Comfortable win puts Tipperary through to Munster camogie final
Tipp will face Waterford or Kerry in decider
Tipperary 0-25 Limerick 1-12
Tipperary qualified for the Munster Senior Camogie final following a comfortable ten-point victory over a gallant Limerick side in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
After an even opening ten minutes, the Blue and Gold upped the tempo and Limerick were unable to cope with the pressure applied in both attack and defence by last year’s beaten All-Ireland semi-finalists.
It was a very impressive team performance from Tipp, with the workrate of their forward line particularly impressive, as they put the Limerick defence under severe pressure every time they tried to play out from the back. Also impressive was the fact Tipperary only conceded 1-3 from play, although the free count where Tipp conceded 15 frees throughout will be a worry for manager James Heffernan ahead of the Munster final in three weeks’ time.
Tipp opened the scoring in the second minute when Róisín Howard pointed following good play by Caoimhe Stakelum. Limerick were soon level through a Donna Kenny free, and then two frees by Eimear McGrath had Tipperary two ahead in the sixth minute.
Another free from Kenny had the gap back to one, before Tipperary started to take control of proceedings, hitting seven in a row, as they started to dominate the Limerick puckout. Kate Ralph scored the first of them after a Limerick defender was overturned in possession and from the resultant puckout Karen Kennedy found the target. Caoimhe Stakelum fired over next from out near the sideline before Róisín Howard added another, with Eimear McGrath then pointing from a free.
Eimear Heffernan made it 0-9 to 0-2 in the 20th minute, with Caoimhe Stakelum adding the tenth point a minute later following a fine catch and turn. The Thurles player also added the next score, after being set up by Róisín Howard in the 23rd minute to leave Tipp nine ahead.
Limerick started to come more into the game and hit three-in-a-row, all frees from the stick of Donna Kenny. Eimear McGrath responded with a free for the Premier County, before Caoimhe McCarthy found herself running onto a ground pass from Eimear McGrath from an indirect free and the Knockavilla woman had an easy finish. Donna Kenny finished the scoring for the half in added time with another free, as Tipp went in at the break ahead by 0-13 to 0-6.
Limerick opened the scoring in the second half, another Donna Kenny free, with Eimear McGrath responding with a free of her own, before Róisín Howard struck with two points from play. Another free from Kenny left the score at 0-16 to 0-8 after 36 minutes. A McGrath free extended Tipp’s lead, before a superb team move from Tipp ended with Caoimhe McCarthy pointing.
Eimear McGrath then added two frees in-a-row, then in the 45th minute the Treaty women had their first score from play when Lizanna Boylan made a storming run down the centre, and after her first effort was hooked her follow-up shot found the back of the Tipp net.
Tipperary responded in fine fashion, however, scoring the next five points, firstly from sub Aoife Dwyer, and then another sub, Jean Kelly, tapped over after Dwyer’s first effort had been brilliantly saved by Sarah Gillane in the Limerick goal. Caoimhe Stakelum had Tipp’s 23rd point of the day, before an Eimear Heffernan double finished Tipp’s scoring, the first after Gillane in the Limerick goal pulled off yet another stunning save to deny Aoife Dwyer, with the rebound falling to Heffernan.
Limerick finished the stronger as they struck the last four scores of the game, with two from their own super sub Dearbhla Egan, the first her side's opening point from play. Laura Southern added the next, before a fine effort from midfielder Orlaith Kelleher in added time was the last score of the game. Tipp await the winners of this weekend’s other semi-final between Waterford and Kerry.
Player of the match: Róisín Howard (Tipperary).
Tipperary: Laura Leenane (6), Amy Quinlisk (6), Mairead Eviston (7), Clodagh Quirke (6), Karin Blair (7), Caoimhe Maher (7), Caoimhe McCarthy (7) (0-2), Karen Kennedy (7) (0-1), Kate Ralph (6) (0-1), Eimear Heffernan (7) (0-3 1f), Roisin Howard (8) (0-5), Clodagh Mcintyre (6), Caoimhe Stakelum (7) (0-5 2f), Eimear McGrath (7) (0-6f), Grace O’Brien (6).
Subs: Jean Kelly (6) (0-1) for E McGrath (39 mins), Lucy Purcell (6) for K Ralph (44 mins), Aoife Dwyer (6) (0-1) for C McIntyre ((47 mins), Sarah Corcoran (6) for K Blair (55 mins), Casey Hennessy (6) for C Stakelum (55 mins).
Limerick: Sarah Gillane (8), Teresa Dore (6), Ciara O’Riordion (7), Ellie Woulfe (6), Sophie O’Callghnan (6), Stephanie Woulfe (7), Eimear O’Donovan (6), Ailbhie Larkin (7) (0-1), Lizanna Boylan (6) (1-0), Donna Kenny (7) (0-8f), Laura Southern (6) (0-1), Rebecca Delee (n/r), Shauna Cunningham (6).
Subs; Ciara Curtin (7) for R Delee (10 mins inj), Cliodhna Ryan (6) for T Dore (h/t), Emily O’Halloran (6) for E Woulfe (43 mins), Claire Power (6) for C O’Riordan (49 mins), Maeve Geary (n/r) for E O’Donovan (57 mins), Dearbhla Egan (6) for D Kenny (57 mins).
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clare).