Harsh red card prevents Tipp from having a chance to recover

By Thomas Conway

All-Ireland final scripts rarely write themselves. The narrative is almost always convoluted - full of extraordinary twists and impossible turns. Full of small, rapid decisions, made under high-stakes pressure at critical moments, forged in the heat of battle when the action is at its most intense. These decisions, by players, managers and even officials, dictate the narrative, shaping the outcome and often deciding which side enjoys the ecstasy of victory and which one suffers the agony of defeat.

There were plenty of those, highly consequential decisions made in last Sunday’s All-Ireland Premier Junior Final - by players, managers, and officials. Referee Bernard Heanan’s decision to dismiss Claire Brennan in the 42nd minute was one such example. The red card wasn’t the sole reason for Tipperary’s defeat, but it fundamentally altered the flow of the game and tipped the balance substantially in Clare’s favour. The red card came at a pivotal moment. Clare were in the midst of a bright purple-patch and Tipperary were languishing. Brennan’s dismissal accentuated those trends. Had she not been sent walking, Tipp might, might have been able to muster a comeback. But they didn’t.

On balance however, when viewed in the cold light of day, Clare were the better side here. Like Tipp, they had stormed their way through this year’s All-Ireland championship, beating teams by cricket scores and barely experiencing anything that resembled a proper test on route to the final. Neither side belonged in the Premier Junior grade, and both knew it. These were two intermediate sides slogging it out for a place in their rightful grade.

And yet only Clare will advance, which seems like a travesty in itself. Granted, they were the better side, and they struck the decisive blows at critical times, but it seems like an injustice that Tipperary should be forced to spend another term in Junior. They are playing below their pay grade and anyone who has observed this year’s championship will testify to that.

MARVELOUS START

On the game itself, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when and where things went wrong for Tipp. They started marvellously, blazing their way into the game, and working their way into a six-point lead midway through the first. It could have been nine as well, had Sinéad Hogg not intervened with a last minute interception to deny Clodagh Horgan an almost certain second Tipperary goal. Had Horgan’s effort sailed past Clare keeper Lauran Solon, then the complexion of this game would have changed entirely.

Instead, Clare steadily eroded Tipp’s advantage, whittling down the deficit and eventually restoring parity by the time the half-time break arrived. At 1-5 apiece, things were finely balanced, and the third quarter was always going to be crucial.

But Clare nailed it. Whatever was said in that dressing-room at half-time, the Banner emerged from it a reawakened force. They looked sharper, more vivacious, and more engaged, as if they had suddenly woken up and realised the gravity of the situation, they had found themselves in. And of course, the old mantra rings true - goals win games. In this instance, Caoimhe Cahill and Labhaoise O’Donnell were the providers, each netting within moments of one another.

Those two blows, taken together, effectively crushed Tipp, both psychologically and physically. They looked devoid of energy in that third quarter, and completely out of ideas. Clare were awesome, Tipp were average, but the Premier didn’t give up or relinquish their challenge. They kept on fighting, fighting agonisingly hard, and actually rendered Clare scoreless during the closing fifteen minutes.

Which brings us to the sending off. Whether or not Ciara Brennan deserved that second yellow card will be a subject of debate for weeks, perhaps even months to come. Her first offence, committed in the first-half, had been relatively harsh, but her second yellow owed itself to the peculiarly outdated and poorly constructed rule in the camogie rulebook which punishes the attacking player for barging in the event of a clash of bodies. For years, camogie observers and onlookers have decried this particular regulation, and for years the Camogie Association have remained mute on the subject. Perhaps now is the time for a complete reassessment of the rule. Camogie has become more physical, more confrontational, and more combative in recent years. Clashes between players are an inevitable feature of the game. On occasion they can be dangerous and warrant serious action on the part of the referee, but in other instances these hits are just a common feature of an increasingly physical game. They add to the drama, help to create the spectacle.

Ciara Brennan was presumably inconsolable at the final whistle, but really and truly, the St. Cillian’s club woman was the victim of a flaw in the camogie rulebook. She shouldn’t have been dismissed - that was the consensus of The Sunday Game analysts later that evening, and it was the opinion of many of the spectators which observed events unfold in Croke Park last Sunday.

But it shouldn’t take away from Clare’s victory. As stated previously, they were, on balance, the better side - the sharper and more rounded outfit. Tipp weren’t far off them, it must be said, but the Banner women had that little bit extra, that little bit of spice in various departments across the pitch. Killaloe woman and Scariff-Ogonelloe defender Jennifer Daly was superb, running from deep and forcing the Tipp half-back line to realign themselves whilst under serious pressure.

Full-forward Sarah Loughnane was also immense. Clare’s attack revolved around her and why wouldn’t it. The SNA worker from Sixmilebridge was the beating heart of that Clare forward line. She flourished on Sunday, and when it came to it, when the stakes were raised and the pressure was highest, so too did Clare.

Tipp didn’t lose this game because of nerves. They weren’t overwhelmed by the gravity of the occasion or intimidated by the citadel surrounds of Croke Park. They were defeated on merit, by a Clare outfit which turned out to be that bit more mature and ever so slightly sharper at critical junctures in this game.

Ultimately, the final analysis will tell of how Clare reeled in a six point deficit and turned it around to secure a comfortable four point win. It will tell of a game in which Tipp had a golden opportunity, but failed to capitalise on a handsome six point lead and instead surrendered it uncharacteristically. But this Tipp side has other characteristics, resilience amongst them. They will bounce back, just like their senior team will. But just like their seniors they will not forget the disappointment of 2023. Perhaps it will drive them on to greater things. Perhaps the taste of an All-Ireland final defeat will prove so unpalatable that this group of players will make a silent promise never to experience it again. For many of those players, a bright future beckons, but right now, there is only heartache.