Kilmessan pose lots of questions for Kiltegan

It wasn’t quite the stroll in the park that the winning margin suggests, but hosts Kilmessan were by far the better team as they booked their place in the Leinster Club Junior Camogie final with victory over Kiltegan on Sunday. There were times in the opening period when the Meath senior champions found the going tough against their Wicklow counterparts, but the unerring accuracy of Aileen Donnelly and superb attacking threat of Katie Ni Choilean gave them an edge. It was a consummate performance from the Meath girls with their focus and commitment ensuring they gradually pulled clear after the break. The game started 20 minutes behind schedule due to the late arrival of the referee Tommy Hackett. After a dull opening eight minutes Kilmessan’s pressure reaped rewards as Kiltegan were forced to concede frees. Donnelly took full advantage. Apart from conceding a couple of sloppy goals in the first-half, Kilmessan were defensively sound. Ciara Ni Choilean, Etaoin Doyle and Alison Lynch excelled and with Caoimhe O’Leary slotting in at full-back from her midfield berth for the second-half, Kilmessan shut up shop. Kiltegan managed just two points in the second-half and went 31 minutes without a score in that period. In that time Kilmessan turned on the style with the half-forward line of Stephanie Horan, Lisa Horan and Donnelly creating plenty of chances. The pace and incisiveness of Katie and Megan Ni Choilean (pictured) and the power of Aisling McLoughlin stretched Kiltegan and before the end of the first-quarter it was clear that the Meath champions would prevail. The first six scores came in a six-minute spell from placed balls with Donnelly knocking over four frees and a '45’ from a variety of distances and angles while Rosie Keogh converted a free to leave Kiltegan trailing 0-1 to 0-5 after 14 minutes. Katie Ni Choilean registered the first point from play following a typical surging run and seconds later she found plenty of space to stretch Kilmessan’s lead to 0-7 to 0-1. Having looked comfortable, Kilmessan lost concentration. Sinead Kelly pounced on a fine save from Noreen Sheridan to pull to the net. Kelly was also on the end of a poor point attempt from Edel Wynne to bat the ball to the net which drew the sides level, 2-1 to 0-7. However, that was as good as it got for the Wicklow girls. Donnelly’s short '45’ deflected off Michelle Farrell’s stick and into the net and in the closing minutes of the half McLoughlin and Donnelly (free) pointed either side of an Ann Marie Doran free to give Kilmessan an 1-9 to 2-2 interval lead. Donnelly stretched Kilmessan’s advantage within a minute of the restart as Kiltegan went in search of goals. Mary Byrne was denied by a fine block from Alison Lynch, but Keogh pointed the resultant '45.’ That score proved to be Kiltegan’s last until Doran added a free in injury-time. In the interim Kilmessan lorded possession and sealed the win with Donnelly adding three more scores while McLoughlin and Katie Ni Choilean shared four points on an impressive afternoon for the Meath champions. Kilmessan - N Sheridan; C Ni Choilean, K Ward, E Doyle; S Ross, Alison Lynch, T King; F Lynch, C O’Leary; S Horan, L Horan, A Donnelly (1-10, seven frees, 1-1 '45s’); M Ni Choilean, A McLoughlin (0-3), K Ni Choilean (0-4). Subs - Alva Lynch for King 20 mins, L Irwin for Ward half-time, A M Dennehy for L Horan 44m, E Fitzgerald for McLoughlin 57m. Kiltegan - C Staunton; P Kehoe, M Farrell, E Foley; C Graham, L Whelan, O Cashin; T Kehoe, A M Doran (0-2, frees); M Byrne, T Whyte, R Keogh (0-2, one free, one '45’); E Wynne, S Kelly (2-0), G Doyle. Subs - K Furlong for Cashin 39mins, S Fisher for T Kehoe 46m. Referee - Tommy Hackett (Westmeath).