Tipp held after being reeled in by Cork

CAMOGIE: Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship Round 1

Cork 1-11

Tipperary 3-5

Report: Mary Newman at the Castle Grounds, Cork

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Danielle Butler (Tipperary).

SCORERS - Cork: Ali Mulkerrins 1-1, Shona Cronin (1 ‘45), Rachel Murphy (2 frees) 0-3 each; Tara Goulding 0-2, Catherine Murphy, Caoilainn Ryan 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Caoimhe Stakelum 2-4 (0-3 frees), Maeve Cunneen 1-0; Lucy O’Brien 0-1.

It finished honours even in the opening round of the All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship on Sunday as new Munster champions Cork and defending All-Ireland champions Tipperary got their campaigns under way.

Tipperary playing with the aid of the strong wind had the dream start with two Caoimhe Stakelum goals inside three minutes of throw-in.

It took an excellent save from Tipperary keeper Danielle Butler to deny Cork an opening score and they had to wait until ten minutes in before Catherine Murphy pointed to get the home side on the board.

With their defence working hard against the elements, Cork were winning a lot of possession, but wayward shooting saw the hit six wides to Tipperary’s one before Ali Mulkerrins cut the deficit with a goal on 22 minutes, finishing to the net after another Danielle Butler save.

Coming under pressure as the clock ticked towards half time, Cork conceded frees and with Caoimhe Stakelum unerringly putting over three to extend Tipperary’s lead to 2-3 to 1-1 at half time.

Cork started the second half well with points from Tara Goulding (2) and Rachel Murphy but with Lucy O’Brien and Caoimhe Stakelum responded as Tipperary maintained the advantage but as Cork began to gain a grip it took a superb Danielle Butler save to again deny them a goal as she turned Ali Mulkerrins shot over the bar, but points from Shona Cronin and Rachel Murphy had the Tipp lead was down to one.

Tipperary, playing with a sweeper and with Stakelum operating out around the middle, caused Cork problems as she began the move that saw Maeve Cunneen finish to the net to put Tipp four clear with seven minutes remaining.

Cork kept working hard as Rachel Murphy pointed before it took another Butler save to again deny Cork as she turned Shauna Cronin’s effort over for a point. Caoilainn Ryan had the lead down to a point before sub Shauna Cronin pointed a 45, four minutes into injury time to bring the side level.

Play continued for a two further minutes of added time but neither side could find a winner. Tipperary’s next opponents will be Kilkenny in two weeks’ time, the Nore-siders big winners over Dublin.

TEAMS - Cork: Anna Kearney; Ally McGrath, Laoise Ahern, Saoirse Cunningham; Avril Cagney, Aoife Cottrell, Aisling Cussen; Jess Murphy, Caoilainn Ryan; Rachel Murphy, Catherine Murphy, Clara Murphy; Ali Mulkerrins, Tara Goulding, Ava McAuliffe.

Subs: Millie Lombard for Cagney (28 inj); Shona Cronin for Clara Murphy (HT); Kate O’Sullivan for Mulkerrins (50); Maebh O’Brien for Catherine Murphy (58).

Tipperary: Danielle Butler (Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill); Molly Loughnane (Roscrea), Sarah McLoughlin (Boherlahan-Dualla), Leanna Coppinger (Thurles Sarsfields); Clodagh Grimes (Newport/Ballinahinch), Isabelle O’Donnell (Brian Borus), Eva Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris); Rachel O’Meara (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone), Emma Kennedy (Lorrha), Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), Lucy O’Brien (St Patrick’s), Elana McGrath (Holycross/Ballycahill); Eimhear Troy (Toomevara), Ciara Cahill (Drom & Inch), Maeve Cunneen (Silvermines).

Subs: Issy Carr (Holycross/Ballycahill) for Loughnane (40), Isabelle Kingston (Kiladangan) for Troy (46), Ava Gaynor (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for O’Brien (53), Kate Dowling (Moycarkey/Borris) for O’Meara (55).

Referee: Fintan McNamara (Clare).