CORK 0-14
KILKENNY 0-13
Mind games aplenty but Cork win the day.
Cork and Kilkenny have been long-time rivals but there has been considerable heat in this one since the pre-match handshakes of 2016.
Minutes before the game started Cork wing forward Hannah Looney came face-to-face with Kilkenny’s Collette Dormer during the handshakes and her forceful grip provoked a reaction from the corner back.
Handbags at the Camogie final https://t.co/yRzv6Lba9y
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) September 11, 2016
Both sides were back in the 2018 camogie final and the tension was very much on display.
The match officials were struggling to get both sides to break from their huddle before a ball could even be thrown in.
Ref struggling to get teams to break from huddle. Tactical battle has started already!! pic.twitter.com/GWfD6frNTN
— Jacqui Hurley (@jacquihurley) September 9, 2018
Once both sides finally broke from their huddles, the next task was to actually find a sliothar to throw in. That delayed matters a few moments but, all the while, there was commotion down by the Kilkenny goal.
Four Kilkenny defenders and four Cork attackers milled around the goal-mouth and ignored the urgings of the umpires.
The fans were clearly loving the out-of-the-ordinary disruption and both sets of players were cheered on as they jostled and stalked around the square.
Lots going on around the goals before throw in pic.twitter.com/xP3lhGnrCI
— Marie Crowe (@mariecrowe) September 9, 2018
Throw-in was due at 4:15pm but, almost four minutes later, the referee had had enough. The assistants intervened to instruct the players that the game could not begin until all 14 outfield players were marking their opposite number.
Mind-games out of the way, the final eventually got going. Neither side was backing down in the first half, either, as they traded scores to go in 0-8 apiece at the break.
Cork retain their All-Ireland title after finishing out 0-14 to 0-13 winners in a game dominated by frees.
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