Tipperary play out a good contest with Cork in aid of a worthy cause

Paddy Duffy Senior Camogie  Challenge Game

Tipperary 2-14

Cork 1-14

By Michael Dundon

Denis Kelly’s Tipperary senior camogie team got a timely boost ahead of the start of the National League with this win over Cork in the Paddy Duffy Cancer Recovery Fund challenge at Borrisoleigh on Friday night last.

In the wider scheme of things, it is a result which will have little significance as both teams were missing some key players but with the league opener against Waterford just two weeks away it adds momentum to the Tipp preparations.

The Tipp manager commented, “It was good to get this run-out and to get a win considering we were missing so many. Cork had a good scatter of their regulars which made this win all the better,” he said.

“Tipp turned over Cork in the Munster final last year but Cork went on to win the All-Ireland, so the indications are that these will be major players in deciding the destination of honours this year. 

“The league is the most immediate concern and Tipp have not tasted success in it for a long time. It is top of Denis Kelly’s agenda right now. We will be taking it very seriously. We are trying to blood some new players but we will be going bald-headed in all our games,” he added.

Friday’s encounter,  played in a steady drizzle, saw Tipp get a grip on the game with Clodagh McIntyre’s goal after 9 minutes to go 1-0 to 0-2 ahead. The sides traded points after that and were level 1-3 to 0-6 after 22 minutes but Tipp finished with a flourish,3 Eimear Heffernan points from frees and another from Casey Hennessy giving them a 1-7 to 0-7 advantage at the break.

Eimear McGrath was among those introduced at half-time and she made an immediate impact with four-pointed frees, so that along with another point from Roisin Howard, Tipp were 1-12 to 0-7 clear after 38 minutes.

Cork were not for bending the knee, and as both managements gave match-time to their panellists, the Leesiders hit the next six points to be just two points adrift (0-13 to 1-12) with eight minutes to play. Celine Guinan gave Tipp some breathing space with a point and Sarah Madden ensured the honours went Tipp’s way with a smashing goal after 55 minutes.

Cork still were not done and had a goal from Katrina Mackey on the hour mark, too late however to make a difference.

Tipp's thoughts now turn to the opening league games against Waterford and Galway – two difficult assignments. “We will want to get points on the board from those games as only the top two teams go through to the final”, Denis Kelly, the former Toomevara star added.

Tipperary: Nicole Walsh (Borris-Ileigh); Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines), Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty Rossmore); Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty Rossmore), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess Duharra), Ciardha Maher (Burgess Duharra); Teresa Ryan (Borris-Ileigh), Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty Rossmore, 0-1); Roisin Howard (Cahir, 0-1), Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams, 0-2), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha, 1-0); Niamh Costigan (Cahir), Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams, 0-4, 0-3f), Mary Bourke (Drom & Inch).

Subs used: Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch 0-5f); Jean Kelly (Éire Óg Annacarty); Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields); Mary Ryan (Moneygall); Grace Moloney (Cashel King Cormacs); Sarah Madden (Shannon Rovers, 1-0); Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers, 0-1); Kate Ralph (Moycarkey Borris).

Cork: Amy Lee; Maedbh Murphy, Libby Coppinger, Niamh O’Callaghan; Olivia McAllen, Rachel Harty, Izzy O’Regan; Emma Murphy (0-1), Aoife Healy; Orlaith Mullins (0-1), Fiona Keating (0-3), Hanna Looney (0-2); Clodagh Finn (0-1), Katrina Mackey (1-5, 0-5f), Sorcha McCarten (0-1).

Subs used: Aoife Barrett; Ali Smith.

Referee: Liz Hennessy (Kilkenny)