Farrell pounces as Kilkenny weather storm

Kilkenny survived a late Wexford rally to advance from their Camogie League Division 1 semi-final in Waterford by 2-7 to 1-7.

Kilkenny held the upper hand in the opening period, at the end of which they led by 1-5 to 0-3. They laid the platform for that margin by getting off to a lightning start with four points from Denise Gaule and a Michelle Quilty goal.

Ursula Jacob and Katrina Parrock did manage to hit a couple of points for Wexford and, with the wind at their backs in the second half, would not have been without hope at half-time.

Sub Fiona Rochford made it a four-point game early in the second half but the magnificent Ann Dalton hit a wonder score for the Noresiders and Leanne Fennelly followed up.

Jacob pointed from another free but then came the game’s critical score, as substitute Megan Farrell scrambled the sliotar over the line for Kilkenny’s second goal. That opened up a 2-7 to 0-5 lead and Kilkenny appeared to be cruising.

Jacob hit a point from a free before the excellent Parrock blasted a goal from 13m in the 54th minute. It was the second minute of injury time before Wexford could reduce the gap to a goal though, when Jacob elected to tap a 20m free over the bar.

There were five more minutes of added time and Wexford poured forward in search of an equalising major but the Kilkenny defence held firm. The Black and Ambers must now wait for next Sunday’s second semi-final between champions Cork and Clare, to see who they play in the decider.

Meanwhile, Cork and Limerick will contest the All-Ireland Minor A camogie final after two hard-fought victories over Tipperary and Galway respectively. Caoimhe Costelloe hit 10 of Limerick’s points as they cemented their place in the decider, 0-12 to 0-6. It was 0-5 apiece at the end of a tight first half, with Costelloe and Ciana Ní Churraoin scoring four points each.

Limerick inflicted the most damage on Galway in the third quarter, winning the majority of breaking balls to feed Costelloe, who added two frees to two scores from play to edge the Shannonsiders clear.

Linda Collins scored 3-2 as Cork progressed from a higher-scoring affair against Tipperary in Kilmallock by 3-13 to 2-13. Collins got her first in the 19th minute and crucially, notched up her second on the stroke of half-time to give her side a 2-7 to 1-4 interval advantage.

Tipp were level after nine minutes of the second half after flying out of the traps at the start of the second half. Miriam Campion got her side’s second goal to bring the teams level but, significantly, Collins responded immediately at the other end to halt the momentum of the Premier County’s finest.

Derry will play Waterford in the All-Ireland Minor B final, with Aoife Shaw the key contributor for the Oak Leafers, scoring 2-3 as they overcame Kildare in Inniskeen by 6-6 to 1-6.

In the other semi-final at the St Peregrine’s club in Blakestown, Waterford had seven points to spare from Down, advancing courtesy of a 2-12 to 2-5 scoreline.