Kilkenny 3-12, Tipperary 0-19
Two late, late goals in the dying minutes helped to snatch our Kilkenny Cats from the jaws of defeat in a dramatic Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Division 1 game.
It was Denise Gaule and Katie Nolan who hit a goal apiece five minutes from time to level a game in which Kilkenny had often struggled.
The Tipperary girls played brilliantly but it was the wily and very talented Kilkenny girls who, akin to keeping the good wine ‘til last, pulled the carpet from under the Tipp girls’ feet in the last gasp flurry.
Denise Gaule’s goal was the crucial score. She shot from just outside the 20m line and a little to the left of the arc.
Tipp goalkeeper, All-Star Áine Slattery looked to have the ball covered.
But to the young keeper’s horror, the power of the strike proved to be too much as the sliotar zipped into the net off her fingers.
Katie Nolan finished with a low shot to the net to stun the visitors.
The fantastic recovery by the Kilkenny girls was completed when Denise Gaule calmly pointed two frees to secure a famous victory.
Scorers for Kilkenny: D Gaule 2-8 (0-8fs, 1-0 pen); K Nolan
1-2; M O’Connell, A Doyle 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tipperary: C Devane 0-11(6fs); E McGrath 0-2; R Howard, S Fryday, E Fryday, N Walsh, G O’Brien, O O’Dwyer 0-1 each
Kilkenny: E Kavanagh, M Teehan, D Tobin, M Bambrick, K Doyle, M Farrell, G Walsh, N Deely, L Fitzpatrick, K Nolan, M O’Connell, M Kenneally, A Doyle, M Walsh, D Gaule
Subs: L Murphy for Fitzpatrick (ht), S Fitzgerald for Kenneally (43), S Crowley for A Doyle (51), A Prendergast for G Walsh (52)
Tipperary: Á Slattery, M Eviston, E Loughman, M Ryan, A McGrath, K Kennedy, J Bourke, E Fryday, R Howard, E McGrath, N Walsh, S Fryday, G O’Brien, C Devane, C McIntyre
Subs: O O’Dwyer for McIntyre (ht), C McCarthy for S Fryday (45), J Kelly for O’Brien (50), M Campion for A McGrath (60+3)
Referee: John McDonagh (Galway)
