Kilkenny manager explains shock recall of Anne Dalton to senior camogie squad

Thirteen points ahead at the interval, Kilkenny were comfortable winners over Wexford

Kilkenny legend Anne Dalton, file photo

Inspirational play from Kilkenny in the opening 30 minutes at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday saw them easily advance to an All-Ireland senior camogie championship semi-final meeting with old foes Cork in Croke Park on Sunday. Thirteen points ahead at the interval, they maintained that advantage to the end.

Dominant in most positions, first-half goals fired by Aoife Doyle and Mary O’Connell, helped them into a 2-13 to 0-6 interval lead. Denise Gaule scored their third goal from distance six minutes from time.

Wexford did rally after the break and matched Kilkenny’s score of 1-6 - substitute Katrina Parrock snatched a late goal while free-taker Chloe Foxe picked off seven points (six from placed balls).

All in all, a good day’s work for the champions.

Manager Brian Dowling, however, will have a nervous wait on injured wing-back Kellyann Doyle. There was also a red card received by substitute Miriam Bambrick at the death.

“Kellyann’s shoulder injury kind of sucked the energy out of the game,” he said. “We are hoping she might be okay but we will have to assess it. I thought she had a super game, everything good we were doing was coming from her making runs through the middle which she is brilliant at.

“I didn’t see the red card. We will have a look at it and see if it is worth appealing.”

On the game itself, he said: “The first 20 minutes, probably the best we have played all year. Dropped off a bit in the second-half. It is something to work on for next week.”

He also explained the recall of Anne Dalton to the squad.

“Emma Kavanagh (sub-keeper) got a serious knee-injury so we needed back-up. Our intermediates are in the All-Ireland semi-final so we didn’t want to take a player off them. We asked Anne and she said yes straight away.”