Limerick Ladies comfortably see off Kilkenny in Ladies Gaelic opener

Limerick 7-21
Kilkenny 1-5

By Tom Clancy in John Lockes GAA, Kilkenny

Limerick began their TG4 Ladies Football All Ireland Junior Championship in emphatic fashion, defeating Kilkenny by 34 points in Callan.

There was little doubt about the result, with Limerick scoring 1-4 inside the opening two-and-a-half minutes. After a run to league semi-final before losing out to Fermanagh, Graham Shine’s charges played in the Munster Senior ‘B’ competition, which had them match sharp for this tie.

Sterner tests await, but there was many positives for Limerick. Iris Kenneally top scored with 3-5, including a clinical hat-trick in the opening half. There was also goals for Karen O’Leary and Amy Ryan. Limerick led 5-9 to 0-3 at the short whistle.

A brace of second-half goals from sub Cathy Mee helped Limerick ease to victory, as Shine ran the bench ahead of clashes with Sligo and Down.

All bar one point came from open play for Limerick, who have their two other games at home, with Newcastle West almost certainly the venue.

Scorers for Limerick: Irish Kennelly 3-5; Cathy Mee 2-2; Karen O’Leary 1-2;  Amy Ryan 1-1; Roisin Ambrose 0-4; Caoimhe McGrath 0-3 (0-1f); Deborah Murphy 0-2;  Katie Heelan 0-1, Laois Browne 0-1.

Scorers for Kilkenny: Kim Ryan 0-3; Niamh Gillen 1-0; Katie Purcell 0-2 (0-1f).