Campion goal the difference for Kilkenny
Kilkenny CBS 1-6 St Peter's 0-6
PHILLY CAMPION'S 15th-minute goal proved decisive as Kilkenny CBS overcame a battling St Peter's College in a hard-fought semi-final in New Ross.
This was a day when defenders won out, as can be gauged by the final scoreline.
The respective attacks fell short in front of goal, creating little in the way of goal chances as they were totally shut out by some excellent defensive play from both sides.
Campion and Andrew Kenny, with a free, exchanged points inside the opening three minutes, with a huge Kenny free into the strong wind putting his side 0-2 to 0-1 ahead after 12 minutes.
The struggle for scores was evident even at this early stage, and it was Campion who cut into the centre on 15 minutes to fire home superbly, sending his side into a 1-1 to 0-2 lead.
A James Langton point handed the Kilkenny side a 1-2 to 0-2 interval lead, and though St Peter's battled back to within a point, sub Benny Bolger fired over twice to edge his side through.
Scorers -- Kilkenny CBS: P Campion 1-1, K Doyle (0-2f),B Bolger 0-2 each, J Langton 0-1. St Peter's College: A Kenny 0-5 (3f), C Heffernan 0-1.
Kilkenny CBS -- D Houlihan; C McGrath, E Coady, S Cassin; N Mullins, E McGrath, M Clifford; J Langton, D Sheehan; K Kenny, JP Treacy, E Fennelly; P Campion, K Doyle, R Fitzpatrick. Subs: B Bolger for Treacy, E Cantwell for Sheehan.
St Peter's College -- L White; S Donohoe, S Murphy, S Doyle; A Butler, J Cash, P Foley; C Heffernan, C Devereux; D Shanley, A Kenny, A Ryan; B Eviston, E O'Byrne, C O Donaghain. Subs: E Wright for Eviston, T Cambell for O'Byrne, B O'Brien for O Donaghain, J Rossiter for Cash.
Ref -- P Murphy (Carlow).
Irish Independent
