Tipp fall into the last chance saloon

LADIES FOOTBALL: TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Relegation Semi-Final

Kerry 2-16

Tipperary 0-7

Report: Thomas Conway in Mallow

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Emma Dineen (Kerry)

SCORERS - Kerry: Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh 0-9 (6 frees), Emma Dineen 1-3; Hannah O’Donoghue 1-0; Niamh Carmody 0-2; Louise Galvin, Lorraine Scanlon 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Cliona O’Dwyer 0-2; Angela McGuigan (free), Aisling McCarthy (free), Niamh Hayes, Ava Fennessy, Orla O’Dwyer 0-1 each.

The threat of relegation now looms large for the Tipperary ladies footballers, following a comprehensive defeat to Kerry last Saturday.

While the Kingdom preserved their senior championship status for another season, Tipperary now face the prospect of demotion to the intermediate ranks, their fate set to be determined by a showdown against the losers of the other relegation semi-final between Cavan and Tyrone, which takes place this Saturday in Navan.

Regardless of which side becomes their opponent, Tipp will be forced to cast aside the inevitable disappointment of last weekend’s performance, which replicated many of their previous outings in 2021 - containing glimpses of free-flowing football, but largely dominated by poor defending and the concession of killer goals.

Somewhat like their first championship encounter against Cork, Tipp started with the kind of energy and enthusiasm which is required at the top level of the inter-county game. They were on the scoresheet within the first minute, Orla O’Dwyer drifting a handpass into the path of Niamh Hayes, who cut inside and eschewed a potential goal chance, instead opting to fist the ball over from close-range.

There was pep in Tipp’s step throughout the opening period, and yet, they would fail to register another score in until the 24th minute, spurning numerous chances and a number of frees straight in front of the posts. That failure to convert their dominance into scores was dispiriting, but their movement and ball-exchanges still exuded confidence, until the eleventh minute that is, when Kerry finally managed to shift the fulcrum of the play and land their first score - kicked by the powerful full-forward Emma Dineen.

From there, the situation spiralled, Dineen and sharpshooter Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh treating spectators to a masterclass of swift movement and skilful scoring. Ní Mhuircheartaigh's playing style is distinctly similar to that of a certain former Kerry forward from the men's game. Although she has a relatively slight physical presence, the Corca Dhuibhne corner-forward is as fluent on the ball as she is speaking Irish, ghosting into scoring positions or skipping past defenders with slick footwork. She pushed Kerry in front on twelve minutes, picking up possession out near the sideline before pirouetting around several Tipp defenders and sending her kick between the posts.

Moments later, Dineen had palmed home Kerry’s first goal, after Hannah O’Donohue had dinked a handpass over Lauren Fitzpatrick to leave Dineen with the easiest of finishes.

Fitzpatrick stood out among the Tipp players, pulling off a number of fine saves throughout the course of the sixty-plus minutes. Still, she alone was never going to be able to contain a refined Kerry forward line, and the points continued to flow through Ní Mhuircheartaigh.

By the time the water-break arrived, Tipp trailed by 1-6 to 0-1, but then a revival of sorts seemed to occur. Suddenly, Clíodhna O’Dwyer had broken the scoring drought, and Tipp were now commanding the play. McGuigan knocked over a free, before Fennessy slotted a point from the wing, bringing the deficit back to six. The introduction of Aisling McCarthy gave Declan Carr’s side further momentum, the Cahir woman immediately making her presence felt.

And then, another killer blow. Seconds before referee Kevin Phelan was about to sound the whistle, Hannah O’Donoghue found a gap and broke through, sliding a pass to Ní Mhuircheartaigh, who quickly fed it back to her fellow attacker. She palmed the ball home with a casual touch, her momentum ensuring enough power.

Overturning a nine point half-time deficit against an experienced Kerry side is not easily achieved, particularly when your team is reduced to fourteen players seconds after the restart Ava Fennessy’s sin-bin wounded an already ailing Tipp side, but with attack now the only option, the Premier threw themselves at their opposition.

For a brief period at least, it seemed to work. Orla O’Dwyer hooked over an excellent effort with her left, before McCarthy then slotted a free. Cliona O’Dwyer added another, following hard work from Howard, just as Fennessy reappeared from the sideline. Still, Kerry continued to tag on points and seemed unconcerned by Tipp’s mini revival. Calm and assured with the ball in hand, they transitioned quickly, kick-passing their way up the field to Ní Mhuircheartaigh, Dineen, and Lousie Galvin, who laced one over from the wing in the 46th minute.

Kerry looked unstoppable at the stage and while Tipp did persist until the final-whistle, it was opposition midfielder Niamh Carmody who fittingly brought the curtain down on events, rifling over the final score from thirty metres, and cementing Kerry’s place in next year’s senior championship.

TEAMS – Kerry: Ciara Butler (7), Julie O’Sullivan (7), Aislinn Desmond (8), Ciara Murphy (7), Aishling O’Connell (7), Kayleigh Cronin (7), Cáit Lynch (7), Lorraine Scanlon (8), Niamh Carmody (8), Megan O’Connell (7), Caoimhe Evans (7), Lousie Galvin (7), Hannah O’Donoghue (8), Emma Dineen (9), Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh (9).

Subs: Danielle O’Leary (7) for Evans (48); Ciara O’Brien (7) for Cronin (51); Mary Ellen Bolger (7) for Butler (54); Mary O’Connell (NR) for O’Donoghue (59).

Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry 8), Laura Nagle (Ardfinnan 6), Maria Curley (Templemore 6), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers 7), Elaine Kelly (Cappawhite 7), Lucy Spillane (Fethard 7), Laura Dillon (Ardfinnan 7), Orla O’Dwyer (Boherlahan-Dualla 7), Aoibhe O’Shea (Mullinahone 7), Cliona O’Dwyer (Brian Boru’s 8), Ava Fennessy (Clonmel Commercials 7), Niamh Hayes (Fethard 7), Róisín Howard (Cahir 7), Marie Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields 6), Angela McGuigan (Sliabh na mBan 7).

Subs: Aisling McCarthy (Cahir 7) for Creedon (28); Ellen Moore (Moyne-Templetuohy 6) for Nagle (50), Róisín Daly (Moyne-Templetuohy 6) for McGuigan (55); Elaine Fitzpatrick (Templemore 6) for Howard (55); Clara English (Ardfinnan 6) for Hayes (55).

Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois).