Laois 1-10 Kerry 1-6 AET
All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship Quarter Final
What a win for Laois!
The Laois camogie team came back from the dead to defeat Kerry and reach the All-Ireland semi final in extraordinary circumstances in Tipperary this afternoon.
Laois only managed one score in the first 45 minutes of the game but they turned the game around as wing back Clodagh Tynan scored two outrageous points to force extra time.
And after that, forward Kirsten Keenan took over as she fired four points in the two additional periods to see Laois through where they will now face Antrim next weekend.
In really difficult conditions on a pitch that looked barely playable, Laois failed to score in the opening quarter and only scored once in the entire half.
Indeed such was their attacking struggles that they only had one wide too – that coming from a long range Kirsten Keenan free.
Patrice Diggin, Jackie Horgan and Caoimhe Spillane all pointed for Kerry who took a 0-3 to 0-0 lead at the water break.
Laois’s best moment came shortly after when captain Sara Cuddy picked up the ball just inside the Kerry half and charged forward before unleashing a thunderbolt into the roof of the net.
But Kerry recovered from that set back with Diggin landing two frees to leave them 0-5 to 1-0 ahead at half time.
And Laois made a disastrous start to the second half when a long ball caused havoc with Jessica Fitzel nipping in to get a vital touch for a Kerry goal.
Laois did gain a little bit of control after that but their shooting from distance was letting them down as they had a few wayward efforts.
Neither side scored again before the water break as Kerry led 1-5 to 1-0 with 15 minutes to go.
Laois needed a huge last quarter and they got it. Alison McEvoy began the fight back with long range score.
Sub Cathy Galbraith lodged over a great score before wing back Clodagh Tynan reduced the arrears to one as we entered three minutes of injury time.
And just with the final puck of it, the St Brigid’s wing back showed incredible composure to slot the levelling score and send the game to extra time.
Laois took the lead in the first minute of that as Kirsten Keenan slotted her first free of the game.
She hit another after 65 minutes but she did have the ball in the net in that passage of play only for the referee to bring it back for a free.
Kerry tried to get back into it but the Laois backs remained on top and led 1-7 to 1-5 at half time in extra time.
Laois continued to press on with Keenan slotting her third free and then Laura Marie Maher put Laois four clear with five minutes to play.
Kerry had gone almost half an hour without a score before a Jackie Horgan free two minutes from the end left a goal in it.
But Laois would not let up and Kirsten Keenan finished off the tie with a great score to end the game.
What a win for Laois.
SCORERS – Laois: Kirsten Keenan 0-4 (all frees), Sara Cuddy 1-0, Clodagh Tynan 0-2, Aisling O’Dea 0-1 (one free), Alison McEvoy 0-1, Cathy Galbraith 0-1, Laura Marie Maher 0-1 Kerry: Patrice Diggin 0-3 (three frees), Jessica Fitzell 1-0, Jackie Horgan 0-2 (one free), Caoimhe Spillane 0-1
LAOIS: Aedin Lowry (Camross); Jade Bergin (The Harps), Roisin Kilmartin (St Brigid’s), Laura Finlay (St Brigid’s); Clodagh Tynan (St Brigid’s), Alison McEvoy (O’Moore’s), Aimee Collier (Camross); Jessie Quinlan (St Brigid’s), Joyce Dunne (O’Moore’s); Saragh Creagh (St Brigid’s), Laura Marie Maher (O’Moore’s), Liaden C-Fennell (O’Moore’s); Sara Cuddy (Camross), Kirsten Keenan (Camross), Aisling O’Dea (St Brigid’s). Subs: Molly O’Connor (The Harps) for Bergin (30), Cathy Galbraith (St Brigid’s) for C-Fennell (43)
KERRY: Aoife Fitzgerald; Rachel McCarthy, Sara Murphy, Michelle Costello; Niamh Leen, Patrice Diggin, Aoife Behan; Laura Collins, Kate Lynch; Norette Casey, Jackie Horgan, Ann Marie Leen; Jessica Fitzell, Liz Houlihan, Caoimhe Spillane
Referee: John McDonagh
SEE ALSO – Open letter to all those involved in Laois hurling discussions for 2021
