Keher Murtagh double helps Kilkenny end league campaign on a high

Kilkenny finished their Division 1A League campaign on a high, scoring a three-point win over Waterford on Saturday.

The Cats were quick off the mark at a bright and blustery SETU Arena, opening the scoring with just 20 seconds gone on the clock as Steffi Fitzgerald split the posts after a neat pass from Julianne Malone.

Niamh Rockett quickly equalised for the Deise women with a point from play, but Julianne Malone scored a great point to put the stripey women back in front after a one-two with Katie Power. The visitors suffered a blow when losing Malone to injury after 10 minutes. However, her replacement, Caoimhe Keher Murtagh, would make her own mark on the game.

The sides continued to duke it out, Steffi Fitzgerald and Beth Carton trading points. Carton then scored a pointed free which was sandwiched between points from Sophie O’Dwyer (free) and Miriam Bambrick. That left the score at 0-5 to 0-3 in favour of Kilkenny after 17 minutes, but a run of unanswered points from Beth Carton (0-3, one free) and Lorraine Bray saw Waterford go two points ahead.

Then, in first half injury-time, Kilkenny took a lead they would not lose. The move started when Steffi Fitzgerald played the sliotar to Caoimhe Keher Murtagh. Gathering possession she turned her marker and ran at speed towards the Waterford goal, pausing only to drill a powerful shot to the top corner of the net. A monumental score, it left the Cats with their noses in front at the interval (1-5 to 0-7).

Play resumed with Sophie O’Dwyer and Beth Carton swapping frees on the restart. Kilkenny then took a big step towards the win when, with 40 minutes on the clock, Keher-Murtagh drilled a low shot under the hurl of Brianna O’Regan to extend the Cats’ lead (2-6 to 0-8).

Waterford tried to rally, Carton pointing a free, but Katie Power and Aoife Doyle cancelled that out with a point apiece for Kilkenny. The Deise kept pressing and, after Carton converted two frees, they had a great goal chance. Mairead O’Brien put substitute Abby Flynn through on goal but Aoife Norris came off her line and deflected the sliotar out for a 45, which Carton converted.

Kilkenny substitute Katie Byrne popped up with a fine point. Orla Hickey tacked on a point for the Deise women before another Kilkenny substitute Asha McHardy pointed from play to seal victory for the Black and Amber women.

With their league group games now finished, Kilkenny’s attentions turn to Westmeath and the Leinster championship quarter-final.

Teams and scorers

Kilkenny – Caoimhe Keher Murtagh (2-0); Steffi Fitzgerald (0-2); Sophie O’Dwyer (0-2, frees); Aoife Doyle, Julianne Malone, Miriam Bambrick, Katie Power, Katie Byrne, Asha McHardy (0-1 each).

Waterford – Beth Carton (0-10, 0-7 frees); Orla Hickey, Niamh Rockett, Lorraine Bray (0-1 each).

Kilkenny - Aoife Norris; Michelle Teehan, Niamh Deely, Ciara Phelan; Miriam Bambrick, Tiffanie Fitzgerald, Laura Norris; Kellyann Doyle, Laura Greene; Steffi Fitzgerald, Katie Power, Aoife Doyle; Julianne Malone, Sophie O’Dwyer, Aoife Prendergast.

Subs: Caoimhe Keher Murtagh for Malone (inj), Katie Byrne for L Norris, Sinead O’Keeffe for Doyle, Asha McHardy for Prendergast, Katie Nolan for O’Dwyer, Sarah Barcoe for Power (inj).

Waterford - Brianna O’Regan; Keeley Corbett Barry, Clodagh Carroll, Aoife Landers; Bevin Bowdren, Tara Power, Mairead O’Brien; Lorraine Bray, Orla Hickey; Niamh Rockett, Beth Carton, Aine Power; Kate Lynch, Roisin Kirwan, Alannah O’Sullivan.

Subs: Abby Flynn for Kirwan, Alannah McNulty for O’Sullivan, Rachel Walsh for Power, Shauna Fitzgerald for Bowdren.

Referee - Cathal McAllister (Cork).