Dublin lost to Kilkenny in Parnell Park today in the first game of this year's Liberty Insurance Camogie Senior championship Group 2. Kilkenny goals either side of half time were decisive. But this Dublin performance, a much improved improvement from last year, suggests that players and management will look forward with confidence the the remaining fames in Group 2 against Clare, Tipperary and Derry as they battle for a semi-final place with their eyes firmly set on a semi-final spot.

Half Time : Dublin 0-4 Kilkenny 1-06

Full Time: Dublin 1-10 Kilkenny 3-13

 photos.

Report courtesy of We are Dublin.

Dublin 1-10 Kilkenny 3-13

There was plenty of excitement around Parnell Park this afternoon as Dublin got their Championship campaign up and running against Kilkenny.

Before proceedings got underway today there was a minutes silence impeccably observed in memory of Alan and Stephen Harris and the students who lost their lives in the tragic events in Berkeley.

When the game got underway it was Kilkenny who had the better start. Playing with the aid of the breeze they hit the first four points of the game three from play scored by Anna Farrell,Katie Power and Michelle Quilty and a free from Denice Gaule.

Dublin struggled to get to the pace of the game in the opening ten minutes and didn't trouble the Kilkenny goal till a well struck free from Alison Maguire in the eleventh minute finally got the girls in blue up and running.

Kilkenny hit back a minute later with a free from Denice Gaule but Dublin were now starting to get a foothold in the game. But in the seventeenth minute just as the Dubs were starting to enjoy parity possession wise, a long range free from Denice Gaule dropped short and it looked as if Kate Whyte in the blues goal had it covered, but with the ball moving in the swirling wind it unluckily struck her fingers and ended up in the back of the net.

Kilkenny followed it up in the 22nd minute with a fine point from play scored by midfielder Miriam Walsh.

Dublin to their credit though owned the ball for the remainder of the half and were rewarded with three unanswered points two frees, one from Aisling Maher and the other from Alison Maguire and a brilliant point from the now rampaging Siobhan Kehoe.

At the break although Dublin were behind on a scoreline of 0-04 to 1-06 their strong finish to the half and the aid of the breeze to come gave the watching spectators plenty to be optimistic about.

And that optimism got even stronger two minutes into the
second half when Aisling Maher split the post with a well struck free.

But two minutes later the bubble was burst when Kilkenny were awarded a close in free, they went for goal and although it was blocked on the line Dublin failed to clear the ball and it was bundled into the back of the net by Michelle Quilty.

The cats then added another point to their tally thanks to another pointed free from the accurate Denice Gaule.

Seconds later came the score of the game when Dublin's number 13 Siobhan Kehoe picked up the ball, she burst through a couple of would be tacklers leaving them in her wake and hit a bullet of a shot to the back of the Kilkenny net, much to the delight of the Dublin supporters in the ground.

Unfortunately for the girls in blue they didn't drive on and Killkenny hit there third goal of the game when Miriam Walsh broke through the Dubs defence and hand passed the ball into the net.

The two sides then swapped points from frees scored by the Cats Denice Gaule and Dublin's Alison Maguire. Possession was being evenly shared with both sides missing chances before Kilkenny stretched out their lead further with two more Denice Gaule frees.

Dublin though were not done and finished the game strongly, they hit three unanswered points in a four minute spell. A brilliant point from play from Louise O'Hara and two frees, the first scored by substitute Emma Flanagan and it was followed by a long range effort from Alison Maguire.

Dublin's revival was stopped in its tracks when Siobhan Kehoe was sent off after picking up her second yellow card of the game. And Kilkenny put the game to bed with three further points, yet another free from Denice Gaule and two from open play scored by Anna Farrell and Edel Maher.

In injury time Dublin's Alison Maguire hit another well taken free over the bar and seconds later the referee called a halt to proceedings.

It wasn't the result Dublin were looking for today but there were plenty of positives to take into the next game.

They have come on leaps and bounds to where they were this time last year and today's game against last years beaten All Ireland finalist and many people's favorites for the title this year will stand them in good stead for the rest of the Championship.

Dublin Scorers:

Alison Maguire 0-05
Siobhan Kehoe 1-01
Aisling Maher 0-02
Louise O'Hara 0-01
Emma Flanagan 0-01

Kilkenny Scorers:

Denice Gaule 1-07
Michelle Quilty 1-01
Miriam Walsh 1-01
Anna Farrell 0-02
Katie Power 0-01
Edel Maher 0-01