2 each, Ailish O’Reilly, Dervla Higgins, Alannah Kelly 0-1 each
Kilkenny: Aoife Norris, Ava Brett, Tiffanie Fitzgerald, Caoimhe Dowling (Captain), Angela Carroll, Niamh Deely, Michelle Teenhan, Laura Greene, Laura Murphy, Aoife Prendergast, Caoimhe Keher Murtagh, Asha McHardy, Emma Shortall, Steffi Fitzgerald, Sarah Barcoe
Subs – Katie Nolan for Steffi Fitzgerald inj, Claire Doheny for Emma Shortall, Rachel Phelan for Asha McHardy, Rachel Dowling for Angela Carroll, Ellen Gunner, Maria Brennan, Miriam Bambrick, Laura Phelan, Sofia Kerr, Grace Brennan, Emma Mulhall, Ciara Dunne, Aisling O’Sullivan, Leah Brett, Ciara O’Shea
Galway: Sarah Healy, Rachael Hanniffy, Roisin Black, Dervla Higgins, Katie Manning, Ciara Hickey, Katie Anna Porter, Ally Hesnan, Carrie Dolan (Captain), Aine Keane, Niamh McPeake, Aoife Donohue, Niamh Niland, Ailish O’Reilly, Caoimhe Kelly
Subs – Shannon Corcoran for Aoife Donohue inj, Sabina Rabbitte for Caoimhe Kelly, Alannah Kelly for Aine Keane, Mairead Dillon for Niamh Niland, Laura Kelly for Dervla Higgins, Fiona Ryan, Reitseal Kelly, Ava Crowe, Kayla Madden, Ava Lynskey, Niamh Mallon, Niamh McInerney, Aoibheann Barry, Tegan Canning, Jennifer Hughes
Referee: Andy Larkin, Cork
By PRO Sat 1st Aug
