Kerry defeat Kildare to make it three successive wins in All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie championship

THREE IN A ROW: Kerry sit top of the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship Group 2 table following a third win in a row. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship

Group 2, Round 3

Kerry 0-15 Kildare 0-4

Kerry sit top of the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship Group 2 table following a third win in a row as they proved far too strong and experienced for Kildare at Manguard Park on Saturday afternoon.

It was a hugely encouraging display from the Kingdom girls with full forward Jackie Horgan excelling with a nine point haul that included six points from play.

Kildare tried hard but they could not breach a solid Kerry defence in which their half back line of Aine O’Connor, Sara Murphy and Aoife Behan dominated throughout.

Kerry started in whirlwind fashion with Jackie Horgan converting two frees and firing over a superb point from the sideline after an Annemarie Leen diagonal pass.

Then, in the 14th minute, Kildare were awarded a penalty for a foul on Lea Sutton. But Sutton’s well struck penalty was brilliantly saved by Aoife Fitzgerald, who dived full length and then collected the sliotar before being fouled.

That miss appeared to deflate the Lilywhites with points from Kate Lynch and Horgan again quickly following. Further points from Ellen O’Donoghue and a superb effort from Horgan had Kerry 0-7 to 0-0 in front after twenty five minutes.

Kildare finally got on the scoresheet in the 26th minute when Lea Sutton converted a free and they added two more points from Caoimhe Ni Bhuirceal and Sara Carroll, but Kerry finished the half with two more Jackie Horgan points from play.

The Kingdom retired 0-9 to 0-3 at the interval and Kildare needed to get a couple of early scores in the second half. But even with Lea Sutton now at midfield, it was the visitors who took up where they left off with three Horgan points and another from midfielder Ruth O’Connor.

Kildare were unable to raise a gallop and only managed a single score in the second half and that was a 60th minute free from Sutton. Meanwhile Kerry ran their bench and the most pleasing aspect for them in the second half was the instruction of their talisman Patrice Diggin, who had been rehabbing a serious injury since December.

Not only did she get through the final quarter without a hitch but she converted a free after Horgan had departed the scene.

Kerry is now on nine points but Kilkenny have a game in hand, and they travel to take on the Kingdom on Saturday next in Lixnaw.

Scorers for Kerry: J Horgan (0-9, 3fs), S Murphy, R O’Connor, L Collins, K Lynch, E O’Donoghue and P Diggin (f) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kildare: L Sutton (0-2, 2fs), S Carroll, C Ni Bhuirceal (0-1 each).

KILDARE: R Roche; K Perkins, S Dolan, E Copeland; S Mulligan, A McCarthy, E Morgan; S Carroll, C Shanahan; O Carragher, C Hallissey, C Ni Bhuirceal; L Sutton, A McDermott, S Lavin.

Subs: M Burns for E Morgan (h/t), A Walsh for C Hallissey (h/t), and S O’Brien for A McCarthy (41).

KERRY: A Fitzgerald; R McCarthy, N Leen, M Costello; A O’Connor, S Murphy, A Behan; C Spillane, R O’Connor; L Collins, K Lynch, A M Leen; A O’Sullivan, J Horgan, E O’Donoghue.

Subs: R Quinn for A Behan (48), A McCarthy for E O’Donoghue (48), P Diggin for A O’Sullivan (48), S Collins for A M Leen (54), N Casey for J Horgan (54), E Harrington for S Murphy (60, blood).

Referee: C Goff (Wicklow).