Diggin's leads Kerry to a comfortable win over Kildare and book semi-final spot

Kerry dominated the game throughout with a clinical performance.

LEADING THE WAY: Patrice Diggin lead the way for Kerry to book their spot in the All-Ireland Intermediate camogie championship semi-final easing past Kildare. Pic: ©INPHO/Evan Logan

Glen Dimplex All Ireland Camogie Intermediate Championship: Kerry 2-20 Kildare 0-4

Kerry crushed Kildare to cruise into the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship semi-finals as group winners in this one sided contest played in the Austin Stack Park.

Kerry exploded out of the blocks with a dominant and clinical opening 23 minutes against Kildare, led by the outstanding Patrice Diggin. From the very first minute, Diggin signaled her intent with a superb long-range point to get the scoreboard ticking.

A minute later, she calmly converted a free from near the left sideline after Jackie Horgan was fouled. There was no let up as Diggin added two more quickfire points, one from play and another fine effort from distance, giving Kerry a commanding early four point lead.

Ann Marie Leen joined the scoring with a neat point in the 10th minute, before Diggin again showcased her range with yet another score from distance. Horgan then got on the board herself following a slick team move, expertly set up by Diggin. The pressure on Kildare was relentless, with Diggin adding another free and a further long-range effort to bring her personal tally to seven points.

The momentum built to a crescendo in the 23rd minute when Ellen O’Donoghue sliced through the Kildare defence. Her shot was blocked, but a scramble in the square ended with Kate Lynch nudging the sliotar over the line, putting Kerry into a 1-9 to no score lead going into the dressing rooms.

Lynch ignited the second half with a blistering strike to the top right corner, netting her second goal and pushing Kerry to a 2-9 to no score lead. Kildare finally got on the scoreboard in the 33rd minute with a well-taken 45 from Caoimhe Ní Bhuircéal, but it was a mere dent in Kerry’s dominance.

Diggin continued to orchestrate the attack, converting another close-range free before the half ended. Points followed in rapid succession from Jackie Horgan, Ann Marie Leen, and Ellen O’Donoghue, with Diggin deadly accurate from placed balls throughout. A disallowed goal in the 40th minute for a foul on the Kildare net minder Ellen Donovan, after Shannon Collins got the final touch to the net, did little to disrupt Kerry’s rhythm. They simply pushed on, with further scores from Ruth O’Connor, Niamh Leen, and Horgan ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking.

Though Kildare managed a couple of late frees from Ní Bhuircéal, the outcome was never in doubt. Kerry marched their way into the last four with a comprehensive win in the end.

Scorers for Kerry: P Diggin (0-12, 7fs), K Lynch (2-0), J Horgan (0-3), A M Leen (0-2), N Leen, R O’Connor and E O’Donoghue (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Kildare: C Ní Bhuircéal (0-3, 2f, '45), L Edwards (0-1) 

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

Subs: C Moloney for A Fitzgerald ( 42), Á Devlin for M Costello (42), A O'Sullivan for S Collins (42), C O'Sullivan for, A Behan, 51), E Conway for K Lynch ( 51) 

KILDARE: E Donovan; A Connaughton, S Dunne, S O’Brien; C O’Sullivan, S Mulligan, A Newman; N Kran, S Buckley; L Edwards, L Murphy, R Duffy; H Davis, R Maguire, C Ni Bhuirceal 

Subs: L Glynn for L Edwards, 42 mins), S Coffey for A Connaughton, 42), M Maguire for A Newman, 45), M Donovan for S Dunne ( 50), R Cribbin for R Duffy (55) F Hughes for S O'Brien (60) 

Referee: J Mullins (Clare)