Post Primary Schools All-Ireland Senior A Semi-Final

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February 04, 2025

Presentation Thurles  0-03

Loreto Kilkenny 0-14

 

Venue: Drombane

Referee: Brian Deering (Carlow)


Right from the off Loreto Kilkenny looked the stronger of the two sides in Saturday’s All-Ireland Senior A semi-final. And although Loreto had to earn each of their score at the other end the Munster champions only managed 3 points in total a disappointing return from the Thurles school. And so Loreto’s bid for a third Senior A title in a row remains on the track. The Kilkenny school boasting a endless conveyor belt of talent with the team awash with Kilkenny intercounty players. They started brilliantly and dominated completely in the opening 10 minutes with the Presentation defence under serious pressure. Some superb defending by the Duggan sisters Una and Mairead in the full back line plus some confident goalkeeping from Danielle butler between the posts prevented any green flags and kept Thurles in the game early on. The excellet Holly Ryan opened the scoring after 5 minutes with Ona Kennedy adding a free 2 minutes later. It was 26 minutes before Thurles got their first score, a well taken point from the hard working Ciara Shelly. This left only 5 between the sides despite Loreto’s dominance and one felt if Thurles could get a goal they would be right back in. On the other side if the Kilkenny city team were to break the deadlock it could be game over. A long range free from Anna Doheny was followed by a late Elana McGrath point as the half time whistle blew. Loreto went to the dressing rooms leading 7 points to 5.

Presentation Thurles needed a bright start to the second half but it was the Kilkenny school again who set the tempo with Holly Ryan again on target. Ona Kennedy was excellent from play and frees and she continued to punish Thurles at every opportunity. An Elana McGrath free at the three quarter mark was Thurles’s only score of the half on a disappointing day for them.  The holders dominated the final quarter with Ryan, Kennedy and Sarah Kehoe all finding the range to push Loreto to victory on a day when they were the dominant team despite the best efforts of Eva Ralph, Neasa Dwan and Ciara Shelly from Presentation.


 

Presentation Thurles: Danielle Butler, Leanna Coppinger, Una Duggan, Mairead Duggan, Caitlin Shelly, Eva Ralph, Neasa Dwan, Aoife O’Grady, Ciara Shelly (0-01), Lucy O’Brien, Emer Dwan, Elana McGrath (0-02 frees), Anna O’Brien, Sophie Lee, Lucy Callanan

Loreto Kilkenny: Ella Walton, Shannon Doheny, Angela Carroll, Grace Brennan, Ellen Murphy, Anna Dohney(0-01 free) , Emily Smith, Louisa Gilmore, Sarah Kehoe (0-01), Ona Kennedy(0-07, 5 frees), Shauna Mahony, Holly Ryan (0-03), Aoife Shealy (0-02), Ciara Dunne, Lucy Boyd