Third time’s a charm as Kilkenny Firsts get win

The Kilkenny Ladies first squad bagged themselves their first points of their league campaign in an impressive performance on Saturday when they hosted North Kildare.

Having suffered two defeats in their opening two games, the Cats were determined to get back to winning ways at the weekend.

Kilkenny were slow out of the starting blocks and a quick break from the North Kildare attackers in the opening quarter saw the visiting team take an early lead in the game.

However, following some words of encouragement from coach Gavin Bourke and team captain Clair Phelan, a different Kilkenny emerged for the second quarter. Taking the game by the scruff of the neck they began to string a series of passes together through midfielders Laura Walshe, Lily Grace and Emma Simmons.

Kilkenny’s efforts were rewarded midway through the second quarter as Paula Farrell and Anna May Whelan worked the ball cleverly up to field before picking out oncoming midfielder Gemma O’Dwyer. She fed a dangerous ball to sharp shooter Sue Shirley, who made no mistake in burying the ball in the corner of the North Kildare net.

With the teams all square at half-time, the home side were keen to draw first blood after the restart. The black and amber dominated possession from the get-go, setting up many threatening attacks on the North Kildare goal. Kilkenny’s Anna May Whelan scored her first goal of the season after a well-worked short corner routine with team-mate Niamh Spratt O’Shea, and the Cats took the lead for the first time in the game.

Determined to hold onto their slender lead, Kilkenny defenders Ciara Clarke, Lynn Darling and Clair Phelan cut out any threat on goal for the remainder of the match.

With the game in its dying embers, the Cats made one final break. A well struck shot from Sass Thompson was saved by the North Kildare ’keeper, but Megan Sherwood was on hand to tuck the ball into the net for Kilkenny’s third goal of the day.

A fantastic team performance from Kilkenny saw them deservedly take all three points from the game. The ladies will be hoping to continue their winning ways next week when they travel to Dublin side Glenanne on Saturday.

Kilkenny Firsts - Kate Freeman, Ciara Clarke, Niamh Spratt O’Shea, Emma Simmons, Clair Phelan (captain), Lynn Chadwick, Lily Grace, Anna May Whelan, Laura Walshe, Megan Sherwood, Paula Farrell, Sass Thompson, Sue Shirley, Gemma O’Dwyer, Emily Brain, Lilly Cooke. Coach: Gavin Bourke.