Waterford are sixty minutes from Croke Final appearance

Sean Fleming’s Waterford Intermediate Camogie Team have made it to the semi final stages of the All-Ireland Championship for the fourth year in a row after they made it two wins from two games in this years championship, overcoming the challenge of last years beaten finalists Kilkenny at Walsh Park.

In fact this is the seventh year in a row that Waterford have reached an All-Ireland semi final as for three years in a row prior to moving up to the Intermediate grade Waterford won three Junior All-Ireland semi finals in a row.

In his first year in charge at this level, Fleming is continuing the good work of Mark Cooney and Niall O’Donnell in recent years, and has already guided his charged to a league title earlier this year, which will mean that his side will play against some of the big guns in next years league.

With both sides needing to win, Waterford to ensure their semi final spot and Kilkenny to remain in the championship, both managers kept changes to their side to the minimum.

From the side that beat Antrim 2-15 to 1-10 a week earlier Kilkenny brought in Michaela Kennedy at full back for Brigid Grennan while Edel Coonan came into the half forward line in place of Sarah Crowley.

Waterford too beat Antrim in their last game 6-9 to 1-3 at Walsh Park brought Claire Whyte back into the Full back position for Jennie Simpson while Sibeal Harney came in at wing forward with team captain Catriona McGlone moving to full forward in place of Shona Curran.

Each time Waterford play this year the side has a different player that stands out from above the rest and in this game it was the turn of Dungarvan’s Dawn Power that impressed most.

The teenager is one of a number of new players brought into the panel by Sean Fleming finished this game with 2-1 behind her name on the score sheet and is clearly a player that has a bright future ahead of her in the game.

Waterford maybe have been outscored in actual scores in this game twelve to eight, but three of the eight scores went under the Kilkenny crossbar resulting in Waterford winning by two points.

Waterford were slow to settle in this game falling behind to two early points for the visitors coming from Sarah Kent and Kelly Ann Doyle.

Waterford’s first score did not arrive until the twentieth minute. Lorraine Bray was the player to split the posts having been set up by team captain Catriona McGlone.

Kilkenny in this game relied on frees struck by Emma Commerford to keep them in this game and the Young Irelanders player hit the first of her six scores seven minutes from the end of the first half.

Three minutes later the visitors attempted to strike for goal but an alert Deirdre Brennan in the Waterford goal did well to keep Jenny Clifford’s effort from reaching its intended target.

Waterford’s first goal of the game came three minutes from the break. Long Puc champions Trish Jackman from the middle of the field saw a free drop short but Cappoquin’s Lorraine Bray was in the right place to push the ball past Kirsty Maher to give Waterford the lead for the first time.

Edel Frisby levelled matters soon afterwards with a good score having been set up by Laura Norris.

Waterford’s second goal came two minutes from the break when Dawn Power hit her first goal of the game shooting from about thirty metres her shot dipped and went high into Kirsty Maher’s net leaving the Dicksboro player stranded.

Beth Carton gave Waterford a double score (2-2 to 0-4) lead in the closing minutes of the half, but Kilkenny would finish slightly stronger of the two sides as Emma Commerford and Sarah Walsh landed scores to leave just two between the sides at the break.

The second half began with Kelly Ann Doyle and Lorraine Bray trade scores before Kilkenny enjoyed a period of dominance where they hit three points in six minutes all from frees off the stick of Emma Commerford and Kelly Ann Doyle hit a single score at the start of the final quarter to give the visitors a 0-11 to 2-3 lead.

However, Waterford finished the stronger of the two sides.

Waterford hit a third goal on fifty minutes, Dawn Power again the scorer having been set up by Aisling Power the captain of the under 16 team which won last years All-Ireland final.

Now in front (3-3 to 0-11), Waterford did not relinquish that lead in the ten minutes of normal time still to play plus the seven added minutes mostly added as a result of an injury picked up by Jenny McCarthy.

Trish Jackman having been set up by Dawn Power extended Waterford’s lead and then the Dungarvan player went from score provider to score getter six minutes from the hour mark to edge Waterford three in front.

Emma Commerford pulled a point back for Kilkenny on the hour mark, and while they tried hard in the seven added minutes to get something from the game, Waterford held out for a win to advance to the semi finals for the fourth year in a row and at the same time knocking Kilkenny out of the competition, meaning that the competition this year will have neither side that competed in last years final will be in Croke Park this September.

Waterford: Deirdre Brennan; Kate McMahon, Claire Whyte, Vikki Falconer; Charlotte Raher, Trish Jackman, Jenny McCarthy; Iona Heffernan, Lorraine Bray; Sibeal Harney, Nicola Morrissey, Beth Carton; Aisling Power, Catriona McGlone, Dawn Power. Subs: Niamh Rockett for Sibeal Harney, Molly Curran for Jenny McCarthy, Claire Murphy for Aisling Power.

Scorers: Dawn Power 2-1; Lorraine Bray 1-2; Trish Jackman, Beth Carton 0-1 each.

Kilkenny: Kirsty Maher; Katie Nolan, Michaela Kenneally, Therese Muldowney; Sarah Kent, Rebecca Cleere, Aisling Nolan; Edel Frisby, Kelly Ann Doyle; Sarah Walsh, Laura Norris, Edel Coonan; Emma Comerford, Sarah Ann Quinlan, Jenny Clifford. Subs: Niamh Leahy for Edel Frisby, Marguerite Hoynes, for Sarah Ann Quinlan, Catherine Connolly for Jenny Clifford.

Scorers: Emma Comerford 0-6 (6fs); Kelly Ann Doyle 0-3; Sarah Kent (f), Sarah Walsh and Laura Norris 0-1 each.

Referee: Aidan O’Brien (Wexford)