Updated at 22.40
Kildare 1-12
Cork 0-11
A GOAL RIGHT on the stroke of half time by Emer Reilly opened up a four-point cushion for Kildare over Cork and it was a margin they maintained right through the end to set up a Liberty Insurance All-Ireland intermediate camogie final date with Waterford on 13 September.
It represents a tremendous feat for the Lilywhites, coming as it does just two years after annexing the premier junior title.
Cork were heavily reliant on former senior skipper, Amanda O’Regan, for their scores, and the Douglas sharpshooter finished with seven points.
Six of those came in the first half, while Susie O’Carroll responded with five at the other end of the pitch.
It was 0-8 to 0-7 when Reilly, who finished with 1-2 from play, finished a flowing move in fitting fashion for a brilliant team goal.
The second half was a real arm wrestle as both teams defended solidly but O’Carroll, Reilly and Siobhán Hurley stretched the margin to six.
With the defensive unit never looking like conceding a goal, that was always going to be enough and Stephen Dormer’s charges advance to the Croke Park decider.
SCORERS – KILDARE: S O’Carroll 0-6(4fs); E Reilly 1-2; S Hurley0-3(2fs); M Lyons 0-1
CORK: A O’Regan 0-7(3fs, 2 45s); S Fahy, C Sigerson, K Hickey, L Collins 0-1 each
WATERFORD: R O’Connell, C Flanagan, C Nolan, F Trant, A Lyons, R Gorman, C Farrell, C Forde, H McDonnell, E Reilly, S Hurley, L Keatley, S O’Carroll, N Earley, M Lyons
CORK: A Lee, E Murphy, L Weste, N O’Keeffe, S Fahy, C Sigerson, H O’Regan, K Hickey, L Callanan, J Crowley, F Neville, L Coppinger, C Sugrue, L Collins, A O’Regan.
REFEREE: J McDonagh (Galway)
Waterford 3-10
Meath 3-9
Three goals in eight minutes mid-way through the second half turned this Liberty Insurance All-Ireland intermediate camogie semi-final on its head with Waterford just holding off a desperate rally by Meath to cement their place in the final on 13 September.
The majestic Jane Dolan scored two goals and three points in the first half, with Megan Thynne also grabbing a goal, as Meath stormed into a 3-4 to 0-5 lead at half time.
Meath would have expected to be under the cosh straight after the resumption but initially, they coped with what Waterford had to offer quite well.
From the time Shona Curran breached their defences for the first time on 41 minutes though, the floodgates opened and the trend of the game was changed completely.
Aisling Power and secondary school student Beth Carton also found the net and with magnificent Trish Jackman bringing her tally to five points, the Déise were now three clear.
Dolan pegged back two of those but despite seven minutes of injury time and incessant pressure, Waterford held out.
SCORERS – WATERFORD: T Jackman 0-5(3fs); B Carton, S Curran 1-1 each; A Power 1-0; L Bray, J Simpson, N Rockett 0-1 each
MEATH: J Dolan 2-5(0-2fs); A Minogue 0-3(2fs, 1 45); M Thynne 1-0; S Hackett 0-1
WATERFORD: D Brennan, K McMahon, C Whyte, V Falconer, C Raher, T Jackman, J Simpson, I Heffernan, L Bray, N Rockett, N Morrissey, B Carton, A Power, T McGlone, D Power. Subs: B Kavanagh for D Power, S Curran for Morrissey, V O’Brien for Simpson, Simpson for A Power
MEATH: E Mangan, E Coffey, C Coffey, G Coleman, A Keogh, K Troy, L O’Donoghue, J Dolan, K Hackett, A Minogue, A Maguire, M Thynne, C O’Brien, E Guy, S Hackett. Subs: A Gaffney for Guy, M Keogh for E Coffey, F O’Brien for Gaffney, A Thompson for Thynne
REFEREE: J Byrne (Dublin)