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Kerry 4-14
Tyrone 2-6
THE Kerry Camogie Team travelled to Healy Park in Omagh on Sunday hoping to extend their unbeaten record in Division 3 of the Littlewoods Ireland National Camogie League.
This game served as a curtain raiser to the Senior Football game between the same counties and it was encouraging that football fans arrived early to support the girls.
Kerry hit the ground running and were 1-1 to 0-0 ahead by the 2ndminute. By the 5th minute this had stretched to 2-1 to 0-1 and Kerry were moving the ball well.
A minute later they extended their lead to 2-2 to 0-1. At the 10 minute stage it was 2-3 to 0-1. Tyrone then raised two white flags leaving the score at the 15th minute mark at 2-3 to 0-3.
In the 17th minute a beautiful through ball from Patrice Diggin found captain Jackie Horgan and she found the Tyrone net pushing the Kerry girls further ahead on a score of 3-3 to 0-3.
By the 20 minute mark this lead had been extended to 4-3 to 0-4 and it was clear that the Tyrone defence were finding the Kerry attack difficult to handle.
Despite Tyrone finding the Kerry net, the Kerry girls held a strong halftime lead, 4-6 to 1-4. Points in the 4th & 11th minute of the 2nd half extended Kerry’s lead to 4-8 to 1-4.
Kerry continued in the same vein in the second half and despite another Tyrone green flag, Kerry led at the 45 minute mark by 4-9 to 2-5. By the 50th minute this had been extended to 4-11 to 2-5.
They then tagged on 3 more points to record a good victory on a final scoreline of 4-14 to 2-6. This was a solid performance by the entire team with a great spread of scorers.
This sets Kerry up for their final game when they welcome Roscommon to Abbeydorney on Easter Sunday at 2pm.
Should they win against the Rossies they will face Tyrone in the semi-final. However, should Roscommon leave Tom Healy Park with the points, the Kerry girls will face Clare in the semi-final.
Speaking after the game, Kerry Manager Stephen Goggin said he was extremely pleased with the performance and while it will be important in subsequent games to ensure that the team plays for the full 60 minutes, the margin of victory and the spread of scorers boded well for the future.
Kerry Team and Scorers. Alannah Maunsell, Liz Houlihan, Niamh Leen, Michelle Costello, Elaine Ryall, Sara Murphy, Aine O’Connor, Patrice Diggin (0-3, 1f), Laura Collins (0-2), Jessica Fitzell, Aoife Behan (0-1), Julianne O’ Keeffe, Rachel McCarthy (1-1), Jackie Horgan (Captain) (2-4), Alanna Whelan (1-1),
Substitutions: Eilish Harrington for Niamh Leen, Norette Casey (0-1) for Elaine Ryall, Clodagh Walsh (0-1) for Julianne O’Keeffe, Megan Weir for Rachel McCarthy
