Carlow well beaten in Tralee
The scene in Austin Stack Park, Tralee today where Carlow took on Kerry in in the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship
Carlow’s All-Ireland series began with a whimper as they were easily brushed aside by Kerry in Austin Stack Park in Tralee this afternoon.
Hopes that Carlow could carry their Leinster Championship winning form into this game evaporated pretty early on by a more determined Kerry side and the fact that Carlow failed to score from open play tells it’s own tale.
It not the sort of the performance that we’ve come to expect from Carlow in recent years as Kerry appeared sharper all over the field and they will need a good response from this in their remaining group games against Kildare and Down.
Patrice Diggin opened the scoring for Kerry inside the first minute but Carlow quickly hit back. A great run by Caoimhe Jordan ended with a shot save by Aoife Fitzgerald and Eibhe Lawler’s effort on the rebound was blocked by a defender on the goal line. Carlow did least get a score from the attack when Eleanor Treacy converted the resulting 45.
At that stage, we were expecting the kind of competitive display that Carlow have turned in against Kerry in recent years but really, that was about as good as it got for Carlow as Kerry dominated the remainder of the half, at one stage scoring 2-6 without reply. Full Forward Amy O’Sullivan was a real menace and she scored both the Kerry goals, leaving the half time score 2-8 to 0-2, after a Treacy free late in the half for Carlow.
There were no scores at either end in the opening 12 minutes of the second half but Diggin got Kerry motoring again as she scored her fourth point of the game.
Kerry strolled through the remainder of the game from there with a further free by Treacy all that Carlow had to show for their efforts on a disappointing day.
A O’Sullivan 2-3, P Diggin 0-6 (3fs), K Lynch 0-4, R O’Connor 0-1, E O’Donoghue 0-1, K Ryan 0-1, A McCarthy 0-1, E Conway 0-1.
E Treacy 0-3 (2fs, 1’45).
Aoife Fitzmaurice; Michelle Costello, Sara Murphy, Rachel McCarthy, Roisin Quinn, Niamh Leen, Aoife Behan; Patrice Diggin, Ruth O’Connor; Ellen O’Donoghue, Kate Lynch, Ann Marie Leen, Shannon Collins, Amy O’Sullivan, Kathryn Ryan. Subs: Amy McCarthy for Collins,47; Emma Conway for Ryan, 50; Aine O’Connor for Quinn, 56; Ciara O’Sullivan for Diggin, 56; Tara Burke for McCarthy, 56.
Catherine Kavanagh; Gillian Doyle, Rachel Breen, Niamh Canavan, Kate Doyle, Caoimhe Coady, Mairead O’Shea; Eleanor Treacy, Aimie Nolan; Anna Murphy, Ciara Kavanagh, Caoimhe Jordan, Holly Wall, Eve Sinnott, Eibhe Lawler. Subs: Niamh Minchin for Coady, 40; Shauna Sweeney for Murphy, 49; Olwyn Lawler for Doyle, 55.
Mike Ryan (Tipperary)
