Kilkenny 1-13  Meath 1-9

11 wides 7 in the first half including 4 scoreable free were to prove costly for Meath in a very exciting Leinster Intermediate Championship final at Nowlan Park.

For long spells Meath dominated play with full back Claire Coffey, Christina Troy at No 6 outstanding and in attack Aoife Maguire was superb.

The Royals opened well and had three points from play from Jane Dolan, Aoife Minogue and Sinead Hackett but frees were being conceded and the excellent Kellyann Doyle punished Meath on three occasions in the opening 5 minutes to level the game. 

A further costly foul was committed in two minutes later.  From the resultant free the ball was batted clear only for the rebound to be picked up by Jenny Clifford who goaled.  It was the start of an excellent 10 minutes spell for the Cats who hit five points without reply from the excellent Laura Norris (3), Kellyann Doyle and Aisling Butler.

But Meath finished the half strongly despite two missed frees with a point from Aoife Minogue and a goal from the same player when her long range effort deceived the Kilkenny goalkeeper.  Another point by Jane Dolan left just three points between the sides at the interval.

Meath came out for the second half in determined fashion and two points in as many minutes by Aoife Maguire and Megan Thynne cut the gap to the same margin.

Back came the home side with excellent scores from Kelly Ann Doyle to go 1-11 to 1-7 in front.  However the next 15 minutes belonged to Meath and they really showed have sealed victory in this spell.  Two more missed frees didnt help their cause until Aoife Minogue took over this duty with some success and two scores from her and left just two points between the sides as the game approached the 59th minute.  However another missed Meath free visibly deflated the side and Kilkenny capitalised on the error to clinch victory with points from Emma Comerford and Kellyann Doyle.

Kilkenny: Ann Marie Lennon, Ruth Jones, Brigid Grennan, Therese Muldowney, Ciara Farrell, Rebecca Cleere, Edel Frisby, Sarah Crowley, Kellyann Doyle, Aisling Butler, Laura Norris, Sarah Ann Quinlan, Claire Aylward, Sarah Walsh, Jenny Clifford

Subs used: Michaela Kenneally, Catherine Connolly, Niamh Bambrick, Niamh Leahy,

Meath: Eimly Mangan, Laura McGuire, Claire Coffey, Grace Colemabn, Aine Keogh, Christina Troy, Emma McGill, Jane Dolan, Maire Keogh, Aoife Minogue, Sinead Hackett, Katie Hackett, Lizzie Oakes Brennan, Edel Guy, Aoife Maguire

Subs used: Fia O'Brian, Aoife Thompson, Megan Thynne

Referee Jenny Byrne

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