Tipp withstand Kilkenny fightback to reach semi-finals
Tipperary had to withstand a strong second-half comeback from Kilkenny but did enough to hold out to book direct passage to the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship semi-finals on Saturday.
CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship Group 1 Round 5
Tipperary 1-15
Kilkenny 0-15
Report: Joe Scully at the County Camogie Grounds
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Roisin Howard (Tipperary).
SCORERS – Tipperary: Eimear McGrath 0-7 frees; Grace O’Brien 0-4; Karin Blair 1-0; Casey Hennessy, Roisin Howard, Clodagh McIntyre, Mary Bourke 0-1 each.
Kilkenny: Aoife Prendergast 0-9 (6 frees); Kellyann Doyle 0-2; Katie Power, Aoife Doyle, Julianne Malone, Steffi Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Some of Tipp’s experienced players really stood up to the test when the pressure came on in the last ten minutes, as the league champions made it five wins from five in the group stage, thus avoid a quarter final next weekend, as they can now focus on a semi-final in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny on Saturday, 27th July.
In what was the atypical game of two-halves with the wind playing a key role, Tipperary raced into a ten point half-time lead, but Kilkenny came back strongly in the second, and had the gap back to two points inside the last ten minutes, however Tipp’s bench played a key role in getting the home side over the line with the likes of Mary Bourke and Cait Devane, whose experience really shone through, in seeing their side over the line as the strength of the Tipperary squad showed through.
In doing so, the seniors made it a double celebration for the county as they added to the juniors success from earlier in the day after their victory over Armagh, which ensued their qualification for the Junior All-Ireland semi-final also.
Tipperary playing with the aid of a very strong breeze in the opening period, raced into a six-point lead in the opening fifteen minutes with Roisin Howard opening the scoring in the third minute, set up by Caoimhe Maher. Eimear McGrath then added two frees, before Grace O’Brien and Casey Hennessy added two more from play.
Karen Kennedy nearly got in for a goal in the twelfth minute, but her shot was blocked. McGrath then added another free in the 15th minute to leave it 0-6 to 0-0.
The Cats finally got off the mark in the less than a minute later when Steffi Fitzgerald finished off a well-worked team move. Clodagh McIntyre responded for Tipp with a great individual score following a strong run. Aoife Doyle added Kilkenny’s second score moments later after being set up brilliantly by Katie Power, which was then followed by an Aoife Prendergast 45.
The Premier would then hit a purple patch scoring 1-3 in a row, firstly an Eimear McGrath free then a superb Grace O’Brien effort from all of 50 metres. The games’ defining score came in the 29th minute when Karin Blair won the ball high up the field, and played a one-two with Roisin Howard, took the ball on, and finished emphatically past Aoife Norris in the Kilkenny goal, to put her side nine points up.
Grace O’Brien showed her class yet again as she had the gap up to ten points with the final score of the half, with another fine score from distance.
The second half took a few minutes to get going but it was the Leinster champions first off the mark through a free from the very impressive Aoife Prendergast who caused all sort of problems to the Tipp full-back line throughout the second period.
This was followed up by a fine score from sub Kellyanne Doyle following a fine team move. Eimear McGrath hit her sides first score of the half in the 38th minute with a free but this would then spur the away side into action as they would hit the next four scores, with Doyle on the mark again following a mistake in the Tipp defence, then three in a row from Prendergast to leave just five points in it after 43 minutes.
Grace O’Brien then had the gap back at six after another fine score after being set up by Roisin Howard. Kilkenny then hit another purple patch with four points in a row to reduce the gap to just two, thanks to two more from Aoife Prendergast, Julieanne Malone effort before another free from Prendergast.
Tipperary then brought on Mary Bourke and Cait Devane, and almost immediately their experience showed as they started winning ball and getting their side back on the front foot which looked like it was going away from them with Bourke winning a free which McGrath converted for a 1-13 to 0-13 lead after 59 minutes.
The Cats responded with a fine score from Katie Power as the game entered added time. Eimear McGrath added another free before Mary Bourke hit a superb score from out by the sideline to put her side four up.
Aoife Prendergast reduced the gap to three with a free and as Kilkenny pushed for an equalising goal the Tipperary defence held firm to qualify for an All-Ireland semi-final, much to the delight of their fans.
TEAMS – Tipperary: Nicole Walsh (Borris-Ileigh 6); Julieanne Bourke (Borris-Ileigh 7), Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch 7), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7); Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6), Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields, Capt 7), Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6); Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 8), Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs 7); Roisin Howard (Cahir 9), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra 7), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha 6); Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6), Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch 7), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 9).
Subs: Cait Devane (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7) for Hennessy (50); Aoife McGrath (Drom & Inch 6) for Heffernan (50); Mary Bourke (Drom & Inch 7) for O’Brien (56).
Kilkenny: Aoife Norris (6); Michelle Teehan (6), Grace Walsh (8), Ciara Phelan (7); Tiffanie Fitzgerald (6), Niamh Deely (7), Miriam Bambrick (6); Laura Greene (7), Laura Murphy (7); Katie Nolan (6), Katie Power (7), Aoife Doyle (6); Julianne Malone (7), Steffi Fitzgerald (8), Aoife Prendergast (9).
Subs: Sarah Barcoe (7) for Nolan (HT); Kellyann Doyle (8) for Bambrick (HT); Caoimhe Keher Murtagh (6) for Greene (38); Sinead O’Keefe (7) for T Fitzgerald (44).
Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin).