Kilkenny firepower blows Clare away

Kilkenny secured their second consecutive win in the Liberty Insurance senior camogie championship, showing no sympathy for understrength Clare when recording a 2-22 to 0-6 victory at the St Lachtain’s pitch in Freshford.

The winners scored 2-20 from play and set the tone for the day by racing into a 0-8 to nothing lead after just nine minutes.

Michelle Caulfield and Chloe Morey shot Clare’s only first-half points but that still left them 13 adrift at the interval.

Ann Dalton, Denise Gaule, Michelle Quilty, and Katie Power kept the Kilkenny scoreboard ticking over before Gaule pounced for two goals in the space of a minute late on to complete the rout.

It was much closer in Kilmallock as All-Ireland champions Cork bounced back from their opening round defeat by Galway to inflict a first loss on last year’s intermediate winners Limerick, by 1-14 to 1-10.

The Leesiders’ physical strength was notable early on and it was one-way traffic as they went 0-9 to 0-2 clear, with Orla Cotter (who finished with six points) punishing any transgressions from frees.

Captain Ashling Thompson, Briege Corkery, and Orla Cronin all shone as Cork dominated every sector.

Limerick improved in the second half, with Niamh Mulcahy and Aoife Sheehan showing well. They cut the gap to five but their good work was undone when Katrina Mackey goaled for the Rebels.

Limerick kept battling and Rebecca Delee’s goal had them within three points. Cork showed their experience to see the game out and a late 45 from Cotter proved the insurance score.

Wexford recovered from a tentative start to record a 4-11 to 0-13 win over Offaly at St Brendan’s Park, Birr.

Colm McGee had to plan without a number of big-name stars with Úna Leacy joining Ursula Jacob, Karen Atkinson, and Mags D’Arcy on the sidelines after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury.

Offaly capitalised on the early uncertainty in the visiting ranks. Siobhán Flannery impressed from frees as the hosts took an early four-point lead. Kate Kelly’s goal from a free swung the game Wexford’s way. Kelly grabbed a second goal (finishing the day with 2-5) but with Flannery landing six points, it was still all to play for at the change of ends, at 2-6 to 0-8.

Minor goalkeeper Laura Brennan made a tremendous save from Arlene Watkins early in the second half to keep Offaly at bay and that was to prove a crucial contribution.

Stacey Kehoe grabbed a brace at the other end and with Mary Leacy making another player-of-the-match contribution, Wexford could relax.

At The Ragg, Tipperary edged out Derry in a cracker by 3-12 to 4-8.