This clash between the group's top two teams was a keenly-contested game which resulted in a narrow win for the Dublin girls. Final score Dublin 1-9 Kerry 0-9

Photos from this game

Dublin pip Kerry to top group.

Dublin 1-9 Kerry 0-9

This clash between the group’s top two teams was a well-contested game with both sides giving fine displays of the skills of the game in the glorious sunshine at Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown. The hooking, blocking and relentless pressure applied when players were on the ball ensured that scores would be hard to come by.

Dublin started the better and had 2 early points on the board courtesy of corner forwards Laoise Quinn and Emer Keenan before Kerry registered their first score – a point from star forward Patrice Diggin who went on to score all of Kerry’s scores. Both corner forwards each added a point to give Dublin a 4 point to 1 lead with 10 minutes of the half remaining.  Dublin mid fielders Grainne Power and Roisin Drohan together with the half backs were winning good possession but the Kerry backs defended resolutely preventing the inside forwards from adding to the score. Kerry added 2 more points, frees from Patrice Diggin before the end of the half. But sandwiched between these 2 scores was a Dublin goal, the game’s turning point. A tentative shot goalwards from full forward, Aoife Bugler was misjudged by the otherwise reliable Kerry keeper Michelle O’Carroll and the sliotar ended up in the net. The score at half time Dublin 1-4 Kerry 0-3

Kerry started the second half very well having their best spell in the game. They ran at the Dublin defence every chance they got and were rewarded with 3 early pointed frees, one a brilliant effort from the half way line. Dublin replied with the score of the game, a brilliant individual point from play from Caragh Dawson out on the right wing. Kerry forwards continued to draw frees 2 of which were converted to leave the scores level 1-5 to 0-8 half way through the half. Unfortunately for Kerry centre back Sarah Murphy was sent off as a result of 2 yellow cards. Dublin now piled on the pressure with Laoise Quinn sending over 3 points to give them a three point lead going into the last 5 minutes. To their credit Kerry fought bravely but missed a few frees at this vital stage. Top scorers on both teams each added a further point to leave the final score Dublin 1-9 Kerry 0-9.

This was a very enjoyable game played by 2 evenly matched teams. Well done to the players of both teams. Dublin and Kerry are through to the semi-finals

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)

Scorers:

Dublin: Laoise Quinn 0-6 (4 frees, 1@45), Aoife Bugler 1-0, Emer Keegan 0-2 and Caragh Dawson 0-1

Kerry: Patrice Diggin 0-9 all frees.

Dublin: 1 Aisling Spillane Skerries Harps 2 Ciara Buchanan St Finians 3 Laura Walsh Naomh Mearnóg 4 Róisín McLoughlin Naomh Olaf 5 Gráinne Free Na Fianna 6 Deirdre Johnstone Naomh Uinsionn 7 Eimear O’Riordan Naomh Jude 8 Grainne Power Naomh Mearnóg 9 Róisín Drohan Naomh Uinsionn 10 Sinéad Nolan Naomh Jude 11 Roisin Baker Na Fianna 12 Caragh Dawson Naomh Jude 13 Emer Keenan Lucan Sarsfields 14 Aoife Bugler St. Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh 15 Laoise Quinn St. Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh

16 Chleo Ní Cheallaigh Naomh Olaf 17 Aoife Dooley Raheny 18 Aoife Walsh Naomh Jude 19 Emma Barron Naomh Jude 20 Kate Mulvey Whitehall Colmcille 21 Emma Young CBC 22 Nadine Murphy

Naomh Uinsionn 23 Emma O’Flynn Lucan Sarsfields 24 Caoimhe Ní Mhaolagáin St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh 25 Ciara Carolan St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh

Subs for Dublin: Emma Flynn from the start for injured Roisín McLoughlan. Aoife Dooley and Nadine Murphy came on in the second half.

Kerry: 1 Michelle O’Carroll 2 Michelle Costello 3 Niamh Leen 4 Liz Houlihan 5 Orla Young 6 Sara Murphy 7 Elaine Ryall 8 Aoife Behan 9 Olivia Dineen 10 Jackie Horgan 11 Patrice Diggin 12 Julianne O’Keeffe 13 Alannah Whelan 14 Anne Marie Leen 15 Jessica Fitzell

16 Aine O’Connor 17 Treise Moran 18 Megan Weir 19 Laura Collins 20 Alanna Maunsell 21 Rachel McCarthy 22 Clodagh Walsh 23 Norette Casey 24 Eilish Harrington 25 Andrea Hanly 26 Mairead Fitzgerald 27 Naimh Rid 28 Sadhbhe Horgan 29 Nessa McGarty