Sarah Barcoe and Emma Shorthall fire Kilkenny to All-Ireland minor glory against Cork

The Kilkenny team celebrate after the game. Picture: INPHO/Brian Reilly-Troy

Tesco All-Ireland Minor A Camogie championship: Kilkenny 2-12 Cork 0-12

Kilkenny were crowned Tesco All-Ireland Minor A Camogie champions following a 2-12 to 0-12 victory over Cork in the All-Ireland final in LIT Gaelic Grounds, Limerick.

It was the Rebel County who had the better start, as two early Cork points put them into the ascendancy, with Orlaith Mullins and Aimee Morgan finding the target. Sarah Barcoe slotted over Kilkenny’s first score, though it was quickly cancelled out by Ciara Golden.

Emma Shorthall’s effort split the uprights before Barcoe found the net for the game’s opening goal, with a neat finish to put Kilkenny ahead for the first time.

Morgan replied with a decent score for Cork as they trailed at the first water break, with Kilkenny holding a one-point lead after an exciting opening period.

Kilkenny dominated in the period up to half time, scoring three unanswered points with Amy Clifford (2) and Barcoe finding the target, as Mike Wall’s side held a 1-5 to 0-4 lead at the interval.

Emma Manogue opened the second-half scoring for Kilkenny to stretch the gap to five, though Cork responded with four successive scores to reduce the deficit to the minimum. Claire Doheny and Meadhbh Ring swapped scores as Kilkenny held a 1-7 to 0-9 lead at the second-half water break. But the Cats stormed out on the restart as Asha McHardy, Clifford, Barcoe, and Shorthall added scores.

Shorthall’s 52nd-minute goal all-but ended the game as a contest, as it left eight between the sides heading into the final stages and Kilkenny were never going to relinquish that advantage.

Scorers for Kilkenny: S Barcoe 1-4, E Shorthall 1-2, A Clifford 0-3 (0-2 f), E Minogue, C Doheny, A Mc Hardy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: E O’Brien 0-3 (0-2 f) O Mullins, O Cahalane 0-2 each, A Morgan 0-2 (0-1 f), R Murphy, C Golden 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: E O’Neill; L Nolan, N Phelan, R Whelan; A Kirwan, M Corcoran, S Jackson; E Minogue, A Doheny; G Glynn, A McHardy, E Shorthall; S Barcoe, S O’Donnell, A Clifford.

Subs: C Doheny for A Doheny (40), R Brennan for S Jackson (inj 55).

CORK: C Hurley; A Cashman, M Healy, C Lynch, E O’Driscoll, A Healy, O McAllen (c); M Murphy, C Golden; A Morgan, R Murphy, O Mullins L Hallihane, M Ring, O Cahalane.

Subs: E O’Brien for L Hallihane (h-t), K Redmond for C Golden (h-t), L McNulty for C Lynch (57), G Ryan for A Cashman (57), J Doyle for C Lynch (57).

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare).