Kilkenny’s struggles continue in home defeat against Tipperary

The Premier County came away with the spoils as they beat Kilkenny on a double score result (2-12 to 1-6) in last Saturday’s Very Camogie League clash in UPMC Nowlan Park.

The visitors took the lead in the third minute when Eimear McGrath opened the scoring with a pointed free.

But from the puckout, Katie Nolan laid off a lovely pass to Katie Power who ran like a thunder bolt towards the Tipperary goal and she hit a rasper of a shot past goalkeeper Nicole Walsh.

Aoife Prendergast then slotted over a pointed free for Kilkenny, stretching their lead to three points (1-1 to 0-1).

Over the next 11 minutes, both teams failed to register a score until wing-back Caoimhe McCarthy stormed forward and scored a fine point for the visitors before Asha McHardy scored a point in response for Kilkenny.

Tipperary fired 1-1 heading to the interval where Eimear McGrath slotted over a pointed free before Karen Kennedy who had roamed forward from the defence, fielded a sideline ball, turned and rifled a shot past Roisin Breen in the Kilkenny goal.

This left the score 1-4 to 1-2 in favour of the Premier County at the half-time interval.

On the resumption of play, Tipperary blitzed Kilkenny with 1-5 without reply. The points came from Niamh Treacy, Casey Hennessy, Eimear McGrath (two frees) and Roisin Howard. The goal was scored by Casey Hennessy after she raced from midfield and blasted the sliotar to the back of the net to put Tipperary 2-9 to 1-2 ahead.

Steffi Fitzgerald stopped the rot when slotting over a point from play for the home side.

Eimear McGrath tacked on more efforts for the Premier County but Kilkenny did score the next three points through Katie Power and Sophie O’Dwyer (two frees).

Grace O’Brien then converted a pointed free for Tipperary and while Kilkenny were awarded a penalty on the stroke of full time, they failed to convert it with Sophie O’Dwyer’s shot saved by Nicole Walsh.

Shortly after the referee blew the full-time whistle with the score 2-12 to 1-6 for Tipperary.

Kilkenny play Waterford next Saturday in SETU Arena, Carriganore at 2pm.

Kilkenny manager Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere gave his reaction to the defeat afterwards.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny – Katie Power (1-1); Sophie O’Dwyer (0-2, 0-1 free); Aoife Prendergast (0-1 free); Asha McHardy, Steffi Fitzgerald (0-1 each).

Tipperary – Eimear McGrath (0-7, 0-6 frees); Casey Hennessy (1-1); Karen Kennedy (1-0); Caoimhe McCarthy, Niamh Treacy, Roisin Howard (0-1 each); Grace O’Brien (0-1, free).

Kilkenny – Roisin Breen; Michelle Teehan, Tiffanie Fitzgerald, Katie Byrne; Niamh Phelan, Niamh Deely, Miriam Bambrick; Laura Norris, Keara Ryan; Asha McHardy, Steffi Fitzgerald, Julianne Malone; Katie Nolan, Katie Power, Aoife Prendergast.

Subs: Kellyann Doyle for Keara Ryan, Emily McCarthy for Niamh Phelan, Emma Shortall for Aoife Prendergast, Sophie O’Dwyer for Asha McHardy, Caoimhe Keher Murtagh for Katie Nolan, Sinead O’Keeffe for Laura Norris, Aoife Norris, Danielle Quigley, Claire Doheny, Ciara Phelan.

Tipperary – Nicole Walsh, Karin Blair, Mairead Eviston, Eimear Loughman, Caoimhe McCarthy, Karen Kennedy, Clodagh McIntyre, Teresa Ryan, Ellen Cunneen, Roisin Howard, Caoimhe Maher, Casey Hennessy, Niamh Treacy, Eimear McGrath, Eimear Heffernan.

Subs: Grace O’Brien for Niamh Treacy, Julianne Bourke for Ellen Cunneen, Mary Ryan for Clodagh McIntrye.

Referee – Justin Heffernan (Wexford)