19 May 2008 TG4 LEINSTER INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! TG4 LEINSTER INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP Kilkenny made a winning start to the intermediate grade with a hard earned but well deserved win over Westmeath in the TG4 Leinster Intermediate semi final at the Conahy Shamrocks grounds in Kilkenny on Sunday. After a memorable all Ireland win in the junior final last September the cats prepared for the step up to intermediate and made the perfect start with a 2-10 to 1-10 victory over a fancied Westmeath side. Denise Gaule opened the scoring for Kilkenny in the second minute with a point but Westmeath took control with points from Mairead Mc Cormick, Katie Somers and Edel McCormick. Angela Kenneally soloed through from midfield for a Kilkenny point reducing the lead to one, and the game was score for score from there to the end. Ruth Kearney and Edel McCormick pointed midway through the half for the visitors but these were cancelled out by like scores from Miriam O Keeffe and a Helen Murphy free for the cats. Kearney and Murphy traded points again and with Westmeath leading 6pts to 5, Denise Gaule grabbed a crucial goal for Kilkenny after some good work by Lucinda Gahon, to put the cats ahead 1-5 to 0-6. Edel McCormick pointed for Westmeath to make it a 1pt game again at 1-5 to 0-7. A minute later Katie Somers pounced on a rebound off the crossbar to hit the Kilkenny net and Westmeath went back in front 1-7 to 1-5 approaching the break. Helen Murphy pointed two Kilkenny frees to level matters and Somers pointed for the visitors on the stroke of half time to give Westmeath a 1-8 to 1-7 lead. Murphy pointed 2 frees after the break to put Kilkenny 1-9 to 1-8 ahead but the game was level again on 45mins when Somers pointed for Westmeath. Mary Love and Fiona Claffey traded points to leave the scoreline 1-10 a piece with just 3mins left, and a draw looked likely. A great Kilkenny build up out of defence saw Miriam O Keeffe send a cross in from the endline and Denise Gaule rose highest at the edge of the square to fist the ball home despite a great attempt at a block by Westmeath 'keeper Claire Judge. Weatmeath tried hard to get level again but some great defending by Kilkenny saw the cats hold on for a one goal win and a place in the provincial final against Longford. Kilkenny; Aine Sheehy, Andrea Murphy(capt), Sara Mc Carthy, Niamh Whelan, April Purcell, Sally Teehan, Lydia Phelan, Kelly Roche, Angela Kenneally, Denise Gaule, Lucinda Gahon, Mary Love, Catriona Grace, Miriam O Keeffe, Helen Murphy. Emer Roantree(for April Purcell, 20mins), Edwina Keane (for Angela Kenneally, 45mins) Westmeath; Claire Judge, Joanne McCormick, Lisa Burke, Triona Durkan, Therese Allen, Jenny Rogers, Elaine Finn, Fiona Leavy, Fiona Clafffey, Ruth Kearney, Edel McCormick, Mairead McCormick, Georgina Fagan, Katies Somers, Laura Halligan. Referee; Tony Lennon (Dublin) Share this Article 0 0