Collier shines as Laois and Kerry halve the spoils in National League encounter

Laois' Aimee Collier was the star of the show. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

National Camogie League Div 2A: Kerry 0-11 Laois 0-11 

A late free from Patrice Diggin saw the spoils shared between Kerry and Laois in their National Camogie League encounter in Fitzgerald Stadium.

Aimee Collier notched all of the Laois scores in a battle of the sharpshooters with Diggin, while Kerry dual star Danielle O’Leary added three points to mark the return to Camogie after a two year hiatus.

Collier had Laois ahead early, before Diggin added four points and O’Leary added a score to put Kerry ahead 0-5 to 0-1 by the 11th minute.

Four successive Collier points had the sides level for the second occasion in the 23rd minute. Diggin and Collier exchanged scores in the final minutes of the half before O’Leary levelled the tie, 0-7 a piece at the interval.

Diggin had Kerry ahead early in the second half, but star woman Collier reclaimed the lead for Laois in the 39th minute. 

O’Leary had an effort at goal blocked before she added a third point to see the sides level for the sixth time.

In the closing exchanges it was Collier and Diggin that swapped scores, with both sides ultimately settling for a point.

On the same afternoon Kerry Senior County Camogie Champions of 58 years ago were remembered at half time and finally presented with the trophy that was was missing for presentation in 1969.

Scorers for Kerry: P Diggin (0-8, 6f, 1 45’), D O’Leary (0-3). 

Scorers for Laois: A Collier (0-11, 9f). 

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

Subs: A Sullivan for K Lynch (46), K Ryan for S Collins (55), A McCarthy for L Collins (59). 

LAOIS: A Lowry; L Finlay, E Conroy, F Scully; R Deegan, C Tynan, S Creagh; J Bergin, L Conroy; K O’Keeffe, G Delaney, S Delaney, A O’Dea, A Collier, E Hassett.