Junior Final/Kilkenny 3-5 London 2-5:Kilkenny secured the West County Cup for the first time in their history when withstanding a valiant London challenge in the TG4 women's junior football championship final.
Two goals inside the opening seven minutes, courtesy of full-back Sarah McCarthy's penalty and a well-struck Lydia Phelan shot, sent the Kittens on their way.
London fought back to gain the lead with goals from Sharon Lynch and Shauna Keogh either side of the interval, but Kilkenny, with captain Caitriona Grace leading by example, responded in style.
The 17-year-old camogie starlet Marie Dargan returned from the sin bin to send Orla McCormack in the clear mid-way through the second half and the super sub, who had looked extremely dangerous since her introduction, unleashed a shot that was too powerful for Sharon Murphy to keep out.
Dargan followed up with a pointed free from distance and though the industrious Kelly Ann Cottrell missed an open goal and Natalie O'Connor reduced the deficit to three points late on, time ran out on the Exiles.
KILKENNY: N Curran; A Murphy, S McCarthy (1-0, pen), N Whelan; L Fennelly, A Purcell, C Grace; B Roche, A Kenneally; N O'Keeffe, M O'Keeffe (0-2), L Phelan (1-0); KA Cottrell (0-1, free), M Dargan (0-2, one free), H Murphy. Subs: O McCormack (1-0) for A Murphy (24 mins); L Gahan for Kenneally (56 mins).
LONDON: S Murphy; D Cassidy, S Daly, R McEvoy; L Tighe, A Murphy, B White; N O'Connor (0-1), H Noonan; A McGillicuddy, S Byrne, N Lee; S Keogh (1-3, 2 frees), S Lynch (1-0), L McDonagh (0-1). Subs: AM Mohan for White (39 mins), C McNicholas for McDonagh (45 mins); C Towey for A Murphy (48 mins).
Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).
