Cats get the cream in Rathmolyon

Cats get the cream in Rathmolyon

Little mistakes made a huge difference at Rathmolyon today as Meath's All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie ambitions hang by a thread following a 0-10 to 3-11 loss to high flying Kilkenny at Rathmolyon.

The little errors, the struggles to take control of the sliotar first time, the missed early chances and the lapses of concentration for the Cats goals proved decisive.

Ultimately Kilkenny scored just three more times than Meath (one of their points counted as double as it came from a sideline cut), but those three scores were crucial goals at vital junctures.

Meath had started well. They created a number of half-chances that never seriously developed into clearcut goal opportunities, but there was a sense that with one more pass or one more step to the left or right and the net might have danced - but it didn't.

Instead Meath missed a couple of early frees and lost possession as the drizzle that fell almost constantly made handling difficult - but the Kilkenny players seemed to cope just that little bit better.

The key spell came six minutes before the break. Meath were 0-4 to 0-3 to the good and fully deserving of their lead as they defended stoutly with the returning Claire Coffey, Rachel O'Neill and Maeve Clince welcome reintroductions.

However Danielle Morrissey produced a moment of magic to clip a sideline cut over the bar from fully 35 metres out, that skill was rewarded with two points and moved the Kilkenny girls ahead.

Just after that score another of Meath's outstanding defenders Tracy King was temporarily forced off with a blood injury to her hand. Her absence on the left side of the Meath rearguard was exploited by Kilkenny as they moved down that wing and worked the ball into Caroline Kennedy who fired the first of her brace of goals beyond Maggie Randle from 25 metres. Had King been there would Kilkenny have worked the opportunity? Maybe, but maybe not!

Three minutes later Emma Hanifin was unlucky to see her goal chance pull just wide of the post, but in the closing minutes of the half Kilkenny added points from Rachel Dowling and the excellent Hannah Scott to take a flattering 1-7 to 0-4 lead into the dressing room.

That eight minute spell just before the break knocked Meath off their stride and they never recovered, which was a pity because they had started well.

Aoife Carey opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a fine score after a brilliant move. Morrissey replied for Kilkenny two minutes later with an equally impressive score and after Amy Gaffney was denied a goal by Cliona Murphy, play was brought back for a tap over free for Ciara Foley.

Two more long range frees from Morrissey gave Kilkenny the lead for the first time in the 16th minute, but Foley equalised from a free and then the Killyon player showed exceptional skill to lift the ball over a defenders head before striking a superb point to make it 0-4 to 0-3 in the 20th minute.

That was as good as it got for Meath as Kilkenny produced that devastating eight minute spell that put them in the driving seat at half-time.

After the resumption Olivia O'Halloran and Gaffney hit points either side of a Comerford score for Kilkenny as Meath closed the gap to 0-7 to 1-8, but in the 42nd minute long direct hurling cut Meath apart as Comerford set up Kennedy for her second goal - game over.

Meath needed goals and tried to lob in a few frees around the square, but they enjoyed no luck as Kilkenny defended brilliantly.

Scott and King, who had a tremendous battle throughout, traded points, but Kilkenny still looked more threatening with Randle denying Niamh Crowley before Kennedy added a point to her two goals.

Carey opted for a point from a free after three earlier lobbed in efforts had been cleared and in a flash Kilkenny broke for their third goal with Afton Grace applying the finishing touch.

Meath manager Gary Cole gave game time to some of his younger players in the closing stages and was rewarded with points from Roisin Heaney and Grace Connolly, but Morrissey closed the scoring with a late free as the Cats left Rathmolyon with the cream.

SCORERS

Kilkenny - Caroline Kennedy 2-1; Danielle Morrissey 0-6 three frees, one sideline cut (worth two points); Afton Grace 1-0; Hannah Scott 0-2; Carlise Comerford 0-1; Rachel Dowling 0-1.

Meath - Ciara Foley 0-3 two frees; Aoife Carey 0-2 one free; Olivia O'Halloran 0-1; Amy Gaffney 0-1; Tracy King 0-1; Roisin Heaney 0-1; Grace Connolly 0-1.

TEAMS

Kilkenny - Cliona Murphy; Niamh Leahy, Rachel Whelan, Jane Cass; Mairead Kennedy, Shauna Treacy, Hannah Scott; Danielle Morrissey, Rachel Dowling; Lauren Ronan, Caroline Kennedy, Aoife Cantwell; Laura Phelan, Carlise Comerford, Niamh Crowley. Subs - Niamh Crowley for Phelan 37m, Ciara Foskin for Dowling 46m, Afton Grace for Comerford 52m.

Meath - Maggie Randle; Sophia Payne, Claire Coffey, Rachel O'Neill; Leah Devine, Maeve Clince, Tracy King; Erin Leddy, Aoibhinn Lally; Amy Gaffney, Ciara Foley, Aoife Carey; Olivia O'Hallorsan, Grace Coleman, Emma Hanifin. Subs - Grace Connolly for Coleman, Katie Connolly for Hanifin both half-time, Aine McNerney for Lally 46m, Roisin Heaney for Carey, Ella O'Brien for O'Halloran both 56m.