Tipp edged out after good goal not given
CAMOGIE: Munster Senior Championship Semi-Final
Tipperary 0-14
Waterford 0-15
Report: Joe Scully at the Camogie Grounds, The Ragg
Tipperary’s Munster Senior Camogie Championship campaign came to a controversial end at the hands of Waterford following a one-point defeat in the semi-final on Sunday afternoon.
A point by Abbie Flynn in added time was the difference between the sides, but Tipperary will feel robbed after a goal-bound effort by Karen Kennedy in the 55th minute which hit the back of the net, before coming back out onto the field of play, with the referee allowing play to continue, and not awarding the goal.
At this stage the sides were level at fourteen points apiece, and Waterford would go onto hit the winner to book a place in the Munster final against Cork.
The sides served up another thrilling encounter in the latest of what is turning into a very intense rivalry, with Waterford having the upper hand currently, winning four of the last five encounters, with all games being close.
Tipperary will be bitterly disappointed with how the game ended, but will be happy with their overall performance, especially the workrate throughout the team, starting from the full forward line back, not giving the Waterford players any time on the ball.
One major worry are the serious looking injuries sustained by Karen Kennedy and Clodagh Quirke late on ahead of the opening round of the All-Ireland Championship against Cork in late May.
Waterford started the brighter of the sides and were two points to the good in as many minutes, through a Niamh Rockett free, then a fine effort by Maggie Gostl, after being set up by Abbie Flynn.
Tipp would open their account in the fifth minute when Grace O’Brien knocked over a free, which Niamh Rockett replied for the Deise. Tipp would then hit three unanswered points to take the lead through two O’Brien efforts and then Clodagh McIntyre hitting the target.
Waterford were level in the thirteenth minute when 2023 player of the year Beth Carton finished off a fine team move, to which the Premier ladies would respond with three unanswered points, Lucy Purcell pointing first following a great low ball played in by Aoife McGrath, and then two dead-balls from Grace O’Brien.
Carton again responded for Waterford after Niamh Rockett played a 45 to her on the run and the De La Salle star pointed with aplomb. O’Brien and Rockett then exchanged frees to leave Tipp ahead 0-8 to 0-6 after 25 minutes.
O’Brien had the gap back out to three with a fine effort from play out by the sideline, to which Rockett replied with a free before O’Brien had the final say of the half with a monster free from the 65-metre mark out by the sideline as Tipp went in at the break leading 0-10 to 0-7.
The second half started with a flourish when straight from the throw-in Emer O’Neill found herself in possession and the Waterford forward went on a solo run before pointing after just fifteen seconds.
Tipp extended their lead through two O’Brien frees before Waterford struck with two points, a Rockett free, and then a Carton effort from play after an intense period of play, where the Tipp defence made it difficult for Waterford to get a shot away.
Grace O’Brien added another free in the 40th minute to leave the gap at three, but that would be Tipp’s last score for twelve minutes as the away side started to take control. Niamh Rockett added a free, which was followed by a good finish from play by Annie Fitzgerald, and then it was the turn of midfielder Lorrainer Bray to score the leveller on 49 minutes. Two minutes later, Waterford were ahead through a Beth Carton finish, before in the 52nd minute Grace O’Brien had the sides all-square again with a free.
The game would go back and forth from there with both sides pushing to get ahead, and it was in the 55th minute, when Karen Kennedy would see her goal-bound effort hit the roof of the net and bounce back into the field of play, but the green flag wasn’t raised, and play continued to the dismay of the Tipp players, management, and supporter.
As the game entered added time and with neither side able to find a way through, it was Abbie Flynn in the 62nd minute who stepped up to the mark to hit the winner for her side and to end them into a Munster decider for the third year in a row.
TEAMS – Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers 6); Julieanne Bourke (Borris-Ileigh 7), Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7); Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch 8), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra 6), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris 6); Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs 6), Aoife McGrath (Drom & Inch 7), Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Mary Burke (Drom & Inch 6), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha 7); Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Roisin Howard (Cahir 6), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 8).
Subs: Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6) for Purcell (40); Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7) for Corcoran (41); Jean Kelly (Eire Og Annacarty/D 6) for Burke (49); Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch NR) for Kennedy (59 inj); Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines NR) for Quirke (60+3).
Waterford: Noelle Murphy (6); Rachael Walsh (7), Kate Lynch (8), Alannah McNulty (7), Bevin Bowdren (6), Keely Corbett Barry (7), Abbie Flynn (8), Lorraine Bray (8), Orla Hickey (6), Emer O’Neill (7), Beth Carton (9), Niamh Rockett (7), Mairéad O’Brien (6), Annie Fitzgerald (7), Maggie Gostl (6).
Sub: Tara Power (6) for Gostl (53).
Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick).