Katie Taylor inspires Kilkenny to camogie championship victory
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Kilkenny 5-15 Offaly 3-9
Legendary Irish boxer Katie Taylor was in attendance at UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday afternoon ahead of Kilkenny’s Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie Championship clash with Offaly.
The Olympic Gold winner at London 2012 visited the Kilkenny dressing room pre-match offering words of wisdom and advice.
Taylor has been touring the country throughout the day building up to her long awaited fight Flora Pili at Croke Park on September 5, in what promoter Eddie Hearn has described as "one of the greatest sporting moments Ireland has ever seen".
The showdown was announced in a press conference on Friday and will be the Bray native’s final professional bout.
On the field, the stripey women eased to victory despite a bright Offaly start, kicking off with two Mairéad Teehan points and following that up with scores from Grace Teehan and Faye Mulrooney to lead by 0-4 to 0-1.
An Emma Shortall goal sucked the wind out of their sails however and Kilkenny quickly pillaged another 1-3, featuring two Asha McHardy points and another goal from the in-form Sarah Barcoe, adding to her brace last week against Limerick.
Clodagh Leahy gave Offaly a lifeline with a goal in reply but there was to be a fifth goal in the first half, this time from Steffi Fitzgerald, to push the gap out to eight by half-time.
Twice in the second half there were two green flags in a row, first with Mairéad Teehan hitting back against an Aoife Prendergast goal, then Grace Teehan and Emma Mulhall both hit the net in the 56th minute.
At all stages however, Kilkenny had at least nine points to spare, while it was 5-15 to 3-9 when Donnacha O’Callaghan sounded the long whistle.
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