Sloppiness and missed chances cost Tipp dearly as Galway prevail in league opener

LADIES GAELIC FOOTBALL: Lidl National League Division 2 Round 1

Tipperary 0-7

Galway 2-9

Report: Noel Dundon at Fethard Town Park

Photos: Cahir Media

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Roisin Leonard (Galway)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Anna Rose Kennedy, Neassa Towey (frees), Emma Morrissey (frees) 0-2 each; Kirsty Crotty Ryan 0-1 free.

Galway: Roisin Leonard 1-4 (0-3 frees); Kate Selvin 1-1; Ailbhe Davoren 0-2; Leanne Coen, Andrea Trill 0-1 each.

Two goals in the space of four first half minutes proved to be the undoing of the Tipperary ladies senior footballers in their first round Lidl National League tie on Sunday.

2024 All-Ireland finalists Galway came to town and showed their vast experience as they put the Premier ladies to the sword, pouncing on errors to punish them greatly and eke out a comfortable victory which was never really in doubt.

This game had been switched from Tipperary Town to Fethard Town Park and with the wind howling and the rain lashing, conditions were very tricky, especially with the Astro surface giving an unexpected bounce. The outcome was plenty of handling errors and turnovers, with Tipperary suffering more than their Galway counterparts.

The visitors had kicked three wides and Tipperary one before Emma Morrissey had the first score of the game from a placed ball – it was the only time Tipperary held the lead in the game, though they were well pleased with the first twenty minutes of proceedings, when, playing into that strong breeze, they were more than holding their own.

Roisin Leonard tied up the game with a sixteenth minute Galway opener, but a Kate Slevin goal three minutes later was certainly preventable from a Tipperary viewpoint and a disappointing one to give away, after so much hard work.

Leanne Coen added a Galway point and when they were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute and Roisin Leonard dispatched it to the back of the Tipp net past Lauren Fitzpatrick, the gap was suddenly at seven points. It was a quick, swift about-change in the direction of the game and Tipperary did not deserve to be in arrears of that nature at that juncture of the game.

There was no way for Tipperary to recover and by the interval Galway were 2-3 to 0-2 to the good – Leonard adding another point for them before the half time whistle.

By that stage, Tipperary were down a player also as Sinead O’Carroll was yellow carded for a foul on Chellene Trill in the 26th minute and she would have to sit out ten minutes on the sideline.

Tipp had the breeze in the second half and the hope was that they would really go at Galway as soon as they were back to fifteen players. Ailbhe Davoren though pointed for Galway to extend their lead, but Tipp were attacking with purpose and the Galway keeper Leah O’Halloran was forced to save from Neassa Towey and Hazel Brennan to keep the home side at bay – had either of those opportunities ended up in the net, it could have been a different story as Tipperary would have gotten a major lift.

Instead, Galway pressed on with scores from Ailbhe Davoren and Roisin Leonard (2) to create a 2-7 to 0-3 advantage with a quarter of an hour to go – Neassa Towey getting Tipperary’s third point.

Even the yellow carding of Galway’s Lynsey Noone didn’t help Tipperary’s lot and though the home side was to kick four of the last six points of the game, Galway ran down the clock comfortably to pick up the points. The Tipperary scores came from Anna Rose Kennedy (2), Neassa Towey and Kirsty Crotty Ryan and credit goes to the players for continuing to press and fight the game until the end.

Tipperary came up against a very accomplished Galway side which was well capable of taking scores and punishing errors. They used the ball very well, showed great patience in the build-up and then struck when they found gaps.

In fairness to the Tipp defence, they stood up to the challenge well enough, but at the other end, lack of penetration really hurt. This is something Tipperary will have to address during the course of the league, and they will hope to work on this going forward.

Best for Tipperary were Anna Rose Kennedy, Maria Curley, Emma Cronin, Neassa Towey and Emma Morrissey.

Up next for the Tipperary is a clash with Monaghan in Castleblayney next Sunday and they will be hoping that the opening game will have been of benefit to them for that encounter.

TEAMS - Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry, Capt 6); Nora Martin (Sliabh na mBan 6), Lucy Spillane (Fethard 7), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers 7); Sarah English (Ardfinnan 5), Maria Curley (Templemore 6), Brid Condon (Aherlow 6); Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow 8), Sinead O’Carroll (Ardfinnan 7); Hazel Brennan (Moyle Rovers 7), Neassa Towey (Templemore 6), Aoibhe O’Shea (Mullinahone 6); Niamh Martin (Sliabh na mBan 6); Emma Morrissey (Aherlow 7), Ava Fennessy (Clonmel Commercials 6).

Subs: Katelyn Downey (Boherlahan-Dualla 6) for English (44); Ava Ryan (Moyne-Templetuohy 6) for Brennan (46); Caoimhe Condon (Moyle Rovers 6) for Fennessy (49); Kirsty Crotty Ryan (Moyle Rovers NR) for Morrissey (60).

Galway: Leah O’Halloran (7); Aoife Ni Cheallaigh (6), Maryanne Jordan (6), Kate Geraghty (7); Charlotte Cooney (6), Aoibhinn Eilan (6), Chellene Trill (7); Siobhan Divilly (6), Ailbhe Davoren (7); Leanne Coen (7), Shauna Hynes (7), Lynsey Noone (7); Kate Slevin (7), Roisin Leonard (8), Ailish Morrissey (7).

Subs: Eva Noone (6) for Morrissey (12 inj); Hanna Noone (6) for Conway (46); Andrea Trill (6) for Leonard (56); Sarah No Loinsigh (6) for Ne Cheallaigh (56); Aisling Madden (6) for Hynes (57); Mairead Glynn (NR) for Slevin (60+1); Aoife O’Rourke (NR) for Trill (60+1); Marta Banek (NR) for Coen (60+1).

Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan).