Tipperary camogie on fire as minor team qualify for All-Ireland Final

All Ireland Minor A Camogie Championship Semi-Final

Tipperary 1-15

Kilkenny 1-12

After extra time

By Joe Scully

Tipperary qualified for a first All-Ireland minor camogie final since 2016 after overcoming a very strong Kilkenny side in a classic semi-final which needed Extra Time to separate the two sides. 

A strong performance in the first half of extra time was ultimately the difference between the two sides, as the Premier County outscored the Cats by four points to one. 

Both teams deserve immense credit for what was a classic game which ebbed and flowed throughout, as the crowd in attendance were treated to a spectacle of the highest quality and the result was in doubt right up till the final whistle. 

There was great heart and commitment shown by both sides along with some great camogie, and some great scores throughout, with every score being hard to come by as both defences were excellent throughout. 

It was a game that neither team deserved to lose, but Tipperary had that little bit too much for a Kilkenny side that will be very disappointed, but can hold their heads high for the effort they put into the game, and who will look back on certain points of the game where their shooting let them down, as they missed several chances throughout, hitting 16 wides to Tipperary’s eight.

The game would take a few minutes to ignite but once it did it got going, the first score coming in the 9th minute when the excellent Caoimhe Stakelum goal for Tipperary after the Cats defence failed to clear the ball, and Stakelum batted the ball to the back of the net. A minute later Lucy Purcell extended the lead after a fine run and finish for the first point of the game. 

Kilkenny would respond with a flourish and would hit the next three points all from play through Katie Brennan, Shona Ruane and Niamh Davis to just leave a point in it after 15 minutes. 

Then it would be Tipp’s turn to reply with Stakelum hitting two points on from play and on from a free. To leave the score at 1-03 to 0-3. Kilkenny would then hit back with the final two scores of the half through Katie Brennan and Julie Lennon both from play to leave the score at the break 1-3 to 0-5.

Both sides would trade scores at the start of the second half through a Stakelum free before Ciara O’Shea responded with a free for the Cats, and then a Lucy Purcell effort from play for Tipp. Kilkenny would then have a glorious chance for goal but Ruane’s effort would go wide from only a few yards out. 

Stakelum then extended her side's lead to three points with a free before two points from Ciara Dunne had the lead back to a solid point after 43 minutes. Tipp’s Lucy Heffernan would then hit one of the scores of the game with a fine effort from all of 50 metres to leave the score at 10-7 to 0-8. Less than a minute later Kilkenny would hit the lead for the first time when Niamh Davis goaled excellently after the Tipp defence had failed to clear the ball. 

The game would take off from this point and the black and ambers would extend their lead through a fine Shona Ruane effort before a 45 from Stakelum had Tipp back to within a point. 

A Ciara Dunne free had the lead back to two in the 57th minute. Stakelum would respond with a free of her own a minute later to leave just a Kilkenny had done enough for the win, and up stepped Lucy Purcell in the 62nd minute to level the game and send us to extra time.

Tipp would hit the first two scores of extra time with Rachel O’Meara opening the scoring before the excellent Sarah Corcoran added to their lead. Aisling Browne would pull ne back for the Cats, but two points from Stakelum would leave Tipperary leading 1-14 to 1-11 at the break. 

A great team move finished off by Niamh Davis had the gap back to two points after just 17 seconds of the second period. Kilkenny would push for a way back into the game and had chances, but it would be Caoimhe Stakelum who would have the final say with a free, as Tipperary would hold out in the end despite being under pressure as Kilkenny pressed for a goal late on which would have levelled things, much to the delight and relief of their team and supporters. They will now play Waterford in the final on Saturday.

Tipperary: Danielle Butler; Paula Quirke, Aoife Mellerick, Ellie Franklin; Eabha Dolan, Sarah Corcoran (0-1), Caithlyn Treacy; Lucy Heffernan (0-1), Aoife Fitzgerald; Lucy Purcell (0-3), Danielle Ryan, Ciara Shelly; Ava Bevans, Caoimhe Stakelum (1-9, 0-7f). Elena McGrath.

Subs used: Emer Dwan for C Shelly (25); Sarah McLoughlin for E Dolan (HT); Ali O’Kelly for A Bevans (49); Rachael O’Meara (0-1) for E McGrath (55); Hannah Butler for A Fitzgerald (57). 

Kilkenny: Jennifer Saunders; Caoimhe Power, Angela Carroll, Rachel Phelan; Una Duggan, Anna Doheny, Orlaith Kirwan; Emily Smith, Ciara O’Shea (0-1f); Ciara Dunne (0-3, 0-2f), Shina Ruane (0-2), Aisling Browne (0-1); Julie Lennon (0-1), Katie Brennan (0-2), Niamh Davis (1-2).

Subs used: Ambar Laherty for E Smith (HT); Louisa Gilmore for J Lennon (55); Lucy Boyd for S Ruane (65, ET).

Referee: Karol Collins (Galway)