Kildare: Kilcullen take Intermediate ladies title

Ladies Intermediate Final

Kilcullen 3-12

Naas 3-6

A first half rally that saw Kilcullen claim a six point half time advantage ensured that they had done enough early to ensure that they would claim the Intermediate Kildare Championship over Naas.

Alannah Prizeman point opened the scoring for Naas before Kilcullen got to the pace of the tie. It was fourteen minutes before Jayne Peacock could level with a free. Nanci Murphy added a second for Kilcullen and an advantage they would not relinquish.

Buoyed on by Murphy’s efforts Hannah Breen netted to leave Naas four points clear with ten minutes of the opening half remaining.

With Kilcullen in the ascendancy and Naas struggling to contain their efforts, they soon added a second goal through Sophie Ngai. With Naas at risk of losing touch Anna Cleary gathered possession and blasted past Roisin Browne in the Kilcullen goals to to cut the deficit to four.

Sydney Sheridan looked to again re-establish their advantage. Further points from Ngai and Peacock restored the difference to seven with one minute left in the half. Stoppage time points from Ngai and Nanci Murphy extended this before a late goal from Prizeman left six point separating the sides at the break.

On the restart Kilcullen extended their advantage with Sally Murphy fouled as she bore down on goal. With the penalty awarded Ngai stepped up to take the strike. Going left, Aisling Archibold was wise to the attempt and got low to save. Refusing to be deviated from their efforts Peacock hit two frees minutes later to ensure that they would increase their advantage to eight.

With Prizeman being proving to be the only target in the Naas fulll forward line, it was the inner forward who was on target again with 20 minute remaining to ensure that Naas would remain in the tie. Unable to build on this Peacock and Lisa Shaw exchanged a brace of scores which left Naas trailing by seven with ten minutes left of the regulation sixty.

Caoimhe Egan pointed to extend this to eight. With time running out Naas were all too aware that they needed to strike soon if they were to have any opportunity of closing the deficit to their rivals. With Shaw pointing before a Niamh Bergin goal two minutes before time Naas were four adrift.

A late point from Prizeman proved too little too late for Naas as Kilcullen held on to claim victory and finally get their hands on the Kildare Intermediate Championship title of the fourth time of asking.

KILCULLEN: Roisin Browne; Ellen Coleman, Zara Hurley, Siobhan No Beaching; Hannah Crowley, Molly O’Loughlin, Molly Aspell; Hannah Breen 1-0, Sally Murphy; Edwina Birchall, Sophie Ngai 1-2, Nanci Murphy 0-2; Jayne Peacock 0-6 (6f), Sydney Sheridan 0-1, Eabha Devenney. Subs: Caoimhe Egan 0-1 for Murphy, 48; Jill O’Toole for Crowley, 50; Ruth Birchall for Sheridan, 53; Ciara McSherry for Peacock, 55.

NAAS: Aisling Archibold; Aoibheann Woods, Rachel Corrigan, Louise Murphy; Leah McCormack, Maria Doyle, Sarah Whelan; Deirdre Doyle, Niamh Bergin 1-0; Aine Conway, Lauren Burke, Anna Cleary 1-0; Aoife McCarthy, Lisa Shaw 0-3 (2f), Alannah Prizeman 1-3 (1f). Subs: Kate Coffey for Doyle, 47; Clare MacGabhann for Conway, 53; Fahsai Ni Chonchradha for Murphy, 53.