Tipp suffer more Big 3 frustration

Munster Senior Camogie Chamoionship Semi-Final

Cork 4-13

Tipperary 0-16

By Enda Treacy

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Amy O’Connor (Cork)

SCORERS - Cork: Katrina Mackey 1-4 (0-2 frees), Amy O’Connor 1-2; Ciara O’Sullivan 1-1; Hannah Looney 1-0; Fiona Keating, Izzy O’Regan 0-2 each, Saoirse McCarthy, Aishling Thompson 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Cait Devane 0-10 (8 frees, 2 ‘45’s), Ereena Fryday 0-2; Karen Kennedy, Grace O’Brien, Miriam Campion, Nicole Walsh 0-1 each.

It was another chastening day for the Tipperary senior camogie team as they suffered another defeat at the hands of rivals Cork in the Munster Championship semi-final at Pairc Ui Rinn on Sunday evening.

While the final scoreline is certainly a harsh reflection on the contest as a whole, Tipperary were never convincing in terms of the possibility of toppling Cork who presented more pace, more accuracy, and much more of a goal threat throughout the contest.

Although this match is meaningless in the context of what this Tipperary team is trying to achieve in the upcoming All-Ireland Championship, they could have done without this result following the recent disappointment of the league semi-final defeat to Kilkenny in Nowlan Park two weeks previous.

But it was obvious in the second half that the result wasn’t the priority for the Tipp management as they hauled off some key players when the game was in the melting pot, but nonetheless, results against the so-called ‘Big 3’ continue to follow a familiar pattern and this was the case once again.

A blistering start from Cork had Tipp chasing their tails as goals from Izzy O’Regan and Amy O’Connor left Bill Mullaney’s charges with an early mountain to climb as they struggled to get set up against the pace of the rebelettes.

By the time Aishling Thompson pointed in the eleventh minute, Tipperary found themselves 2-2 to 0-1 in arrears and when Izzy O’Regan found the range again after eighteen minutes, Tipp greeted the welcome sound of the whistle signalling the first water break, to settle down and get a grip on proceedings.

Katrina Mackey and Aishling Thompson were utterly dominant in midfield and the former grew Cork’s lead further after the resumption with a fine score; Cait Devane responding with her third free a minute later as Tipp couldn’t find any possession in the forward division.

A Fiona Keating point a few minutes later would see the start of the Tipperary revival as they finally started to assert themselves with two Devane frees complimented with points from play from Grace O’Brien, Ereena Fryday (2), and Nicole Walsh to slash the Cork advantage to just two points.

Keating ended an eleven-minute scoring drought for Cork just before the half-hour mark to make it a three-point game, before Eimear Heffernan very nearly netted before the half time whistle, doing very well to cut in from the end line and turning back onto her right side only to fire her effort from close range into the side-netting.

It was a good position for Tipp to find themselves in having struggled in the early part of the first half, but they certainly began the second half well; Devane scoring two placed balls after a Saoirse McCarthy point for Cork.

But Cork have some savage talent in their ranks and the Tipp resurgence didn’t faze them, with Amy O’Connor causing Mary Ryan continuous headaches as she whipped over two great scores in quick succession in the 40th minute, showing savage pace on both occasions to open the opportunities.

Cait Devane frees were keeping Tipp in contention and when her latest effort just before the second half water break sailed over in the 44th minute, coupled with an inspirational gallop downfield and classy finish from Karen Kennedy, the deficit was down to two points again.

Half time substitute Miriam Campion had a chance for a goal, fielding a high ball before striking but her effort was brilliantly foiled by Libby Coppinger. However, Campion was composed on the breaking ball to step back and slot the ball over the bar to make it a one-point game.

Tipp could sense the opportunity was there to take the game by the scruff of the neck and they had the chance to equalise in the 49th minute as Devane had another placed ball and you would have put your house on it going over with the quality she had been delivering all game, but she pulled her effort left to let Cork off the hook.

This was a big moment as Cork were on the ropes but they responded emphatically to the Tipperary pressure, introducing dual start Hannah Looney who made an immediate impact, firstly winning a free for Katrina Mackey to convert, before finishing off a lovely flowing move as she fired past Caoimhe Bourke.

This breathed new life into Cork as they upped it significantly in the remaining minutes as the Tipp effort waned; Katrina Mackey and Fiona Keating both firing over points to open the lead back to six points with time almost up.

Cork finished the game in style with Katrina Mackey cutting through the middle of a jaded Tipperary defence to net deep into injury time and with a meagre response of just two Devane frees in that time, it was curtains for Tipp as the final whistle blew as Cork booked their place in next weekend’s Munster final against Limerick while Tipperary now prepare for the first round of the All-Ireland Championship on July 10th or 11th.

TEAMS - Cork: Amy Lee (7); Ellen Murphy (7), Libby Coppinger (7), Aoife O’Neill (7); Saoirse McCarthy (7), Laura Treacy (8), Laura Hayes (8); Katrina Mackey (8), Aishling Thompson (8); Chloe Sigerson (7), Izzy O’Regan (8), Ciara O’Sullivan (7); Fiona Keating (7), Amy O’Connor (8), Linda Collins (6).

Subs: Hannah Looney (7) for O’Sullivan (46); Cliona Healy (NR) for O’Regan (52); Hannah O’Leary (6) for Collins (58); Emma Murphy (6) for Sigerson (58); Aishling Egan (NR) for Coppinger (60+4).

Tipperary: Caoimhe Bourke (Drom & Inch 7); Julieanne Bourke (Borris-Ileigh 7), Mary Ryan (Moneygall 6), Emer Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6); Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch 7), Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Aoife McGrath (Drom & Inch 6); Sarah Fryday (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6), Roisin Howard (Cahir 6); Ereena Fryday (Knockavilla Kickhams 7), Nicole Walsh (Borris-Ileigh 7), Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch 7); Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 6), Cait Devane (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7), Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla Kickhams 6).

Subs: Miriam Campion (Drom & Inch 7) for Walsh (HT); Karin Blair (Cashel 6) for O’Brien (46); Jean Kelly (Annacarty 6) for Heffernan (49); Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6) for E Fryday (56).

Referee: Aaron Hogg (Clare).