Kilkenny too strong for Laois in Camogie league opener

Laois have started their Camogie league campaign with a defeat as they fell to Kilkenny on Saturday afternoon in Callan.

Kilkenny were just that bit too strong but Laois were competitive and the scoreline was harsh on John Desmond's charges.

The Cats were in need of a win after losing out to Wexford last weekend and helped by an opening half Sarah Crowley goal the hosts emerged six point winners.

Laois can count themselves somewhat unlucky after corner forward Alice Walsh was given a straight red card in the first period with only two points separating the sides at the time.

At that stage it was something of a free taking exhibition between Eva Hynes and Aimee Collier but straight after the Laois dismissal, Crowley netted to give her side a 1-5 to 0-3 advantage.

The O'Moore County then responded with a pair of scores from Collier and Jessie Quinlan as Kilkenny went into the break three points to the good.

The second half was a bit of a non event with just a Collier brace keeping Laois in touch with Hynes, Aoife Prendergast, Laura Greene and Aisling Curtis all knocking over points for Kilkenny as John Scott's team took a deserved 1-10 to 0-7 victory.

LAOIS

Scorers: Aimee Collier 0-5 (0-4fs), Clodagh Tynan 0-1 (0-1f), Jessie Quinlan 0-1.

TEAM: Aideen Lowry; Sarah Fleming, Roisin Kilmartin, Katie Dunican, Laura Finlay, Clodagh Tynan, Sarah Creagh, Jessie Quinlan, Alison McEvoy, Casey Conroy, Aimee Collier, Cathy Galbrith, Alice Walsh, Laura Marie Maher, Aisling O'Dea.

Subs: Sara Cuddy for Conroy 45 mins, Grainne Hyland for Galbrith 41 mins, Andrea Scully for Quinlan 45 mins, Kristen Keenan for Collier 58 mins.

KILKENNY

Scores: Sarah Crowley 1-1, Eva Hynes 0-4 (0-3fs), Ciara Phelan 0-1, Aoife Prendergast 0-1, Aisling Curtis 0-1, Laura Greene 0-1, Therese Donnelly 0-1.

TEAM: Sinead Farrell; Ciara Murphy, Roisin Phelan, Niamh Leahy, Ciara Phelan, Leanne Fennelly, Aoife Prendergast, Aisling Curtis, Laura Greene, Eva Hynes, Hannah Scott, Danielle Quigley, Roisin O'Keefe, Sarah Crowley, Therese Donnelly.

Subs: Jane Cass for Scott 45 mins, Shauna Treacy for Hynes 48 mins, Shannon Feehan for Donnelly 50 mins, Caoimhe Dowling for Quigley 55 mins.

Ref: Mike Ryan (Galway)