Kilmessan coast to another Leinster final

Kilmessan are through to their seventh Leinster Club Junior Camogie final after a convincing 6-24 to 1-3 win over Kildare’s Intermediate winners Leixlip last Sunday. 
The Meath girls were far too strong for the Lilywhite ladies who had no answer for Kilmessan's full-forward line with the Ní Choileain cousins bagging two goals a piece in the first-half. 
More of the same followed in the second period with half-time substitutes Kelly Gorman and Tara
Murphy adding to the tally with some super points from play before Leah Dennehy and Aileen Donnelly grabbed the goals and Kilmessan ran out comfortable winners.
It is a poor reflection on the structure of the competition as Senior Kildare winners Johnstownbridge who after having won the last two Junior All-Ireland championships have moved up to the Intermediate grade so rather than facing the Senior runner-ups from Kildare, Kilmessan faced the intermediate champions resulting in a very one sided affair similar to the previous week when they overcame the Wicklow champions easily.
Although Kilmessan have won the All-Ireland in 2014 and were beaten in 2012, 2015 and 2016 in close matches by the eventual All_Ireland winners on all three occasions (2012 - Myshall after replay and extra-time and 205 and 2016 - Johnstownbridge), they were not deemed appropriate to be moved up to the Intermediate grade as they have not won back to back All-Ireland titles.
The Leinster final however will be a completely different scenario this coming Sunday in Hawkfield Kildare with Kilmessan facing Westmeath champions Raharney who they struggled to overcome at the Leinster semi-final stage at Dunsany last year. 
Raharney themselves have had a similar easy path to the final defeating Louth senior and Carlow intermediate champions in very one-sided matches. 
The Leinster Club competitions should be restructured and the Meath and Westmeath champions should be at Intermediate club level in Leinster. 
With Westmeath camogie being on the crest of a wave at the moment, after capturing the premier junior title, Raharney will fancy taking the scalp of Kilmessan with five of that starting county team including the whole half-back line (Westmeath captain Fiona Leavy at centre back) and prolific forwards in Hannah Core and  Pamela Greville (sister of Kildalkey hurling manager Johnny).
Kilmessan no doubt will relish the challenge and will be aiming to win their third Leinster title. With talented players such as Ailbhe Lynch, Tracy King, Katie Ni Choileain and recent soaring star nominee and All-Ireland intermediate winner Megan Thynne pulling the strings, they might just do it
Kilmessan team for semi final v Leixlip - AM Dennehy; S Thynne, R Kelly, C O’Leary; T King, A Lynch, L O’Neill; M Thynne, A Walsh (0-1); S Horan (0-1), Aileen Donnelly (1-10), L Dennehy (1-3); N Doyle (0-2), K Ni Choileain (2-2), M Ni Choileain (2-1). Subs - K Gorman (0-3) for M Ni Choileain, T Murphy (0-1) for K Ni Choileain, M O’Leary for A Lynch, M Horan for M Thynne, Abbie Donnelly for Walshe.

FIXTURE
SUNDAY 29th OCTOBER
Hawkfield, Newbridge - Kilmessan v Raharney (Westmeath), Leinster Junior Club Camogie final, 2.30pm.