MEATH AND KILKENNY SECURED big wins in the Glen Dimplex All Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship quarter-finals at FBD Semple Stadium this afternoon, securing their place alongside Derry and Westmeath in the last four.
Elsewhere, Clare and Roscommon came through a Premier Junior quarter-final double header, while Wexford overcame Down and Carlow beat Dublin in relegation battles.
Meath’s progression came thanks to a 3-11 to 1-11 victory over Cork, and key to this victory was a combination of solid defensive prowess, and a fine scoring performance from dual star Aoife Minogue, who plundered 1-5.
The Royals conceded just four points in the second half, two from play, as they shut down the Rebel attack with some outstanding one-on-one marking. The game’s most important score came when Minogue buried a 21m free to the net, pushing Meath 2-9 to 1-8 ahead early in the final period as they quickly overturned a one-point half time deficit.
It was all much more tense in the other quarter-final, where Kilkenny ground out a 0-11 to 0-9 win over Wexford thanks to three late points. After Oonagh Doyle fired Wexford 0-9 to 0-8 ahead after 59 minutes, the Slaneysiders were unable to follow up and build on that advantage.
Instead, Kilkenny showed their grit and determination to finish strong. They still trailed by a point as the game entered three minutes of injury time, but Laura Greene fired over her fourth point from play to tie the game before Ellen Gunner nailed a pressure free after Danielle Quigley was fouled.
Quigley and Gunner combined again with the latter firing over the insurance score.
Meanwhile, Wexford’s first team gave some joy to the county as they secured their senior status by defeating Down, 1-16 to 0-15, in the sides’ relegation semi final. The loss means Down face Offaly next, with the loser of that encounter dropping down to the Intermediate ranks for 2024.
Ciara O’Connor’s nine point haul helped Wexford over the line while Aine Lacey’s goal proved crucial. Seven different players found the target for the winners with only three doing the same for Down. Niamh Mallon scored 0-10 for Down but it wasn’t enough on this occasion.
In the junior quarter-finals, played at Clane, Sarah Loughnane found the net twice and Olivia Phelan raised another green flag in Clare’s 3-14 to 0-7 win over Cavan.
The Banner County have been the standout side at this grade all year and they were much too strong here yet again, despite the best efforts of Clodagh Keenaghan and Shanise Fitzsimons for Cavan. The Ulster side trailed by just five points early in the second half after Sinéad McKenna made it 1-7 to 0-5, but they just scored one more point in the next 28 minutes, as Clare ran riot.
It was all very different between Roscommon and Limerick, where Shauna Fallon’s heroics pushed the Rossies to a 0-13 to 1-7 win.
Fallon scored 0-12 in total, including a stunning score in the 60th minute to edge them in front.
Rachel Fitzmaurice, who went on to later help Roscommon secure intermediate status by playing in their LGFA relegation playoff against Louth, helped load the bullets for Fallon in the opening 40 minutes, but a goal from a 30 metre free from Valerie Shanahan dragged Limerick back into the game, and the Killeedy shooter fired over another free with five minutes to go to edge her side in front, before Fallon stepped up with four late points, three from play.
Finally, in the intermediate relegation semi-final, Carlow overcame Dublin by 1-19 to 1-7 at Fenagh.
— Updated Sunday, 8.06am: An earlier version of this article contained incorrect details on Saturday’s Premier Junior matches, which have now been corrected.
