Déise canter past Kerry to progress to provincial final Munster
Niamh Rockett was in sparkling form for Waterford in today's Munster Championship semi-final win over Kerry Photo: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Waterford are through to the Munster Senior Camogie Championship Final following a comprehensive and clinical victory over Kerry at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney.
The Déise put the Munster senior debutants to the sword from the offset, firing three goals inside the opening quarter before continually breaking the spirits of the hosts throughout, to set up a provincial decider against Tipperary.
Mick Boland’s side started exactly as they meant to go on - striking for goal inside two minutes. Abby Flynn and Beth Carton combined before Carton played in Annie Fitzgerald, she rounded goalkeeper Aoife Fitzgerald and fired to the top right corner.
A Patrice Diggin free was a historic score from a Kerry perspective but it soon meant little as the Déise broke upfield again on seven minutes, Niamh Rockett and Lorraine Bray did the spadework this time and Flynn raced through to find the net with ease.
Carton and Flynn then combined again before the latter’s strike was well saved, but a Rockett free and a beauty from Carton widened the gap further. A well-taken free from Diggin yielded Kerry’s second, before Waterford stuck for goal number three.
With 14 minutes played, mesmeric movement and skill from Flynn saw her slalom through four defenders before offloading to Rockett, and she volleyed the sliotar home for a goal that emphasised the Déise’s class and superiority. That was game over.
Rockett and Diggin (2) traded dead balls before the Déise reeled off three on the spin through Bray, Carton and the unmarked Alannah O’Sullivan. Another Diggin strike and a superb score by Jackie Horgan kept Kerry ticking, but Waterford were in an unforgiving mood - hitting five without response to end the half. Horgan’s strike was the hosts’ only score from play throughout.
Bray burst through for another, while Carton provided another outstanding touch and score either side of two Rockett frees, before O’Sullivan planted her feet with the final play to make it 3-11 to 0-6 at the interval.
Annie Fitzgerald was denied her second goal by namesake Aoife at the start of the second period, but it didn’t take long for goal number four to arrive. Abby Flynn struck her second goal on 32 minutes as Kelsie Obanya and Carton did well in the build up, before the De La Salle star struck to the bottom right corner to establish a 17-point cushion.
A Rockett free added to her growing tally, before another piece of brilliance from Carton. Substitute Eimear O’Neill quickly got in on the act, and Bray then added her third. Roisín Kirwan then made no mistake in space before a Carton free made it an unanswered burst of 1-11.
A Diggin free was Kerry’s first score in 22 minutes, but Waterford provided more pain with seven minutes remaining, as Flynn played through Annie Fitzgerald and she spun her marker and finished with aplomb to notch her second goal and the Déise’s fifth.
A Carton free and a point from Fitzgerald brought the gap to 27 points and counting - before the impressive Alannah O’Sullivan notched her third soon after.
Another from Eimear O’Neill, a fourth from captain Bray and Carton’s seventh rounded out the scoring.
A comprehensive win for Waterford who march on to the decider against Tipperary, but they know much greater tests will lie ahead.
Niamh Rockett (1-5; 0-5f); Annie Fitzgerald (2-1); Beth Carton (0-7; 0-3f); Abby Flynn (2-0); Lorraine Bray (0-4); Alannah O’Sullivan (0-3); Eimear O’Neill (0-2); Róisín Kirwan (0-1).
Patrice Diggin (0-6; 0-6f); Jackie Horgan (0-1).
Noelle Murphy; Alannah McNulty, Clodagh Carroll, Rachael Walsh; Kelsie Obanya, Keeley Corbett Barry, Laoise Forrest; Lorraine Bray, Orla Hickey; Alannah O’Sullivan, Beth Carton, Abby Flynn; Mairead O’Brien, Niamh Rockett, Annie Fitzgerald. Subs: Eimear O’Neill for Orla Hickey (38); Bevin Bowdren for Mairead O’Brien (38); Róisín Kirwan for Niamh Rockett (38); Anna McGoldrick for Laoise Forrest (45); Abbie Burrows for Kelsie Obanya (51).
Aoife Fitzgerald; Rachel McCarthy, Kathryn Ryan, Michelle Costello; Aoife Behan, Niamh Leen, Ellen O’Donoghue; Patrice Diggin, Caoimhe Spillane; Amy McCarthy, Jackie Horgan, Kate Lynch; Shannon Collins, Laura Collins, Noerette Casey. Subs: Tara Burke for Amy McCarthy (41); Orla Leahy for Michelle Costello (56); Aine Devlin for Kathryn Ryan (56); Tiarna Dinneen for Rachel McCarthy (59).
Johnny Dooley (Tipperary)
