2023 Munster Intermediate Camogie Championship Semi-Final – Kerry 0-14 Clare 0-12

Kerry defeated Clare by 0-14 to 0-12 in the Munster Intermediate Camogie Championship Semi-Final on Sunday May 7th at the TUS Gaelic Grounds Limerick.

Kerry to face Cork in Munster Intermediate Camogie final after lowering the Banner in tense semi-final

Report by Jimmy Darcy at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Kerry 0-14 Clare 0-12

Kerry’s annus mirabilis in camogie continued in Cusack Park on Sunday as they booked their berth in the Munster Intermediate Final against Cork with a hard-fought but fully deserved victory over Clare. Kerry went through the National League unbeaten to lift the Division Two title and maintained that winning sequence against a quality Clare outfit, but they were put to the pin of their collar to do so.

Star of the show was undoubtedly Niamh Leen, who gave a phenomenal display even by her own high standards, but every single Kerry player had to dig deep against a Clare side that pressed hard all through.

Sharpshooter Patrice Diggin got Kerry off the mark with a well-executed free as Jackie Horgan in midfield was already setting the tempo as she got back to snuff out a dangerous Clare attack.

Kate O’Gorman picked off a nice point to open Clare’s account but Diggin replied with a free from way out near the sideline. Clare’s Jennifer Daly very neatly lifted the ball off a Kerry player to fire over a sublime score, and Clare were having slightly the better of the exchanges at this point, with Kerry’s full back line working very hard to repel dangerous attacks.

Two Aisling Cooney frees gave Clare a 0-4 to 0-2 lead. Kerry were winning good ball but could only muster a single point, a free from Patrice Diggin, from seven scoring chances. Things certainly looked ominous enough at this stage.

Clare goalkeeper Lauran Solon batted away a long range effort by Diggin, but good pressure by Ciara O’Sullivan saw her cough up a ’45 coolly slotted over by Jackie Horgan and Kerry were level. A good defensive clearance by Aoife Behan saw Caoimhe Spillane pick off a fantastic score that seemed to energise Kerry.

Straight from the pick-out Patrice Diggin returned it with interest to make it 0-6 to 0-4. Kaci Toomey reduced the gap to one but a foul on Laura Collins saw Patrice Diggin have the last word of the first half with another free to make the half-time score, Kerry 0-7 Clare 0-5.

Amy O’Sullivan beautifully clipped over the opening score of the second half to put a goal between the teams. Clare weren’t going away though, as dynamic midfielder Grace Carmody used her pace and direct running to slot over two scores and narrow the gap to the minimum again, 0-8 to 0-7. It was already clear that this game was going to go down to the wire.

Kerry were able to lift it a gear. Amy O’Sullivan picked off another fine point. Jackie Horgan, now switched into her more customary role at full forward, gathered a good ball from imperious centre back Niamh Leen and split the posts. Aisling Cooney replied with a free to keep the margin tight but Patrice Diggin restored the goal gap between them.

Clare thundered forward, but Niamh Mulqueen’s attempt to burst through was deemed an illegal charge by alert referee Diarmuid Phelan. Things were just as tight at the other end, with Niamh Leen denied by a superb block by Sineád O’Keeffe. Clare sub Aoife Anderson cut the gap back to two points.

Clare wing forward Jennifer Daly, always dangerous, struck another beauty and it was a one point game, 0-11 to 0-10. The cat was really in among the pigeons now!

Good work by Niamh Leen saw Jackie Horgan ease the cloying tension a fraction with a good score. Leen set up Patrice Diggin for another. At 0-13 to 0-10, there was real daylight between the teams with time starting to run out, but Clare were far from done. Labhaoise O’Donnell won a free converted by Kate O’Gorman and O’Gorman won and slotted another. Just one point in it again.

Kerry’s veteran triumvirate combined for a crucial free. Niamh Leen drew the foul. Jackie Horgan, with that telepathic instinct of long comrades in arms, took it fast and lofted it neatly to Patrice Diggin in space. The ace markswoman doesn’t miss that kind of opportunity. A beautifully crafted score and a worthy winner of a game that deserved such a moment.

KERRY: Aoife Fitzgerald, Rachel McCarthy, Sara Murphy, Michelle Costello, Aoife Behan, Niamh Leen, Ellen O’Donoghue, Jackie Horgan 0-3 (1f, 1 ‘45’), Kate Lynch, Clodagh Walsh, Patrice Diggin 0-8 (4f), Caoimhe Spillane (0-1), Ciara O’Sullivan, Laura Collins, Amy O’Sullivan (0-2)
Subs: Anne Marie Leen for Ciara O’Sullivan (half-time), Norette Casey for Anne Marie Leen (49)

CLARE: Lauran Solon, Rebecca Crowe, Caoimhe Lally, Sineád Hogg, Ellen Casey, Laura McMahon, Sineád O’Keeffe, Grace Carmody (0-2), Niamh Mulqueen, Labhaoise O’Donnell, Kate O’Gorman 0-3 (2f), Jennifer Daly (0-2), Kaci Toomey (0-1), Olivia Phelan, Aisling Cooney 0-3 (3f)
Subs: Aoife Anderson 0-1 for Kaci Toomey (36), Lorraine Grady for Olivia Phelan (40), Rachel Kelly for Sineád Hogg (47), Aideen Hickey for Aisling Cooney (53).

Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork)