Limerick suffer defeat to Kilkenny in All-Ireland minor 'A' camogie semi-final

“DISAPPOINTING, but this wasn't an 18-point game. We had our chances when we dominated play in the first half but we just didn't take them.”

Limerick manager Diarmuid Ryan was left rueing what might have been as Limerick's best season in years in minor camogie ended with a 4-14 to 0-8 defeat to red-hot favourites Kilkenny in Saturday's All-Ireland 'A' semi-final in Templeglantine.

Even though his side were well beaten at the finish, Limerick put it up to their opponents before the break only to see their efforts come undone by two unfortunate goals just when they were building up momentum.

However, the real damage was done right after half-time when four rapid-fire Kilkenny points turned what was a manageable deficit into one which forced Limerick to take chances to get back into contact.

With the majority of the panel underage again next year, Limerick can take consolation from a season in which they outperformed expectations and got the chance to see what is needed if they are to progress to the next level.

Showing greater composure under pressure and greater ability to mix their attacks between playing out wide and powering up the middle, Kilkenny were able to score 4-7 from open play while all but two of their opponents' scores came from frees and a '45' of Caitlin Ryan.

Limerick started with a bang, took the lead through a Ciara Curtin point and missed a few chances to go further ahead before the Cats settled down and equalised with a huge Ona Kennedy free.

The visitors bounded ahead when a long delivery landed in the small square for Emily Whelan to whip to the net. Limerick tried to respond but Kilkenny were getting the better of exchanges in the middle third and, after eight scoreless minutes, The Leinster side extended their advantage through another Kennedy pointed free.

Having missed a few frees already, the home side got themselves back on track when Ryan sent a pair of them over the bar and they could have edged closer had they not run up a string of wides.

However, just as Limerick were getting the upper hand again in midfield, the Leinster girls pounced again when Niamh Davis crashed up the centre through the challenges and whacked home a spectacular individual goal.

Lucy Boyd then added an immediate follow-up point before Limerick hit back with a Ryan free and Hazel Hogan's point as the puckout was turned over. However, the visitors had the last say in the first half as another Kennedy free left them leading by double scores at 2-4 to 0-5.

Leaving nothing to chance, the Cats tore into action on the restart and, before their opponents got the chance to settle down, an offensive blitz moved their lead out to nine points inside five minutes with points through Rachel Phelan, Aisling O'Sullivan, Molly Conroy and a Kennedy free.

Limerick could have hauled themselves back into contact when, after a Ryan pointed free, Hogan's shot to the near corner was stopped on the line by Emma Walton.

Although Ryan converted the resulting '45, attempts to draw closer were stopped by Kilkenny's composure under pressure and the impetus withered when Kennedy sent over a '45'.

Continuing their containment and bursting on the break, the Leinster girls sucked the life from the response past the three-quarter mark and, conceded just a single Ryan free as the watched ticked on into the closing straight.

Then, with the subs piling on and victory all but assured, Kilkenny let loose in a lethal two-minute burst that saw Kennedy's pointed free followed by Niamh Davis pouncing on the rebound Emma Doherty's save on the line off Ciara O'Shea to whack to the net.

Then Boyd collected off the resulting puckout and racing down the right before striking on the run into the top near corner.

Now out of sight, Kilkenny could throw caution to the wind. Kennedy preserved her unblemished record from the placed ball with yet another pointed free before Conroy, O'Sullivan and Shona Ruane finished off the scoring for the visitors.

SCORERS: KILKENNY: Ona Kennedy 0-7 (6 frees, 1 '45'), Lucy Boyd 2-0, Niamh Davis, 1-1, Emma Phelan 1-0 Aisling O'Sullivan, Molly Conroy 0-2 each, Rachel Phelan, Shona Ruane 0-1 each; LIMERICK: Caitlin Ryan 0-6 (5 frees, 1'45'), Ciara Curtin, Hazel Hogan 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: Ella Walton (Tullaroan); Caoimhe Power (Windgap), Grace Brennan (Tullaroan), Jessica Smith (Barrow Rangers); Ciara Hickey (Saint Lachtain's), Ona Kennedy (Windgap), Taylor Aylward (Ballyhale); Rachel Phelan (John Lockes), Eleanor Doheny (Tullaroan); Lucy Boyd (Clara), Aisling O'Sullivan (John Lockes), Niamh Davis (Danesfort); Emily Phelan (John Lockes), Saidhbh Shefflin (Ballyhale), Molly Conroy (Saint Brigid's). SUBS: Shona Ruane (Saint Martin's) for Saidhbh Shefflin (39 minutes), Ciara O'Shea (Windgap) for Emily Phelan (46 minutes), Shannon Doheny for Caoimhe Power (53 minutes), Rebecca Hayden (Graiguenamanagh) for Taylor Aylward (55 minutes), Michelle Killeen (Saint Lachtain's) for Lucy Boyd (58 minutes), Aisling O'Shea (Windgap) for Molly Conroy (58 minutes), Jill O'Brien for Rachel Phelan (60 minutes).

LIMERICK: Emma Doherty (Treaty Gaels); Tara Hynes (Bruff), Cora Long (Tournafulla), Kaelin Ryan (Cappamore); Eimear O'Donovan (Blackrock-Effin), Eve Cleary (Saint Fanahan's, Cork), Mai McKenna (Granagh-Ballingarry); Ciara Curtin (Templeglantine), Caitlin Ryan (Na Piarsaigh); Anna Rose Benson (Na Piarsaigh), Aoife Moriarty (Saint Fanahan's, Cork), Maeve Geary (Saint Fanahan's, Cork); Amber O'Sullivan Hunt (Killeedy), Emma Mullins (Adare), Hazel Hogan (Newcastlewest). SUBS: Mia Smith (Newcastlewest) for Amber Rose Benson (half-time), Aoibhinn O'Connor (Adare) for Emma Mullins (43 minutes), Rachel O'Grady (Patrickswell) for Hazel Hogan (46 minutes), Grace Hegarty (Monaleen) for Maeve Geary (49 minutes), Jayne Casey (Mungret-Saint Paul's) for Kaelin Ryan (53 minutes), Sophie Carey (Patrickswell) for Aoife Moriarty (53 minutes), Ruby Molloy (Knockaderry) for Eve Cleary (56 minutes), Orlaith Shanahan (Killeedy) for Amber O'sullivan Hunt (58 minutes).

REFEREE: Justin Heffernan (Wexford).