Cork 1-11
Kilkenny 2-10
ANOTHER MEETING OF camogie superpowers, another cracker served up between them.
At a very misty Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork and Kilkenny fought to the death once more. It was the Cats who held on under the rain clouds today, as star forward Denise Gaule finished with seven points in superb individual display.
Goals proved decisive in the end with Ann Dalton and Miriam Walsh both stepping up with clinical finishes for the winners in either half.
It’s a first All-Ireland final for Kilkenny under manager Brian Dowling, and their fifth on the trot, as Cork fall at the penultimate hurdle for the second year-in-a-row.
A pacey start from Cork yielded a 1-3 to 0-0 advantage in the opening eight minutes. Chloe Sigerson got them off the mark with two points, including a free before Orla Cronin added another free after Hannah Looney was fouled while bearing down on the Kilkenny goal.
Cork stalwart Gemma O’Connor, who was named as a late starter, struck for the net after a well-worked move from Paudie Murray’s side.
O’Connor is more familiar with the surroundings in defence, but she lined out as a corner forward today proved effective at early doors as she rattled the net from close range.
Cork were hurting Kilkenny with probing runs down the middle in the early stages, while the Leinster outfit had to wait until the 11th minute for their first score as Mary O’Connell opened their account.
Kilkenny looked shaky in front of the posts as they struck out for three wides in-a-row, but they soon hit their stride.
With Gaule and Dalton to the fore, Kilkenny outscored Cork by 0-6 0-2 between the 14th and 25th minute.
Dalton grabbed the goal on 27 minutes as she got under a long free in from Gaule before finding the net on the turn to push them into a one-point lead.
Cork midfielder Ashling Thompson responded to make it a level game, with Gaule and Sigerson trading scores up to half-time to leave Kilkenny 1-7 to 1-8 in front.
Gaule already had five points to her credit at this point but it was Cork who found the target first after the restart.
Cronin tapped over a close range free following a free on Amy O’Connor to level proceedings for a third time.
Kilkenny regained the lead seconds later, as Walsh made a powerful run through the Cork defence before crashing a shot past Amy Lee for their second goal of the game.
There was still three points separating the sides at the second water break as Katrina Mackey swung the ball over for her second point. It was also Cork’s first score in over 10 minutes.
A second Thompson followed to reduce the gap to two before Sigerson landed another monstrous point to set-up a grandstand finish in the final three minutes of normal time.
Cork missed a series of chances to snatch victory at the death but the Cats held on in the drizzle as Gaule notched her seventh of the afternoon to send Kilkenny back to Croke Park for another All-Ireland decider.
Scorers for Cork: Chloe Sigerson (0-4 1f), Orla Cronin (0-3 3f), Katrina Mackey (0-2) Gemma O’Connor (1-0), Ashling Thompson (0-2)
Scorers for Kilkenny: Mary O’Connell (0-2), Ann Dalton (1-1), Denise Gaule (0-7 6f), Miriam Walsh (1-0)
Cork
1. Amy Lee (Na Piarsaigh)
2. Libby Coppinger (St Colum’s)
3. Laura Treacy (Kileagh)
4. Meabh Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
5. Hannah Looney (Kileagh)
6. Pamela Mackey (Douglas)
7. Laura Hayes (St Catherine’s)
8. Chloe Sigerson (Kileagh)
9. Ashling Thompson (Milford)
10. Amy O’Connor (St Vincent’s)
11. Orla Cronin (Enniskeane)
12. Katrina Mackey (Douglas)
17. Gemma O’Connor (St Finbarr’s)
14. Linda Collins (Courcey Rovers)
15. Saoirse McCarthy (Courcey Rovers)
Subs:
20. Niamh O’Callaghan (Sarsfields) for Mackey (43)
22. Cliona Healy (Aghabullouge) for Collins (46)
18. Julia White (Douglas) for McCarthy (52)
Kilkenny
1. Aoife Norris (Piltown)
2. Michelle Teehan (James Stephens)
3. Claire Phelan (Lisdowney)
4. Davina Tobin (Emeralds)
5. Colette Dormer (Barrow Rangers)
6. Meighan Farrell (Thomastown)
7. Grace Walsh (Tullaroan)
8. Anna Farrell (Thomastown)
9. Laura Murphy (O’Loughlin Gaels)
10. Miriam Walsh (Tularoan)
11. Ann Dalton (Freshford)
12. Aoife Doyle (Piltown
13. Mary O’Connelly (Clara)
14. Denise Gaule (Windap)
15. Katie Nolan (St Martin’s)
Subs:
18. Steffi Fitzgerald (Young Irelands) for Murphy (HT)
17. Niamh Deely (James Stephens) for Teehan (46)
20. Kellyann Doyle (Piltown) for O’Connell (55)
Referee: Owen Elliot (Antrim)
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