Tipperary U16s finish year with brave effort in defeat against Galway

U16A All-Ireland Camogie Championship - Round 5

Tipperary 1-7

Galway 2-12

Tipperary bowed out of the All-Ireland U16 A Championship after defeat to Galway in the County Camogie Ground in the Ragg on Sunday. It’s been a difficult campaign for Tipperary with only one win from 5 group games.

They battled hard on Saturday and showed good heart with some good passages of play. Ultimately Galway were too strong though with their excellent full-forward line in particular causing Tipperary trouble throughout the hour. With 8 minutes gone on Sunday Galway led 0-3 to 0-1.

Tipperary’s point coming from Doireann Ryan. By then though Roisin Ferncombe who was excellent had already been called upon to pull off some crucial saves as the Galway inside forward line were looking lively.

Two minutes later the goal did come from Mary Brigid Cosgrove. Two more points from Galway’s free-taker Katie Murray pushed Galway further ahead with Tipperary looking in real trouble and trailing 1-5 to a 0-1 after 11 mins. Grace Cleary responded with several frees but Galway were still looking very commanding leading 1-7 to 0-3 in the 18th minute.

Credit to the Tipp girls they upped their performance from here to half time limiting Galway to a single point while scoring three of their own through Grace Cleary (2 frees) and a lovely score from Isabelle Kingston.

The defence also got to grips with the Galway attack with Emma Kennedy and Jessie Shanahan impressive while Neasa Dwan worked tirelessly in midfield. At half time the score read 1-08 to 0-6.

Galway got the opening score of the second half with a point to extend their lead. A minute later though a good pass from Ciara Cahill to Isabelle Kingston led to the Kiladangan player raising a green flag for the home side to put just three between the sides 1-9 to 1-6.

Tipp needed to build on this goal but instead, it was Galway who were sparked into life. A point was followed by a goal two minutes later from Emma Barrett.

At the end of the third quarter, Doireann Ryan got her second point of the day to put six between the sides but unfortunately for Brian O’Dwyer’s side, they failed to score for the remainder of the game due in main to some fine defending from Galway. In the end, Galway ran out deserving winners on a final scoreline of 2-12 to 1-7.

Tipperary: Roisin Ferncombe, Kellie O’Dwyer, Kate Nevin, Ella Frend, Leah Maher, Emma Kennedy, Jessie Shanahan, Neasa Dwan, Eavann Duffyu, Grace Cleary (0-4f), Ciara Cahill, Grace Stapleton, Doireann Ryan (0-2) Isabelle Kingston (1-1), Eimear Duggan.

Subs used: Rhiannon Jones, Erin O’Donnell.

Galway: Leah Horan, Kate Kennedy, Muireann Conroy, Alisha King, Hedi Hesnan, Emily Corcoran, Aislinn Healy, Sinead Feeney, Aoife Scarry, Katelym Walsh, Nina McKeown, Amy Kenny, Katie Murray, Emma Barrett, Mary Brigid Cosgrove

Subs used: Mollie Noone, Caoilinn Corban, Amelia Hardiman, Tara Geraghty, Lauren Boyle, Ciara Costello, Leah Forde, Meabh Nic Con Iomaire.