In the quarter-final of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship, Dublin overcame Kilkenny with a score of 1-13 to 0-12. This win marks Dublin’s return to the semi-finals after an absence of seven years and only the third time since 1990. The Dubs demonstrated their worth through formidable team play, intelligent manoeuvring, impressive speed, robust support and tireless work ethic.
Despite a period of dominance from Kilkenny in the initial half, they failed to fully involve key players such as captain Aoife Prendergast and Aoife Doyle. In contrast, Dublin delivered an outstanding joint effort, with significant input from their essential players.
The match commenced with a strong start as Prendergast scored in the first few minutes. Dublin’s captain, Aisling Maher, an All Star defensive player who has been consistent all season, retaliated by scoring the first of her seven points from a penalty. Following another point from Prendergast, Dublin whirled into their first goal within the game’s 6th minute.
Former Dublin footballer, Sinéad Wylde showcased remarkable skill and timing to seize an opportunity for a goal. After a long-distance penalty from Maher, who was appointed co-chair of the GPA this week, was returned on the boundary of the goal area, Wylde managed to flick it beyond the reach of Aoife Norris on the Kilkenny line. Wylde, who was playing with a fractured hand, proved to be a continual concern for the Noresiders, alongside Aoife McKearney, Kerrie Finnegan and Emma Byrne who also starred for the winning side.
After trading scores with Chloe Gannon, a member of three Gannon sisters gracing the pitch as part of the Dubs team, Doyle witnessed Dublin having a barren run without registering a point for a period of 20-minutes. Kilkenny took control during this time thanks to impressive performances by Caoimhe Keher Murtagh, Doyle and Prendergast, extending their lead. Keher Murtagh is the granddaughter of the renowned Kilkenny player, Eddie Keher.
While Dublin had opportunities, they met with failure as both Maher’s penalty and Grace O’Shea’s attempt went straight to Norris, the Kilkenny goalie – both were exceptional maneuvers by Aisling Gannon. Meanwhile, Kilkenny didn’t capitalise on every chance either, yet it was Aisling Gannon who eventually broke Dublin’s scoring drought to even the score. Maher then made a tremendous hit from a 65-free to put Dublin in the lead for half time, the scoreline reading 1-5 to 0-7.
This scoring rally was pivotal for Dublin’s morale. Maher managed to keep them ahead with a few more successful frees. However, as Doyle and Prendergast both scored without error, the match balance was once again restored. At this point, one might have expected Kilkenny, traditionally more successful, to apply pressure and incite doubt in Dublin’s resolve for victory.
Contrarily, Dublin dominated the final quarter, discovering a new level of power, speed, and determination. Aisling O’Neill, a first-time player and All Star nominee as a Leaving Cert student, after recovering from a lengthy hamstring tendon injury, made her mark at the 41st-minute mark and significantly contributed to Dublin’s cause. She scored two points, including one where she nicked the ball off Kate Byrne and managed to make a shot through the slimmest of openings. The final rewarding blow came from Maher, who made a fantastic 50 metres hit deep into injury time.
In Dublin, the team consisted of A Gorman, A Ryan, E O’Byrne, A McKearney who scored 0-1, and C Gannon who scored 0-1. Other participants were K Finnegan, Z Couch, S Nolan who scored 0-1, N Gannon, A Gannon who scored 0-1, E Jamieson-Murphy, A Maher who scored 0-7, 6f, G O’Shea, E Flanagan, and S Wylde who scored 1-0. The substituting players were A O’Neill who scored 0-2 for Flanagan at the 41-minute mark; A Rafter who replaced Nolan at the 43rd minute; L Sharkey who came in for Couch at the 45th minute; A Kenny who replaced Ryan in the Extra-first minute; and A Heffernan who substituted Jamieson-Murphy in the Extra-third minute.
The Kilkenny team included A Norris, M Teehan, G Walsh, K Byrne, N Deely, L Murphy, S O’Keeffe, K Doyle, and K Power who scored 0-1. Other team members were S Barcoe, S Fitzgerald who scored 0-1, A Doyle who scored 0-3, C Keher Murtagh who scored 0-2, A Prendergast who scored 0-5, 3f, and J Malone. Substitutes were T Fitzgerald who replaced O’Keeffe during halftime; M Bambrick who came in for K Doyle at the 44th minute; L Greene who replaced S Fitzgerald at the 47th minute; and K Nolan who came in for Barcoe at the 52nd minute. Andy Larkin from Cork was the referee.