Mixed week of results in Kennedy Cup for Kilkenny

It was a mixed week of action for the Kilkenny Kennedy Cup team in Limerick.

The Cats were in contention in the Bowl competition before falling to Limerick Desmond at the semi-final stage.

Kilkenny were placed in a group alongside Lisburn, Roscommon and Cork to begin with and kicked off their campaign last Monday week.

Kilkenny’s run in the competition was eventually brought to an end by Kildare in the 11/12 place match.

Final Place Match: Kilkenny 0, Kildare 3

It wasn’t to be for Kilkenny on the final day as their neighbours Kildare came out three goal winners.

From the outset it was the Lilywhites who took control but some courageous Kilkenny defending kept the score level at the first water break.

Minutes later the deadlock was broken when Filip Wojcik found the net from long range.

As the half grew to a close Kilkenny broke away but they cannoned an effort of the post, leaving them one behind at the break.

After the interval it was much the same as Kilkenny defended well as the opposition tried to get that elusive second goal.

The water break was just around the corner when Kildare’s James Maloney netted the second of the game.

In the dying embers of the game Kildare broke away to fire in the deciding goal with striker Harvey Bowers finding the back of the net.

This result meant Kilkenny finished 12th place in the competition.

Bowl Semi-final: Kilkenny 1, Limerick Desmond 2

The home county side managed to use the breeze to their advantage to win out one goal winners in a great game of soccer.

It was the side from the South-East, playing with the elements, who managed to take control of the tie.

They created the first two chances from corners but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Then against the run of play the West Limerick side drove in a cross and after a scramble the ball was put in by Geoff O’Donnell.

Just as the referee was about to blow for the first water break Kilkenny equalised with a long range free which flew into the net from Evergreen’s Brion Wash.

After the resumption it was all Kilkenny but they found it difficult to break down a strong opposition defence.

The closest they got was on the cusp of half-time when a goal line scramble was cleared out of the box.

Once the play resumed Limerick took control using the elements to their advantage and pinning back Kilkenny at every opportunity.

It wasn’t until after the water break that they took the lead after another scramble in the box this time after a free kick led to Stephen McCugh netting what turned out to be the winner.

Bowl quarter-final: Kilkenny 2, Mayo 1

A solitary goal was the difference in this quarter final as Kilkenny came out on top against another Connacht opponent .

Kilkenny must be the one of the only teams to score within 10 minutes of all their games as Alex Sheppard from the Lions broke the deadlock early on. Their opponents then battled back into the tie and leveled this game with a James Dever effort just before the break.

From the resumption of play both sides were creating chances but nothing was causing any major issue, this was until a minute before the second water break.

As it looked like we would be level up stepped Evergreen’s Brion Walsh stepped in to give his side the lead. Kilkenny would hold onto this lead and eventually come out one goal winners in this bowl quarter-final.

Group Stage
Kilkenny 2, Lisburn 0

It was Kilkenny who opened up their Kennedy Cup campaign with a two goal win over their Northern opponents.

The long journey down to Limerick didn’t seem to affect the South-East side as they took the lead inside six minutes when Callan’s Sean Corcoran rattled the back of the net.

After gaining such an early advantage Kilkenny kept the pressure on for the rest of the half but couldn’t manage to find that second goal to extend their lead.

Just minutes after the interval the side in black and amber did manage to double their lead when Spa United’s Aaron Phelan finished expertly into the net.

This was the end of the scoring as Kilkenny held out to get their first three points of the tournament.

Kilkenny & DL3, Roscommon 3

Nothing could separate the Leinster and Connacht sides in this six goal thriller in the second group game in UL on Tuesday morning.

In an almost carbon copy version of the first game the Cats flew out of the box netting inside six minutes again, this time through Conor Doyle from Freebooters.

This was the end of the dominance as just before half time the Connacht side took the lead with a goal from Finn Kearney and then Conall Molloy.

Kilkenny managed to level the tie seven minutes into the second half through that man Doyle again.

This was the end of the scoring until added time which was considerably long in this game.

In the sixth minute of added time Kilkenny took the lead through Corcoran. In the final play of the game Roscommon mounted an attack which ended up finishing into the net through Tom McDonnell.

Kilkenny 0, Cork 0

In this last group game nothing could separate these two great sporting rivals as they went toe to toe in yet another sporting code.

Kilkenny Squad - Rian O’Dwyer (Lions), Sam Norton (Evergreen), Dan O’ Brien (Freebooters), Danny Campion (Lions), Dara Leamy (Freebooters), Ryan Farrell (Freebooters), Alex Shepard (Lions), Conor Henderson (Evergreen), Robert Cullen (Evergreen), Brion Walsh (Evergreen), Conor Roche (Freebooters), Sean Corcoran (Callan), Fionn O’Sullivan (Lions), Aaron Phelan (Spa United), JJ Cahill (Evergreen), Jack Marnell (Freshford), Conor Doyle (Freebooters), Noah Murtagh (Deen Celtic), Liam Corcoran (Callan), Shay Blanchfield (Evergreen).

Head of Delegation: Michael Coughlan.
Head Coach: Robbie Lawlor.
Coaches: Neil Murtagh, Michael Walsh, John Flynn.
Physio: Sinead O’Keeffe.