Tipp impress in seeing off Waterford

Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Division 1

Tipperary 2-16

Waterford 0-11

By Liam Hogan

A superb first half performance was enough to see off Waterford in round 2 of the Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Division 1 in Clonmel on Saturday.

MATCH DIGEST

SCORERS – Tipperary: Cait Devane 0-12 (8 frees, 1’45); Clodagh McIntyre 1-1; Eimear McGrath 1-1; Mary Ryan, Emer Loughman 0-1 each.

Waterford: Beth Carton 0-6 (3 frees); Sarah Lacey 0-2; Ciara O’Sullivan, Vicki Falconer, Mairead O’Brien 0-1 each.

It was the perfect response to the defeat against Cork in the first round and playing with a stiff breeze, Tipp had that perfect start twenty seconds in when Clodagh McIntyre had the Waterford net bulging after taking an assist from Cait Devane. From the it became the Cait Devane show as the Clonoulty/Rossmore star scored nine of the dozen collected over the hour.

Clodagh McIntyre might have doubled her goal tally in the 14th minute but Brianna O’Regan was equal to her shot. However, play was called for Devane to convert the resulting free. After the water break Devane’s point from close to the sideline was a thing of beauty revealing to the world that she has much to her repertoire as she displayed brilliant stickwork before winning a free in the 22nd minute allowing her win and convert a 45 metre free. Two minutes later, Clodagh McIntyre increased Tipp’s lead and Mary Ryan, for once away from her full back position, added another to make it 1-10 to 0-2.

Once Emer McGrath broke free of the Waterford cover to score Tipp’s second goal in the 29th minute there was only one outcome as Tipp went 2-11 to 0-3 clear at the break.

The Deise took the initiative early in the second half and outscored Tipp 0-5 to 0-2 thanks to scores by Vicki Falconer, Ciara O’Sullivan, Sarah Lacey and Beth Carton. Waterford had chances of a goal and in the 35th minute Niamh Rockett put Caoimhe Bourke to the test. Three minutes later, Orla Hickey got clear on goal but Julieanne Bourke was brave with good block.

Tipp were 2-13 to 0-8 clear at the final water-break. And when the teams returned to play, Tipp regained their composure and Cait Devane added two points by the 55th minute.

Waterford tried to regain lost ground but were unable to get through a resolute Tipp defence where Mary Ryan, Karen Kennedy, Aoife McGrath and Clodagh Quirke were to the fore. Quirke departed the scene with a knee injury which was a cause of concern for manager Bill Mullaney.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Caoimhe Bourke; Julieanne Burke, Mary Ryan, Clodagh Quirke; Mairead Eviston, Karen Kennedy, Aoife McGrath; Caoimhe McCarthy, Emer Loughman; Eimear McGrath, Nicole Walsh, Casey Hennessy; Ereena Fryday, Cait Devane, Clodagh McIntyre.

Subs: Roisin Howard for Hennessy (HT); Grace O’Brien for Loughman (39); Sarah Friday for A McGrath (48); Jean Kelly for E McGrath (48); Grace O’Toole for Quirke (58 inj); Eimear Heffernan for McCarthy (58).

Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Sibeal Harney, Iona Heffernan, Keeley Corbett-Barry; Kate Lynch, Clodagh Carroll, Lorraine Bray; Orla Hickey, Shauna Curran; Niamh Rockett, Beth Carton, Abbey Flynn; Ciara O’Sullivan, Sarah Lacey, Vicki Falconer.

Subs: Clara Griffin for Heffernan (HT); Shauna Fitzgerald for Hickey (HT); Mairead O’Brien for Falconer (45); Aoife Fitzgerald for Curran (52); Claire Whyte for Corbett Barry (55).

Referee: John McDonagh (Galway)