Tipp run out of gas in extra time

CAMOGIE: Munster Under 23 Championship Final

Cork 3-15

Tipperary 0-14

(after extra time)

Report: Joe Scully in Kilmallock

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Amy Sheppard (Cork)

SCORERS – Cork: Amy Sheppard 1-9 (0-6 frees); Claudia Keane 1-2; Daire O’Brien (free), Avril Cashman, Isobel Sheehan 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Aoife Dwyer 0-7 (6 frees); Danielle Ryan 0-3; Anna Fahie, Orla O’Brien, Grace Moloney, Ciara Gleeson, Erin Curtin, Ella Wigginton Barrett 0-1 each.

Tipperary missed out on becoming the inaugural winners of the Munster Under 23 Camogie Championship as they were over-run by an impressive Cork side, after extra time, of the final on Bank Holiday Monday.

Cork had just too much in the tank during the extra twenty minutes as they outscored a tired Tipp 2-4 to no score.

While, the Premier ladies will be disappointed with the final result, they will be delighted with aspects of their performance, particularly the second half display in normal time, when they played some superb camogie and really put it up to Cork.

The final margin was very harsh on Tipp as there was very little between the two sides over the first hour, but Cork had too much in the tank for a young Tipp side who can take great encouragement from this outing as they look forward to a tilt at the first ever All-Ireland Championship in May.

Cork started the better and were two points up in the eighth minute as Tipperary struggled to get a foothold; full forward Claudine Keane with the scores, before the very impressive Amy Sheppard hit their third from a free in the tenth minute.

Tipperary finally got off the mark in the fifteenth minute with a fine score from Aoife Dwyer following a great catch and finish. Grace Moloney had the gap back to one in the 20th minute.

Cork added two more scores, both frees by Sheppard, which Tipp would respond with two points, the first a free from Dwyer, and then a fine score from Anna Fahie following a flowing team move.

Cork would finish the half strongly with three unanswered scores, the first a monster point from Avril Cashman from halfway. Amy Sheppard added a free, before she hit the final score of the half in the fifth minute of added time, with a good finish from out wide, as Cork led 0-8 to 0-4.

The game really went up a notch in the second half, with both teams really going at it and putting everything on the line. Tipperary were first off the mark following a good team move, with the ball finding its way to Danielle Ryan and she pointed with aplomb.

Four minutes later, Cork got in for their opening goal when Amy Sheppard won the ball out wide, turned her marker, and ran towards goal, and even though her shot lacked real power it managed to find its way to the back of the net to put Cork six ahead and seemingly in control of things.

Tipperary did not let this setback affect them and responded magnificently, hitting five unanswered scores to get back to within a point by the 45th minute. They nearly responded to the Cork goal with a goal of their own straight from the puckout, but Kate Ferncombe had her shot saved.

In the 37th minute, Aoife Dwyer pointed a free, and from the resultant puckout Ciara Gleeson made a superb catch and pointed on the run. Once again from the next puckout Tipp won the breaking ball and Orla O’Brien reduced the gap even further.

All the momentum was now with the blue and gold and another free from Aoife Dwyer in the 41st minute had the score at 1-8 to 0-9. Dwyer added another free in the 45th minute to leave just the solitary point between the sides.

Cork would put an end to the Tipp momentum when Amy Sheppard added another to her tally with a fine individual score. Dwyer had the gap back to a point with a free in the 47th minute before Cork sub Isobel Sheehan increased her sides lead with a superb effort from play.

Dwyer hit another free in the 51st minute and the sides were level by the 55th minute following a Danielle Ryan point.

Cork were nearly in for a goal in the 57th minute but Claudia Keane saw her effort blocked out for a 45 which Sheppard converted to put her side a point ahead.

Danielle Ryan levelled in the last minute of normal time to send the game to extra time following a frantic finish to the game.

However, extra time was dominated by Cork as Tipp just seemed to run out of steam and points in the first period from Daire O’Brien, Ella Wigginton Barrett and Amy Sheppard gave Cork a three-point cushion at the break.

Sheppard increased it early in the second period, and Cork made sure of the win in added time with two goals, the first from Errin Currin after Tipperary keeper Aine Slattery had initially pulled off a great save, and then Claudia Keane added another goal after beating Slattery to the ball and knocking it into the empty net.

TEAMS – Cork: Caoimhe Buckley (7), Maedhbh De Búrca (6), Laura Dunlea (7), Claire Kingston (9), Amy O’Riordan (7), Daire O’Brien (8), Avril Cashman (7), Edel Sheehan (7), Eimear Duignan (6), Niamh McNabola (7), Emily O’Donoghue (6), Nicole Olden (8), Amy Sheppard (9), Claudia Keane (8), Rose Murphy (6).

Subs: Ciara Golden (7) for De Búrca (18 inj); Isobel Sheehan (7) for Olden (43); Amy McCarthy (6) for O’Donoghue (44); Erin Curtin (7) for McNabola (49); Ella Wigginton Barrett (6) for Keane (57), Niamh McNabola for Murphy (13 ET); Claudia Keane for Sheppard (15 ET).

Tipperary: Aine Slattery (Shannon Rovers 7); Lorna Ryan (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6), Maria Connolly (Drom & Inch 8), Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla 7); Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers 8), Miriam Murphy (Silvermines 7), Lily Fahie (Cashel King Cormacs 6); Anna Fahie (Cashel King Cormacs 7), Orla O’Brien (Eire Og Annacarty/D 7); Grace Moloney (Cashel King Cormacs 6), Kate Ferncombe (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6), Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields 8); Ciara Gleeson (Kiladangan 7), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty/D 9), Eva O’Dwyer (Eire Og Annacarty/D 6).

Subs: Ava Bevans (Borris-Ileigh 6) for O’Dwyer (48), Ciara Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris 6) for Dwyer (6 ET inj); Aoife Fitzgerald (Borris-Ileigh 6) for Ferncombe (HT ET); Caoimhe McCormack (Knockavilla-D Kickhams NR) for Guinan (17 ET inj); Emma Kelly (Borris-Ileigh NR) for L Fahie (20 ET); Eimear Fogarty (Shannon Rovers NR) for Murphy (20+2 ET).

Referee: Dan McKenna (Limerick).