Tipperary Under 16s make positive start to the season with good win in Clare

Tipperary 3-6 Clare 1-4

Tipperary's Under 16 ladies footballers enjoyed an eight-point win over Clare in their first outing of the season in the Munster Under 16 B Sharon O'Keeffe Tournament at Clarecastle last Sunday. 

Tipperary were looking to set the pace from early on, with a pass to Gemma Hayes that saw her bearing down on goal, only to be denied by a brilliant save from the Clare 'keeper.

It took until the seventh minute of play to get a score on the board - Clare registering their opener with a Susan McGrath point from play. This score seemed to drive on the Clare outfit and Tipperary were forced into a very defensive formation, with some great defending from Lily O’Donoghue and Erin O’Donnell. Some remarkable skill from Lucy Moloney kept the scoreboard static until the 13th minute when Clare’s Susan McGrath found the back of the net.

Although Tipp started to regain their shape and settle again, a turnover ball found the foot of Susan McGrath for another Clare point from play in the 19th minute.

From the resulting kickout Tipperary maintained possession and launched a sustained attack on the Clare goal, with Aoibhinn Casey and Zara Hennessy very unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet.  However, their consistent attacking play paid off in the 24th minute when a Chloe O’Neill shot split the posts to register Tipperary’s first score.

Clare were reduced to 14 players in the 26th minute and the resultant Tipperary free found the back of the net from Chloe O’Neill's boot. With the momentum now in their favour, they continued to pile on the pressure and found the equalising score on 28 minutes through Gemma Hayes.

Tipperary overcame a very tough and challenging first half, where their defensive discipline and decision-making brought both teams to half time with the scoreboard level at 1-2 each.

Tipperary, who finished the first half in the ascendency, returned to the field with a sting in their tail and the breeze favouring them. Within three minutes Elena Cody found the back of the net following a marvellous passage of play to put Tipp in the lead for the first time in this contest.

Above: Tipperary's Sadhbh Hannafin plays a pass during the win over Clare. Picture: Willie O'Reilly BurrenEye Photography 

The fifth minute saw Clare returned to 15 players and make great use of a free, slotted safely over the bar from Hazel Conway’s boot. Tipp were not going to lie down and let this happen, though. Their forwards came out in force to launch an attack and found Aoibhinn Casey, who registered a point in the ninth minute, and she added further to the scoreboard in the 15th minute following a well sustained attacking period from Clare, who were struggling to convert scores.

Tipperary’s forward workrate and focus on turnovers started to pay off and Chloe O’Neill’s goal in the 18th minute was testament to that, when she sent a delightful chip from a free to the net.

Tipperary’s tackling and ball-winning ability proved to be a very positive factor of their playing style and the resultant points from Elena Cody on 23 minutes, followed by another Chloe O’Neill point on 25 minutes were evidence of a very well-structured team effort.

Clare registered the last score of the game with a point from play by Erika Wynne.

TIPPERARY: Lucy Moloney, Sophie McGowan, Erin O’Donnell, Lily O’Donoghue, Amy Cahill, Zara McCarthy, Casey Butler, Sadhbh Hannafin (captain), Elena Cody (1-1), Chloe O’Neill (2-2), Aoibhinn Casey (0-2), Meabh Leahy, Gemma Hayes (0-1), Alice Butler, Zara Hennessy.

Subs: Kate O’Shea for Zara Hennessy (half time), Katie Ryan Corcoran for Meabh Leahy (40 mins), Sarah Rose Meehan for Amy Cahill  (43 mins), Eva Gunne for Alice Butler (48 mins), Aoibhinn McCarra for Chloe O’Neill (58 mins), Aoife Browne for Aoibhinn Casey (59 mins), Katie Fox for Sophie McGowan (59 mins), Rea Hayes for Sadhbh Hannafin (59 mins), Stella Carr for Lucy Moloney (59 mins), Brid Delaney for Lily O’Donoghue (59 mins).