Dubs push Stripeywomen all the way

Provincial crown retained, but improvement needed

later, Laura Murphy burst forward and was halted illegally and Prendergast made no mistake from the resulting free as she red her team into a three point to nil lead after 7 minutes of e next score would also come from the home side. Mullinavat’s Julieann Malone then showed some nice stick work before popping over a ne point as the reigning champions looked in complete control of

Dublin did get on the scoreboard eventually, and it a one of the scores of the game, with Aisling O’Neill ri ing over a superb e ort from close to the left sideline.

Another Aisling, this time Gannon, beat Tullaroan’s Grace Walsh before ring over to reduce the de cit to two points.

Piltown’s e sides swapped the next two points, rst up was Dicksboro’s Aoife Prendergast who pointed from a tight angle, while Aisling Maher sent over a long range free after Katie Power was booked for a heavy challenge. Another of the Piltown contingent, Aoife Doyle then got on the score sheet, pointing from close range but there was still time for Aisling Maher to deadlock matters with another point before the short whistle as the sides headed to the changing rooms with 7 points

Katie Power was then fouled again, and Aoife Prendergast red over the placed ball.

Aisling Gannon was then fouled and captain Maher slotted the free as they fought to stay close to their illustrious opponents. Maher got another opportunity to reduce the de cit to the bare minimum when Julieann Malone was adjudged to have over carried and she didn’t miss.

One of Dublin’s liveliest players, Aisling O’Neill then red over another lovely point to bring the sides level at 5 points apiece. Brian Dowling’s charges were guilty of being sloppy in possession and making uncharacteristic errors as they struggled to regain the control of a game that was in danger of providing a big upset.

Gerry McQuaid’s charges kept Kilkenny waiting on the pitch before the second period began, and it would be the visitors who got o the mark rst after the interval with a nice point from Grace O’Shea. Last year’s captain Aoife Prendergast was then fouled and Windgap’s Denise Gaule showed her class by pointing from out on the left.

Brian Dowling then sent on Dicksboro duo Asha McHardy and Jenny Cli ord then replaced Katie Power and Aoife Prendergast as he sought to freshen things up.

Mullinavat’s Julieann Malone then scored a lovely point from play to edge her side ahead, before a brace of free’s from St Martin’s Katie Nolan to push the home team 3 clear with about 12 minutes remaining in the provincial decider. e next score would prove crucial and ultimately be the winning of a very tough game. Kilkenny were awarded a free on half way and the experienced Denise Gaule stood over it. e Windgap player sent in a searching and testing ball around the edge of the square. Julieann Malone rose along with two Dublin players, won the ball turned and went to strike for goal. e keeper came to meet her, the sliotar hit came loose but the Mullinavat woman reacted and struck the ball to the net.

Dublin like earlier in the contest refused to lie down and hit the next three scores in game. e rst of this trio of scores came from wingforward Elyse Jamieson-Murphy with a fantastic point. Some lovely skill and team play from the visitors resulted in the dangerous Aisling O’Neill ring over, before the same player dispossessed Grace Walsh before splitting the posts to level matters. e atmosphere got even more tense; the Dublin management team sensed that the game was there for the taking, while their Kilkenny counterparts appeared worried at their sides inability to put the game to bed when leading by 3 points.

Katie Nolan was then given the chance to give her side the lead from the placed ball, but her e ort struck the far post. Kilkenny players reacted more quickly, and one of the second half subs, Asha McHardy collected the sliotar before ring over edge the stripeywomen ahead.

Kilkenny now had a four-point lead, this soon became ve when Young Ireland’s Ste Fitzgerald pointed shortly after the raising of the green ag. Dublin needed a goal, and quickly. ey struck a couple of low e orts towards Aoife Norris’s goal, but they were o target. Aisling Maher did strike over another free, but time was up and a collective sigh of relief could be felt by the home contingent as the long whistle sounded. Provincial title defended. Now for the All-Ireland series. Final score, Kilkenny 1-14, Dublin 0-13.