Provincial Champs Book Return to Finals

Kerry 1-14

Waterford 1-7

 

SARAH Houlihan led the way with 1-6 as Kerry saved Cork’s bacon in the TG4 Munster Ladies senior football championship this afternoon.

Victory for the Kingdom over Waterford ensured that it’s another Munster final against Cork next month for the provincial champions.

Cork were sweating on their final place in a three-team round-robin group but despite losing to Kerry last time out, the Rebelettes are through in second place as Waterford suffered a second defeat.

Cork beat Waterford in the first round and that was ultimately good enough for the All-Ireland champions to advance to next month’s Munster final.

Kerry scored their second championship victory of the season in comfortable fashion against the visiting Déise in Brosna.

Houlihan was the undoubted star of the show, all but one point of her tally contributed from play, with Jane Lynch landing three points for the home side.

Kerry had seven different scorers on target over the hour but in contrast, Waterford were heavily reliant on Sinead Delahunty’s free-taking.

Match-winner in the Lidl Division 3 League final replay victory over Tipperary, Delahunty clipped over six of her seven points from frees but Michelle Ryan, with a first half goal, was Waterford’s only other scorer on the day.

Kerry were 1-8 to 1-3 clear at half-time and bar a sticky patch midway through the first half, were in control of proceedings.

Delahunty did point Waterford into an early lead, a free, but Kerry took over to register 1-5 without reply.

Houlihan notched a free to level matters and after Bernie Breen pointed from play, the Kingdom cut through for an excellent goal in the eighth minute.

Laura Rogers supplied the killer pass for Houlihan, who evaded goalkeeper Katie Hannon before finding the back of an empty net.

Hannon pulled off a decent save from Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh a minute later but further Kerry points followed from full-forward Ní Mhuircheartaigh, Rogers and Houlihan as the hosts moved into a seven-point lead, 1-5 to 0-1.

But Waterford gave themselves a lifeline in the 15^th minute when Gráinne Kenneally found Ryan and the hard-working full-forward pinged a shot past Elaine O’Sullivan.

Cassandra Buckley hit back immediately for Kerry with a point but a pair of Delahunty frees had Waterford just three points adrift, 1-3 to 1-6.

Kerry finished the half well, however, and points from Lynch and lively corner forward Houlihan established a five-point advantage at the break.

Waterford did narrow the gap back to four points when Delahunty popped over a point from play on the restart and while they were four behind twice more in the second half, Pat Sullivan’s charges couldn’t get within striking distance of Kerry.

It could have been much closer, however, had Waterford taken a couple of decent goal chances in the second half.

Katie Murray blazed wide from close range following good work by Aileen Wall before Kerry goalkeeper O’Sullivan denied Aisling Mullally with a brilliant, diving tackle as the wing-back prepared to pull the trigger.

Kerry would finish the game with 14 players when substitute Anna Galvin was sin-binned in the final minute but the result was never in doubt by then.

Waterford suffered throughout by being turned over in their own half, leading to Kerry scores, and with forwards of Houlihan’s calibre on top form, Alan O’Neill’s All-Ireland dark horses kept the scoreboard ticking over.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, in the TG4 Leinster championship this afternoon, holders Dublin romped to a big win over Meath.

The Sky Blues ran out 3-19 to 2-4 winners in Summerhill and will discover their final opponents on Sunday, when Laois and Westmeath conclude the group stages of the provincial championship.

Jenny Rispin bagged two goals for Meath, one in each half, but Dublin were totally in command from start to finish.

Gregory McGonigle’s charges were 0-4 to 0-0 clear before Rispin netted but Dublin hit back to lead by 1-12 to 1-1 at half-time.

Niamh McEvoy scored Dublin’s goal midway through the first half and the visitors added further goals in the second half from Carla Rowe and Nicole Owens.

 

***

 

Scorers for Kerry: S Houlihan 1-6 (0-1f), J Lynch 0-3, B Breen, L Scanlon, C Buckley, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh & L Rogers 0-1 each.

 

Scorers for Waterford: M Delahunty 0-7 (6f), M Ryan 1-0.

 

KERRY: E O’Sullivan; A O’Connell, A Desmond, A Leonard; E Lynch, C Kelly, C Murphy; B Breen, L Scanlon; C Buckley, A Brosnan, J Lynch; S Houlihan, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh, L Rogers.

 

Subs: K O’Sullivan for Buckley (h.t.), A Galvin for Lynch (46), E Sherwood for Rogers (46), P Dennehy for Brosnan (55), M O’Connell for Houlihan (57).

 

WATERFORD: K Hannon; M Wall, M McGrath, L Wall; A Mullally, M Dunford, H Power; K McGrath, E Murray; G Kenneally, M Delahunty, K Murray; A Wall, M Ryan, S Ryan.

 

Subs: D Hayes for S Ryan (39), R Tobin for K Murray (50), L McGregor for M Ryan (60), C Fennell for A Wall (60).

 

Referee: T Fox (Tipperary).