Much needed silverware for Tipperary

Munster Intermediate Camogie Championship Final

Tipperary 1-15

Cork 0-12

Report: Enda Treacy at the Ragg

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Deirdre Dunne (Tipperary)

SCORERS - Tipperary: Jenny Grace 1-8 (1-0 pen, 0-7 frees), Deirdre Dunne 0-5, Sinead Meagher 0-2.

Cork: Ali Smith 0-5 (3 frees, 1 ‘45), Hayley Ryan 0-4 (3 frees), Finola Neville, Katie Walsh, Rachel O’Shea 0-1 each.

A superb team display led by the sharpshooters Deirdre Dunne and Jenny Grace regained the Munster Intermediate Camogie title for the Tipperary on Saturday.

This was a decisive victory from Tipperary who were the better team throughout as they led from start to finish with Jenny Grace’s penalty in the eleventh minute proving to be the decisive score.

There were some exceptional performances all around the field, with the aforementioned Grace and Dunne leading the scoring charge – Dunne showing real big-game experience with expert finishing – while Nicola Loughnane and Sinead Meagher formed an excellent partnership up front with Loughnane, in particular, setting up countless scores.

Meanness in the Tipperary defence was a key feature too, with the back-six having excellent outings and restricted Cork to just five points from play, hassling and harrying like demons to give Tipp a solid foundation for the victory.

The home side got off to a solid start with Deirdre Dunne notching the first of her five points inside the first minute. Jenny Grace added a free as Tipp settled nicely with Cork struggling to get on the ball but eventually, the rebelettes found their opening score from an Ali Smith free in the sixth minute.

A pivotal moment came on the ten minutes as Tipperary were awarded a penalty when Sinead Meagher found herself through on goal after savage work from Nicola Loughnane who kicked the ball through to the Kiladangan player who was unceremoniously brought down by Niamh O’Leary. Up stepped Jenny Grace to rifle it low into the bottom corner to give Tipp a four-point lead.

Cork weren’t going to lie down and the water-break came at the right time for them as they settled down after the restart notching the next two points from another Smith free and a lovely run and finish from Rachel O’Shea.

Loughnane and Meagher were causing havoc, left inside with space and they were making hay with Meagher setting up Dunne for another score just after a Jenny Grace free to re-open the four-point lead again.

Deirdre Dunne was proving to be unmarkable as she was popping up everywhere and she pounced on a wayward puckout to add her third of the day as Cork were beginning to make mistakes, as Grace and Hayley Ryan trading frees to see out the half and give Tipp a 1-7 to 0-5 lead.

Early scores in the second half – from Dunne and Sinead Meagher put Tipp into a good position but Cork were not going to let the game slip away from and points from Hayley Ryan, Finola Neville and Ali Smith kept them hanging onto Tipp's coat-tails after 42 minutes.

However, Cork were unable to shackle the lively Tipperary attack and Nicola Loughnane was a terrorising figure again before the water break, setting up scores for Dunne and Meagher again which gave Tipp a four-point advantage, 1-11 to 0-10.

The finishing line was in sight for Tipperary, and they didn’t waver going down the home stretch and their vice-captain and the most experienced player came to the fore; Jenny Grace showing her impressive qualities from dead balls to notch the next four points with her last a lovely score from play.

Cork tried hard to create some opportunities for goals in the final few minutes but Tipp were too tight in the defence with Niamh Long, Gemma Fox and Christina Brennan, in particular, repelling the Cork waves. Cork could only muster two points from Smith and Ryan to make the score tighter at first glance, but in reality, Tipperary bossed the game from start to finish as joint-captains Jenny Grace and Courtney Ryan lifted the Máire Ní Cheallacháin Cup for the second year in succession.

The intermediate team will now have a three-week break to prepare for the All-Ireland series where they will face Kerry in the first round on Saturday 24th July, before matches with Laois and Derry.

TEAMS - Tipperary: Sarah Quigley (Nenagh Eire Og 7); Niamh Long (Drom & Inch 8), Christina Brennan (Drom & Inch 8), Ciara Ryan (Silvermines 7); Margaret Quigley (Toomevara 7), Gemma Fox (Eire Og Annacarty 8), Emma Carey (Thurles Sarsfields 7); Mary Bourke (Drom & Inch 7), Courtney Ryan (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7); Jill Anne Quirke (Toomevara 7), Jenny Grace (Burgess/Duharra 7), Nicola Loughnane (Thurles Sarsfields 8); Deirdre Dunne (9), Sinead Meagher (Kiladangan 8), Clare Hogan (St Cillian’s 7).

Subs: Caroline Browne (Nenagh Eire Og 6) for Quirke (46); Leah Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty 6) for Hogan (55); Roseanna O’Donnell (Eire Og Annacarty NR) for Meagher (60+1); Sabrina Larkin (Shannon Rovers NR) for Loughnane (60+2).

Cork: Stef Beausang (7); Niamh O’Leary (7), Aoife O’Callaghan (7), Aine Crowley (6); Laura Callanan (6), Claire Kingston (7), Kate Kilcommins (6); Rachel Harty (7), Michelle Murphy (7); Katie O’Keeffe (7), Finola Neville (7), Cliona O’Leary (7); Hayley Ryan (8), Katie Walsh (7), Ali Smith (7).

Subs: Rachel O’Shea (7) for C O’Leary (41); Aoife Hurley (6) for O’Keeffe (41); Cliona O’Callaghan (NR) for Murphy (56).

Referee: Kevin O’Brien (Limerick).