Tipp minors beat Galway to stay perfect

Tipperary made it two wins from two in the All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Camogie Championship thanks to an impressive second-half performance to get the better of Galway

CAMOGIE: Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship Round 2

Galway 1-10

Tipperary 0-18

Report: Joe Scully in Loughrea

Tipperary made it two wins from two in the All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Camogie Championship thanks to an impressive second-half performance to get the better of Galway on Sunday.

It was a deserved win for the Munster champions, who maintain their 100% record for the year and sit top of the table as the only side with two wins from two. The Premier County were deserved winners in what was an excellent game, as both teams played some wonderful camogie throughout with some great individual performances, for Tipp from the likes of Paula Quirke, Ciara Shelly, Lucy Purcell, and Danielle Ryan, while Sarah Corcoran and Caoimhe Stakelum both outstanding throughout, were essentially the difference between the sides.

For the Tribeswomen, Emily Brogan, Ava Bloomer, Ella Bergin Caoimhe Kelly and Siobhan Carr impressed as Tipperary overcame the concession of two first-half penalties, both won by Carr, with Caoimhe Kelly missing the first, well-saved by Daniele Butler, but made no mistake with the second, finishing emphatically to the net.

The first half was a very tight affair which ebbed and flowed throughout, but Tipp really stepped it up in the second period, outscoring their opponents 0-11 to 0-5, showing real quality to send out a message to the rest of the teams in the championship that they will be a real force to be reckoned with.

The one worry was losing Eabha Dolan to an ankle injury early in the second half and manager John Ryan will be hoping it is not too serious as she is a key component in the half-back line.

Tipperary were first on the scoresheet, when Lucy Purcell finished off a good team score after just 53 seconds, but Galway responded excellently and were ahead in the fifth minute after scores from Leah O’Halloran and Caoimhe Kelly.

Points from Caoimhe Stakelum and Ava Bevans had the away side back ahead, when Galway were awarded their first penalty in the tenth minute. Caoimhe Kelly would make amends less than a minute later from a free to leave the scores level at three points apiece.

Five minutes later, Galway were awarded a second penalty, once again after Siobhan Carr was fouled by Paula Quirke, and this time Caoimhe Kelly made no mistake, giving Butler no chance to put her side three points up.

Tipp were nearly in for a goal a minute later when a shot from Danielle Ryan was saved by Michelle Gately before the ball was cleared off the line. The Munster side then hit a purple patch, scoring three unanswered points, all through Caoimhe Stakelum, with a superb individual score from play sandwiched in between two frees, the second a monstrous effort from halfway out by the sideline.

The Connacht side hit the next two scores, both from Caoimhe Kelly to go two clear, before Stakelum hit the final score of the half to leave her side trailing by a point, 0-7 to 1-5 at the break.

Galway had the gap out to two in the 32nd minute when Kelly pointed from a free, but Tipperary then hit another purple patch, with four points in row, through Ciara Shelly and Lucy Heffernan, sandwiched between two Danielle Ryan efforts to leave Tipp 0-11 to 1-6 ahead.

Galway would be level by the 46th minute through another Kelly free and an Ellen Birmingham effort from play, and could have had a second goal when Siobhán Carr had a close range effort saved by Danielle Butler.

Caoimhe Stakelum (2) and Lucy Heffernan had the away side up by three, before Caoimhe Kelly responded with another for Galway to leave two-points in it with five minutes left.

Stakelum again showed her class with another superb free from 65 metres. Leah O’Halloran had the gap back to two in the last minute of injury time, but it was Stakelum who once again stood up hitting another two long range frees and a 45 to give her side a deserved four-point victory and leave them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages.

Next up for Tipperary is a trip to Antrim on Sunday 24th March and they will head in to this game full of confidence.

Player of the Match: Caoimhe Stakelum (Tipperary).

Galway: Michelle Gately (6); Aoibhe Donnellan (6), Emily Brogan (7), Katie Burke (6); Ava Bloomer (7), Ciara McGrath (7), Niamh Duffy (6); Ella Bergin (8), Mia Rodgers (6); Caoimhe Callaghan (6), Leah O’Halloran (0-2, 7), Ellen Birmingham (0-1, 7); Caoimhe Kelly (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-7f) 8), Siobhán Carr (7), Emily Lawless (6).

Subs: Sophie Flynn (6) for Bloomer (47); Leah Behan (6) for O’Halloran (52); Ruth Lohan (6) for Bergin (56).

Tipperary: Danielle Butler (Eire Og Annacarty 6); Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla 7), Aoife Mellerick (Newport/Ballinahinch 7), Ellie Franklin (Moyle Rovers 6); Eabha Dolan (Moyle Rovers 7), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris 9), Caithlyn Treacy (Moneygall 6); Ciara Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris 0-1, 7), Aine Dooley (Roscrea 6); Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields 0-1, 7), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty 0-2, 8), Lucy Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty 0-2, 7); Ava Bevans (Borris-Ileigh 0-1, 7), Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields 0-11, 9f) 9), Hannah Butler (Cashel King Cormacs 6).

Subs: Elana McGrath (Holycross/Ballycahill 6) for Dolan (42 inj), Aoife Fitzgerald (Borris-Ileigh 7) for Butler (46); Eimear Troy (Toomevara 6) for Bevans (55); Nicola Kelly (Shannon Rovers NR) for Ryan (60+2).

Referee: Ciaran Goff (Wicklow).