Five-star Waterford overpower battling Kingdom to book Munster final spot 

Kerry will take a lot from the outing at senior level. 

Niamh Rockett was in sparkling form for Waterford in today's Munster Championship semi-final win over Kerry. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Kerry 0-7 Waterford 5-23 

Waterford put debutants Kerry to the sword in this one-sided Munster Senior Camogie semi-final, played at the Fitzgerald Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday. 

The Déise will now advance to a Munster final meeting with Tipperary.

Kerry do not have a senior club, just one intermediate club in Clanmaurice, who have been blazing the trail for the Kingdom through the junior and intermediate ranks. Therefore there's neither a senior nor an intermediate championship in the county.

Kerry, who recently beat Meath in the Division 2A final and gained promotion to 1A for 2027, did not have the option of playing in the Munster Intermediate Championship as they were the only team eligible to play in it, however, as B sides are not allowed take part.

So manager John Madden and his players decided to have a go at senior level in preparation for their All-Ireland Intermediate Championship, which starts on the weekend of May 24/25. 

They found out within the opening 10 minutes that they were never going to measure up against a classy Waterford outfit. 

Beth Carton found Annie Fitzgerald in the second minute with a sublime pass and she turned her marker before firing into the top corner of the Kerry net.

Patrice Diggin replied with a historic first point in senior championship from a free, but Kerry were playing second fiddle without their injured fullback Sara Murphy. 

Waterford were punching holes in the Kerry defence with some excellent passing and support play.

The Déise struck for a second goal in the seventh minute, when Niamh Rockett and Beth Carton sent Abby Flynn through.

A third goal from Rockett, after good approach work by Carton and Flynn, saw Waterford move 3-2 to 0-3 clear at the end of the opening quarter, with Diggin adding two more frees.

Points from Lorraine Bray (two), Beth Carton, Rockett (two frees) and another from Alannah O’Sullivan saw Waterford retire 3-11 to 0-6 in front at half time with Jackie Horgan scoring a beauty from near the sideline for one of the few Kerry highlights.

A second Abby Flynn goal and a fourth for Waterford two minutes into the second half emphasised the gulf in class between a senior side and an intermediate one, as Waterford manager Mick Boland ran his bench. Annie Fitzgerald scored Waterford’s fifth goal while Bray and Player of the Game Beth Carton just eased their side to comfortable win. 

Kerry, having now dipped their toe in the water, will have learned a lot from this outing.

Scorers: Waterford; N Rockett (1-5, 5fs), B Carton (0-7, 3fs), A Fitzgerald (2-1), A Fitzgerald (2-0), L Bray (0-4), A O’Sullivan (0-3), E O’Neill (0-2), R Kirwan (0-1) 

Kerry: P Diggin (0-6 fs), J Horgan (0-1).

KERRY: A Fitzgerald; R McCarthy, K Ryan, M Costello; A Behan, N Leen, E O’Donoghue; P Diggin, C Spillane; A McCarthy, J Horgan, K Lynch; S Collins, L Collins, N Casey..

Subs: T Burke for A McCarthy ( 42), O Leahy for M Costello ( 56), A Devlin for K Ryan ( 58), T Dineen for R McCarthy ( 58 inj).

WATERFORD: N Murphy; A McNulty, C Carroll, R Walsh; K Obanya , K Corbett-Barry, L Forrest; L Bray, O Hickey; A O’Sullivan, B Carton, A Flynn; M O’Brien, N Rockett, A Fitzgerald.

Subs: E O'Neill for Orla Hickey (38), B Bowdren for M O'Brien (38), R Kirwan 0-1 (for Niamh Rockett, 38), Anna McGoldrick for L Forrest (44), A Burrows for K Obanya (50) 

Referee: J Dooley (Tipperary)