Cats hold upperhand in senior camogie championship clash

KILKENNY 2-12 DUBLIN 0-10        

While the score tallies will tell you that Dublin only held the lead for two minutes in this senior championship game, the list of positives from this game is long.

Dublin got their free-taking bang on with a “Dead-eye Dick” performance from Alison Maguire who nailed 8 placed balls, the work ethic from start to finish was top class, Dublin’s defence was superb and the error count has been dramatically cut. 15 minutes from time Kilkenny goaled and stretched their lead to 8 points. The fear was that they would close out the game with an avalanche of scores. That didn’t happen and the sides finished the last 17 minutes on 0-1 apiece thanks to a resilient Dublin who showed tremendous fighting spirit.

Kilkenny were also coming in on the back of a championship win whereas it was Dublin’s opening game in the series.

The Cats playing on their home patch in Freshford never looked like like losing but they were given a very stiff test and had to dig deep to fashion victory. As so often said “goals win matches” and Kilkenny grabbed one in either half – scores that kept them in front to the finish.

Dublin were first off the mark inside 42 seconds with a superb point from Siobhan Kehoe. But two minutes later Shelly Farrell skipped inside a little too easily for Kilkenny’s opening goal. The move that led to the goal came after an incorrect Dublin decision to pass in the Kilkenny half of the field was intercepted. The defending of the goal was also weak – sometimes a little bit of cynicism is needed – all the winning teams have it!

But throughout an entertaining first half Dublin held their own. Twelve minutes into the game Dublin were awarded their first scoreable free and from 45m Alison Maguire’s strike was right on the meat. She nailed 4 more before the break all from between 50 to 65m with a superb display of sweet striking.

The scores were hugely important in their own right demonstrating that if you get that aspect of your plan right, then you will always be in with a shout. From watching camogie games, it would appear that referees are more whistle happy than hurling referees and that a great proportion of scores come from placed balls. So getting that aspect of your play right will always keep your team competitive.

The return also energised Dublin. Eventhough Kilkenny were finding the range from play and frees with great scores from Denise Gaule, Julieanne Malone and Ann Dalton, Dublin were responding and with Aine Woods outstanding on her debut at corner back, Catríona Power, Maireád Luttrell and the Twomey sisters Miriam and Laura putting in a great shift Dublin were more than a match for the All-Ireland runners up of 2014.

Playing in All-Ireland and National League finals has been the habit in recent years for this Kilkenny team and that experience is invaluable. There is a new look to their side but many of the top stars of the recent past like Denise Gaule, Jacqui Frisby, Edwina Keane, Ann Dalton, Miriam Walsh, Shelly Farrell and Colette Dormer are still doing their stuff.

Dublin on the other hand haven’t seen those days but young players like Eve O’Brien, Aisling Carolan, Leah Butler, Ali Twomey and Siobhan Kehoe are improving all the time.

With Kilkenny notching 1-4 in the opening quarter Dublin took action by pulling back an extra defender. It had the desired effect of curtailing the scoring but with only 5 forwards now operating for Dublin in attack, their capacity to add to Alison Maguire’s frees was significantly reduced. Had Dublin been able to up the contribution from play then the margin would have been much tighter. Siobhan Kehoe appeared to have the pace and ability to trouble the Kilkenny defence but in situations where she was frequently outnumbered two to one, that was never going to happen.

Great work by Leah Butler set up Orla Beagan for a wonderful point from the middle of the field as Dublin trailed by 1-6 to 0-7 at the break.

Kilkenny opened the second half with four points – Miriam Walsh and three from Ann Dalton to just one from Alison Maguire in the 39 ^th minute but though playing into the slight breeze Dublin fought back. Sarah O’Donovan was battling hard at centre forward as was Louise O’Hara typified by a great block close to the side line that led to Dublin earning a free.

The shot from Alison Maguire dropped short and for a split second Dublin had a goal chance but Kilkenny cleared the danger. If there was one area Kilkenny excelled in it was their link play – that ability when under pressure to make a telling pass to set up a move either to clear a danger or create a score.

Another point from Alison Maguire this time from a 45 partially cancelled out a point by Denise Gaule in the 44 ^th minute. However the same player got the clincher a minute later when she showed great composure when in a one-on-one situation with the excellent Síle nic Coitir she turned from her right to her left side to goal – the ‘keeper having already committed to going right.

But again Dublin returned and a great free from near the sideline by Alison Maguire showed they hadn’t gone away. With 7 minutes of normal time left Dublin won a free to the right of the posts about 25m out. Another point would have cut the gap to two scores but with goal chances practically non-existent for Dublin, the decision was made to go for goal. However Louise O’Hara’s shot drifted outside the post for Dublin’s only wide of the game.

Áine Fanning, Emma Flanagan, Orlaith Durkan, Claire Rigney and Elaine O’Meara all come on in the closing stages and played their part and Denise Gaule hit the final score of an entertaining game.

SCORERS - Kilkenny: Denise Gaule (1-3), Ann Dalton (0-6), Shelly Farrell (1-0), Miriam Walsh (0-2), Julieann Malone (0-1). Dublin: Alison Maguire (0-8), Siobhan Kehoe and Orla Beagan (0-1 each)