Kilkenny Intermediates face Derry for place in All-Ireland Final

GLEN DIMPLEX ALL-IRELAND INTERMEDIATE CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL
Derry v Kilkenny, FBD Semple Stadium, 1pm- Live on Camogie Association YouTube

This is an intriguing encounter, bringing two group winners together. Derry followed up a solid Very League campaign with a strong showing in the Championship once fielding their strongest outfit. They had far too much ammunition for Antrim, Carlow and Wexford and moved serenely onwards. 

Kilkenny lost the Division 2B League decider to Cork after a replay and then had the Leesiders, Dublin and Galway in opposition in the Championship. They gained revenge on Cork impressively at the John Lockes grounds and emerged with a 100 per cent record. 

The Cats were drawn in the quarter-finals however and the attacking unit that helped them win those group games by an average of 11 points each misfired. They only had eight points as Kilkenny trailed by a point three minutes into injury time. But that allowed their character to burst forth and they dug themselves out of a hole, points from Laura Greene and Ellen Gunner (2) sealing their semi-final spot. 

Derry had beaten Wexford by 16 points in their opening group game six weeks previously but it is hard to know if such a direct interpretation can be made. For sure, the likes of Aoife Shaw and Aoife Ní Chaiside are influential operators for the Oak Leafers, who are looking to go one step further than last year, when they were denied in injury time by Cork. 

Kilkenny team to face Derry- Cliona Murphy (Kilmacow); Niamh Leahy (Emeralds), Jenni O'Dea (Piltown), Jane Cass (Dicksboro); Niamh Phelan (Dicksboro), Roisin Phelan (Conahy), Hannah Scott (James Stephens); Laura Greene (O'Loughlin Gaels), Aoife Cantwell (James Stephens); Danielle Quigley (O'Loughlin Gaels), Sarah Barcoe (Thomastown), Emma Manogue (James Stephens); Therese Donnelly (Thomastown), Caroline Kennedy (Slieverue), Afton Grace (Kilmacow).