Tipp are second best in all areas to Cork

CAMOGIE: Very Ireland National League Division 1A Round 4

Tipperary 0-7

Cork 1-12

Report: Joe Scully at the Camogie Grounds, The Ragg

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Orlaith Cahalane (Cork).

SCORERS – Tipperary: Grace O’Brien 0-7 (6 frees, 1 45).

Cork: Katrina Mackey 1-2; Orlaith Cahalane, Clodagh Finn 0-3 each; Laura Hayes 0-2; Kate Wall, Sorcha McCartan (free) 0-1 each.

In this battle of the National League and All-Ireland champions, it was the latter who came out on top by a deserved eight points as Cork booked their place in next month’s division 1A final.

Tipperary, who suffered their first defeat of the campaign, can have very few complaints as they were well beaten by a very impressive Cork side, who won the physical battle and caused all types of trouble when running at the Tipp defence.

In far from ideal conditions, Cork won the game in the first half, using the wind to their advantage going in at the break ahead by ten points.

The Premier ladies, while second best throughout, will look back at the game as one where they got nowhere near the levels they can play to. They failed to score from play, with all seven of their points coming from the hurley of Grace O’Brien.

As disappointing as they will be with the defeat and performance, Tipp won’t be too worried just yet and will learn a lot from this game to take into the rest of the year, especially come championship when they will meet Cork again.

Saturday was a tough lesson to learn, but it’s better for them to learn it now than in the championship. The game could have been a bit different if at the start of the second half the home side had converted two goal chances, but Grace O’Brien and Clodagh McIntyre saw their efforts saved brilliantly by Cork keeper Amy Lee.

But overall Cork were the way better team and showed why they are the two-in-a-row All-Ireland champions, and on this performance, it will take some effort for any team to stop them making it three.

Cork got off to a flyer and had the first score after just twenty seconds as Orlaith Cahalane pointed from out wide. Cork added another in the tenth minute through a Sorcha McCartan free.

A minute later, Grace O’Brien opened Tipperary’s account. Cahalane, who caused problems all game, added her second before O’Brien pointed another free in the fifteenth minute, but this would be Tipp’s last score of the half as the Rebelettes would take control, scoring 1-6.

Kate Wall started the scoring as she caught a puck-out, turned her marker and finished well, although Tipperary might have grounds for complaint as Mairead Eviston was fouled by Saoirse McCarthy off the ball as the puck-out was being taken, but play went on and after the score McCarthy was yellow carded.

Clodagh Finn added another after Tipperary lost the ball deep in their own half. Laura Hayes hit the next two scores, the first after playing a one-two with Cahalane, and then the second was a superb effort from distance following a good run.

In the 28th minute, Cork got in for their goal through Katrina Mackey after been picked out in loads of space by Orlaith Cahalane and hit an unstoppable shot to the net. Cork added two more points in added time through Orlaith Cahalane and Mackey as they went in at the break 1-9 to 0-2 ahead.

Tipperary started the second half with the wind advantage and would have been hoping to put it to good effect, and got the opening score through a Grace O’Brien 45, but they failed to get any real momentum as the Cork defence showed their class and gave the Tipp forwards very little opportunity to impact the game.

Katrina Mackey added another point to her tally after being setup by Saoirse McCarthy. Grace O’Brien added another free in the 34th minute, before Clodagh Finn had the gap back to ten two minutes later, with a fine score on the run.

Finn added the next score in the 37th minute to leave the score 1-12 to 0-4, proving to be Cork’s last score of the game. There would be a lull in the game for the next ten minutes, although both teams would have goal chances, but were denied by excellent saves from both keepers.

Grace O’Brien ended the scoring drought in the 46th minute with another free and added another in the 54th minute, before hitting the final score of the game in the first minute of added time from close range.

Next up for Tipperary is a trip to Waterford next Saturday, requiring a win, plus needing Cork to get a result against Galway if they are to qualify for a second successive league final.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers 7); Julieanne Bourke (Borris-Ileigh 7), Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6), Niamh Costigan (Cahir NR); Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6), Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch 7), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris 6); Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6), Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines 6); Kate Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris 7), Roisín Howard (Cahir 6), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha 6); Caithlyn Treacy (Moneygall 6), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra 6), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 7).

Subs: Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6) for Costigan (8 inj); Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch 6) for Cunneen (HT), Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6) for Maher (43); Mary Burke (Drom & Inch 6) for C Treacy (43); Jean Kelly (Eire Og Annacarty/D 6) for Ralph (53); Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers 6) for McIntyre (55); Sarah Madden (Silvermines NR) for Howard (59).

Cork: Amy Lee (8); Meabh Murphy (6), Meabh Cahalane (7), Pamela Mackey (7); Hannah Looney (7), Laura Treacy (8), Laura Hayes (9); Aoife Healy (6), Ashling Thompson (6); Kate Wall (6), Clodagh Finn (8), Saoirse McCarthy (6); Katrina Mackey (8), Sorcha McCartan (6), Orlaith Cahalane (9).

Subs: Ava Fitzgerald (7) for McCartan (27 inj); Emma Murphy (6) for Wall (HT); Orlaith Mullins (NR) for McCarthy (56 mins), Amy O’Connor (NR) for Finn (56); Aoife O’Neill (NR) for M Cahalane (58); Meabh De Burca (NR) for O Cahalane (58).

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).