TIPPERARY MINOR TEAM
By Declan O’Shea, Assistant PRO
Tipperary Minor Ladies Footballers headed to Castletownroche, Co Cork on Saturday the 3rd of May to contest the eagerly awaited Munster Under 18 ‘A’ Championship Final. Their opponents would be a strong Cork team well used to competing in the ‘A’ grade.
From the throw in it was Tipperary who took the game to Cork and an early Aisling McCarthy point saw Tipperary first to register on the scoreboard. Almost immediately the Cork defence fed their forward line and Eimear Scally rattled the Tipperary net with an unstoppable shot. An Aisling Moloney point from a free saw Tipperary close the early gap but again in the sixth minute Cork’s Saoirse Moore scored a somewhat fortuitous goal with a shot that appeared to be going over but instead dipped into the top right corner of Tipperary’s net. Two Cork goals despite good Tipperary pressure was not the start Tipperary wanted. If anything Tipperary may have over-elaborated at times in attack allowing the Cork defence time to close down any threatening moves. It was Cork who now began to gain the upper hand despite having Aoife Heffernan sin binned on ten minutes for a high challenge. A Cork point was quickly followed by two Cork wides and Tipperary were battling to stay in contention. In the seventeenth minute hard work and determination from Tipperary’s Brid Condon at centre back and Aoife Corcoran in midfield saw Tipperary’s Elaine Fitzpatrick through on goal and she didn’t disappoint with a powerful shot to the Cork net. Tipperary 1-02 to Cork’s 2-01 and Tipperary were now finding the pace more manageable. A mistake in the Tipperary defence on twenty minutes from a ball that should have been cleared allowed Cork another goal but to the Tipperary’s girls credit they finished the half the stronger side adding three points from Aisling McCarthy (2) and Roisin Howard (1). The Tipperary girls were unlucky during the first half when three high balls that appeared to be going over the bar dropped harmlessly into the Cork goalkeepers hands. Half time score Cork 3 – 02 Tipperary 1 -05 and all to play for.
The second half began in similar fashion with Tipperary’s Aisling Moloney first to score from the throw in. Cork then had two wides and Tipperary’s confidence began to soar when Aisling McCarthy scored for Tipperary on three minutes. A Cork point was then followed by two Tipperary wides. Cork were guilty themselves of some poor shooting but it was their ability to score goals which turned this game. In the eleventh minute Cork’s Mairead Corkery found the Tipperary net for their fourth goal and Tipperary now faced an uphill battle. Battle gamely they did though and a lifeline was thrown the team in the next minute when a penalty was awarded to Tipperary. Much rested on this pressure shot but Tipperary’s Aisling McCarthy calmly blasted the ball home. With the score line reading Tipperary 2-07 Cork 4-03 the entire Tipperary team rallied and began to go in search of scores with every opportunity. There was an added bounce in their step as they travelled up the field and if anything it was the Cork side who now looked tired. Two Cork points from frees however allowed the rebels some breathing space with four points between the sides and ten minutes remaining. Tipperary introduced subs at this stage with Elaine Kelly & Dara Walsh joining the fray replacing Hazel Shanahan and Mairead Eviston. An Aoife Corcoran point following a strong run through the middle brought the game back to three points but Cork responded with a point on twenty five minutes. In the final few minutes the Tipperary goalkeeper Lauren Fitzpatrick made two outstanding saves from one on one situations with Cork forwards thereby keeping Tipperary in contention right to the finish. The final Cork point with twenty six minutes on the clock saw Cork lead by five with only minutes remaining. Two final Tipperary substitutes, Megan Shanahan and Maeve O’Gorman for Caoimhe Condon and Elaine Fitzpatrick were Tipperary’s final throw of the dice with Shanahan scoring Tipperary’s last point of the game. Final score – Cork 4-07 Tipperary 2-09.
Understandably players and management were disappointed to lose but this match, played at a tremendous pace throughout the hour will stand to this Tipperary team as they now go and contest the Munster ‘B’ Championship Final. You often learn more in defeat than victory and rest assured that this Tipperary side, a team that battled with honesty and no little skill throughout the game will be back more determined than ever for next weekend’s ‘B’ final against Waterford. Check out www.tipperaryladiesfootball.ie for the fixture.
Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ardfinnan); Mairead Eviston (Templemore), Maureen Murphy (Brian Borus), Louise Cadell (Templemore); Laura Dillon (Ardfinnan), Brid Condon (Aherlow), Hazel Shanahan (Moyle Rovers); Maria Kinnane (Moycarkey Borris), Aoife Corcoran (Cahir); Elaine Fitzpatrick (Templemore), Aisling Moloney (Cahir), Caoimhe Condon (Brian Borus); Roisin Howard (Cahir), Aisling McCarthy, Captain (Cahir), Sarah Everard (Moyle Rovers).
Scorers: Aisling McCarthy 1-4, Elaine Fitzpatrick 1-0, Aisling Moloney 0-2, Aoife Corcoran 0-1, Roisin Howard 0-1, Megan Shanahan 0-1.
Panel: Laura Peters (Galtee Rovers), Dara Walsh (Clonmel Commercials), Elaine Kelly (Cappawhite), Aoibhe O’Shea (Mullinahone), Niamh Butler (Moyne Templetuohy), Clare Walsh (Brian Borus), Niamh Mackey (Clonmel Commercials), Emma Buckley (Cahir), Kate Cashman (Templemore), Maria Curley (Templemore), Megan Shanahan (Moyle Rovers), Eimear Everard (Moyne Templetuohy), Maeve O’Gorman (Aherlow), Roisin Finnane (Galtee Rovers), Sarah Ryan (Clonmel Commercials).
TIPPERARY U14 TEAM
By Michelle Donnelly, PRO
Tipperary travelled just across the county border to Cappamore in Limerick to compete against the host county in the Munster U14 C Championship Final. Tipperary were narrowly beaten by Limerick in their last encounter by a point so this game promised to be an exciting one.
Tipperary started the scoring within the first few minutes of the game with a quick point by Saoirse O’Meara. Tipperary kept the pressure on the Limerick backs and this paid off in the sixth minute when Sarah Delaney raised the green flag. This seemed to be the stimulus that Limerick needed as an unmarked Ciara Clancy netted the ball for Limerick twice with a point in between in the seventh and eighth minute. Tipperary quickly sealed the gap and held Limerick scoreless for the next ten minutes. In the twentieth minute Limerick Captain, Lauren Ryan resumed their scoring with a goal. Sinead Callinan and Lauren Ryan, Limerick added a further two points to this score line before Tipperary’s Anna Rose Kennedy found the back of the net which was Tipperary’s last score of the half but Eimear Kirby, Limerick added a point to their score line before the half time whistle. Limerick 3-4 Tipperary 2-2
Tipperary commenced the second half with a goal from Katie Cunningham in the thirty fourth minute. However, just as in the first half Limerick widened the divide by adding two quick goals and a point in the thirty sixth to thirty eighth minute. In the fortieth and forty first minute Tipperary and Limerick traded points but the deficit of nine points still remained. Tipperary’s management team having already substituted their goalie now looked onto the playing field and made a further three substitutions. This was the catalyst to a blitz of scores from the Tipperary substitutions Caoimhe Ryan and Lauren McCormack with the aid of Roisin Daly to give Tipperary the lead by one point in the fifty sixth minute. They held onto this lead in normal time of the game but due to a number injuries there was five minutes extra time played and this was a sufficient period for the Limerick’s Ciara Clancy to net the ball while Eimear Kirby and Lauren Ryan added a two points to their score line as Limerick eventually secured victory after an exciting contest. Limerick 6-8 Tipperary 5-7
The Tipperary U14 team will go on to compete in the All Ireland U14 Blitz on Saturday May 17th in Kinnegad, Co. Westmeath. Their Munster Championship Competition has ended and Tipperary County Board would like to thank the players for their hard work and dedication to Ladies Football. The Management Team of Ed Burke, Garreth Byrne, Frances Ryan, Mary Murphy and Eanna O’Braonain can be commended for the commitment to the girls and the sport. No U14 player gets to play without the support of their parents and family, thanks to all travelled with this team.
Tipperary Team: Alice Browning (Mullinahone); Linda Murphy (Brian Borus), Laura Stocksborough (Fethard), Sophie Ryan (Fethard); Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials), Rachel O’Donnell (Cahir), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers); Caoimhe Comerford (Arravale Rovers), Sarah Delaney (Boherlahan); Marie Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields), Saoirse O’Meara (Moycarkey Borris), Roisin Daly (Moyne Templetuohy); Anna-Rose Kennedy (Aherlow), Niamh Keane (St. Patrick’s), Katie Cunningham (Lattin Cullen).
Scorers: Caoimhe Ryan 1-1, Sarah Delaney 1-1, Lauren McCormack 0-3, Anna-Rose Kennedy 1-0, Niamh Keane 1-0, Roisin Daly 1-0, Saoirse O’Meara 0-1, Katie Cunningham 0-1.
Subs used: Nicola O’Dwyer (Mullinahone) for Alice Browning (Mullinahone), Caoimhe Ryan (St. Patrick’s) for Linda Murphy (Brian Borus), Lauren McCormack (Thurles Sarsfields) for Saoirse O’Meara (Moycarkey Borris), Muireann O’Connell (Fethard) for Anna-Rose Kennedy (Aherlow).
Information concerning Ladies Football will appear in these notes. If you wish to include any item of interest, please contact us at pro@tipperaryladiesfootball.ie before 8pm on Sunday. Visit the Tipperary Ladies Football web site at www.tipperaryladiesfootball.ie to date with all the latest news in Tipperary Ladies Football.
By Jonathan Cullen Mon 5th May
