TG4 Leinster Intermediate championship semi-finals Round-up

TG4 Leinster Intermediate championship semi-finals Round-up
2009

Wexford 1-12 Kilkenny 1-5
Wexford probably put in their best performance of the season so far; on Sunday last to book their place in the TG4 Leinster Intermediate championship final with an excellent display of teamwork and high tempo football.
Five players were on target for the Model County, with Sharon Kehoe notching up a personal tally of five points for the game. The match was played in excellent conditions in Taghmon/Camross GAA grounds, County Wexford, and the home side were in the driving seat from start to finish
Wexfords number one Mary Rose Kelly answered the call to make a couple of crucial saves to frustrate the Kilkenny number thirteen, Marie Dargan, the first came in the forty-fourth minute when Dargan cut in from the right to go one on one with Kelly, but the experienced the St. Fintans player stood her ground to pull off an excellent save, ten minute later Kelly was back in action when Referee Pat Kehoe awarded Kilkenny a 13m Free to the right of the Wexford goals, Dargan had only one option and that was to go for goal, and when the rocket like shot was fired from Dargans left boot, Kelly was on hand to clear the danger once again.
Kilkenny were with out the services of their captain fantastic Caitriona Grace, Caitriona was involved in an accident on the way to the game, thankfully she was not seriously injured, and I’m sure she will be back in action very shortly, mean while back on the field of play the Kilkenny side battled hard to get a foothold in the game but it was not to be their day as the Model County had the greater hunger as they kept the pressure on the cats to progress to face Longford in the TG4 Leinster Intermediate championship final which is scheduled for Sunday 3rd of May in Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow, with a throw in time of 3pm.

Longford 0-9 Westmeath 0-8.

For the second consecutive year Longford Ladies will contest the Leinster Intermediate Championship Final following a hard fought victory in the semi-final against near-neighbours Westmeath.
Although Longford got off to the best possible start with Denise Murtagh getting a point in the games opening minute they spent the next eight minutes on the back foot as the Lake county took the game to Longford.
Longford keeper Michelle Kilkenny kept the lamp lit for her side with a number of excellent saves, including a penalty save in the first quarter of the game. The home side called former All-Star Fiona Blessington off the bench and her introduction made an immediately impact.
However it would be Westmeath that would add three further points to their tally from Maher and the ever-pressing midfielder Leavy adding two. The home side on the other hand were making difficult work for themselves and their finally passing was letting them down. The half time whistle came at a good time for Longford as Westmeath were becoming increasingly dominant and as the teams entered the dressing rooms Longford were trailing by three points.
Denise Murtagh, Fiona Blessington and Alice McGann added a point apiece with out reply to draw the side level at a crucial time in the game, and it was McGanns next strike that put the home side ahead as the game moved into the final quarter.
Murtagh and Edel Quinn fired over one apiece to open a three point gap but the Westmeath ladies did not throw in the towel, paring the Longford lead back to a single point with ten minutes left on the clock.
Unfortunately Longford’s Denise Murtagh would be forced to leave the field through injury, undoubtedly spurring on her teammates for these final minutes of the game. Westmeath were far from finished and continued to press right up until the final whistle. The teams exchanged one final point with an Alice McGann point cancelled out by a Fiona Leavy strike for Westmeath. But Longford would finish with a one-point advantage on the final whistle. To forward to meet Wexford in the TG4 Leinster Intermediate championship final, on Sunday 3rd of May next in Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow, with a throw in time of 3pm.
Longford Scorers: Denise Murtagh 0-4, Alice McGann 0-3, Fiona Blessington 0-1
Edel Quinn 0-1.
Longford: Michelle Kilkenny, Mairead Moore, Elizabeth Brady (c), Adrianna Melia, Marie Brady, Yvonne Barden, Sinead Farrell, Alison Smith, Siobhan McGowan, Fiona Farrell, Edel Quinn, Alice McGann, Anna McDonnell, Denise Murtagh, Una Flynn.

Subs: Fiona Blessington for Fiona Farrell (22 mins), Orla Noonan for Una Flynn (half-time), Michelle Mulvey for Anna McDonnell (47 mins), Ann Burke for Denise Murtagh (injury 51 mins)
Westmeath: Niamh Mulligan, Carol Finch, Rebecca Dunne, Edel Marshall, Aileen Martin, Triona Durkin, Karen McDermott, Fiona Leavy, Elaine Finn, Johanna Maher, Jenny Rodgers, Laura Newan, Claire Killian, Maud Foley, Fiona Claffey.

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