Senior Camogie Team fall to defeat to Kilkenny at Parnell Park

Mon, 26th June 2023

DUBLIN 0-11

KILKENNY 3-14

Two goals in five minutes mid-way through the first half sent All-Ireland champions Kilkenny on the way to their first victory, getting the better of a spirited Dublin by 3-14 to 0-11 at Parnell Park.

The home team had the wind in the first half and used it to good effect early on, teenager Aisling O’Neill pointing from the first attack. Denise Gaule equalised with the first of her tally of 1-9, 1-5 of which came from placed balls, and the teams would go on to be level four times in the first eight minutes.

Grace O’Shea shot two points for the home team and Aisling Maher another, while Katie Power, Gaule and Kellyann Doyle were on target for the Cats.

Gradually though, the visitors began to hit their straps and they registered 2-4 before Maher tagged on Dublin’s next score.

Gaule splitting the posts either side of a Katie Nolan score, before last year’s victorious captain, Aoife Prendergast goaled at the quarter-mark. Nolan latched onto a break to send a rasper to the corner of the net shortly after.

Maher and Aisling Gannon did steady the ship with three points between them and it was 2-10 to 0-7 at half-time, but Kilkenny removed all hope immediately after the restart when Gaule goaled from a 20m free awarded for a foul on the former player of the year.

It was 0-4 apiece for the remaining half-hour as Dublin battled hard, Maher and O’Neill slotting good points while Asha McHardy came off the bench to bag a brace for Kilkenny, who have that tussle with Tipp to come.

Dublin must now get the better of Wexford to avoid getting drawn into a relegation play-off.