Tipperary one step away from getting back to senior level
LADIES FOOTBALL: TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Final Preview
TIPPERARY v MEATH
Croke Park
Sunday 15th September
Throw-in @ 1.45pm
Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow)
Tipperary haven't hidden away from the fact of their ambition to get back to senior level in ladies football straight away.
As the only team in the intermediate grade playing division 1 football, they were always the class of the field in this years championship. However, that brings with it its own pressures but Tipperary have overcome them to reach the final and are just sixty minutes away from a return to the senior grade.
Meath stand in their way, a side Tipperary are familiar with having had some mighty tussles with them in recent years, including the 2017 All Ireland semi-final which the Premier Girls just edged through by three points having led at one stage by thirteen.
The sides met in the group stage of this years All Ireland Series back in July in Ardfinnan with Tipperary emerging 6-10 to 1-14, again having given up a substantial first half lead before securing the game late.
For a team at intermediate level, Tipperary have some of the more high profile players in the country, none more so than Aishling Moloney whose talents wouldn't look out of place in the senior decider between Dublin and Galway, also on Sunday.
Her scoring feats are remarkable having contributed 6-30 in the five games in the All Ireland series to date with her giant strike able to get her away from defenders as well as having a booming kick.
She will be keen on producing a big performance as she wasn't at her best in the final against Tyrone two years ago, although the Ulster side did their best to restrict her influence on the game as much as possible. Meath will have to try and do the same if they are upset the formbook and in Emma Duggan, they have a player who will give the Tipperary defence plenty to think about.
Tipperary have plenty of attacking weapons if Moloney's influence is negated, including Ashling McCarthy who was player of the match in the 2017 decider. The Cahir lady took time to readjust after her stint in Aussie Rules last winter but has come on with each game and her runs from deep are a huge threat.
The Tipperary team is pretty similar to that which won the 2017 decider, but without the long serving Mairead Morrissey and Gillian O'Brien who called it a day following that success but into their place have come some exciting young talent in the form of Caoimhe Condon, Angela McGuigan and Aherlow sisters Anna Rose & Caitlin Kennedy.
Defensively, Tipperary are very experienced with Templemore's Maria Curley at full back while captain Samantha Lambert will marshall things from the centre back spot.
After the disappointment last year of being relegated, unfairly in many peoples eyes with the scheduling conflict between Camogie and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association last year over Orla O'Dwyer forcing Tipperary to play the relegation semi-final against Cavan in Cavan, they will feel this year is a missed opportunity to bed in at senior level and now have to get back there are the first opportunity or the momentum might start to go out of a team that have better days lying ahead, hopefully starting with next Sunday at Croke Park.