Kildare’s strong finish tops Tipp

LADIES FOOTBALL: All-Ireland Under 16 ‘B’ Final

Kildare 3-11

Tipperary 1-8

Report: Aisling Clery in Crettyard

MATCH DIGEST

SCORERS - Kildare: Aoife Murnane 2-1, Tara Rafferty 1-4 (0-2 frees), Caoimhe Egan 0-2; Abi Whelan, Abaigh Cahill, Beibhinn Hughes, Emma Walshe 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Ciara O’Hora 0-8, Ciara Shelly 1-0.

Two second half goals by Kildare were Tipperary’s undoing as they lost the All-Ireland Under 16 ‘B’ Ladies Football final on Wednesday evening.

Tipperary led by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break but a reinvigorated Kildare attack, and goals from Tara Rafferty and Aoife Murnane, pushed the Lilywhites into a lead they did not relinquish.

In beautiful evening sunshine, Tipperary immediately got off the mark when Ciara O’Hora pointed in the opening minute. It was to be O’Hora’s first score of seven from play as the Arravale Rovers club player hit all of Tipperary’s first half scores.

While both teams tested out the keepers early on, O’Hora added a second point before Rafferty converted a free on ten minutes, and then Tipperary surged further ahead with two quick-fire points from O’Hora.

Aedin McCormack prevented a Kildare attack and instead Tipperary added a further point through O’Hora. Kildare were enjoying plenty of possession, but Tipperary goalkeeper Chloe Shorley was equal to their attacks, indeed Caoimhe Egan found herself with only the goalkeeper to beat, but Shorley did enough to see the ball go wide.

Despite Niamh Murphy and Meabh McDonagh both marking O’Hora, she found enough space to hit Tipperary’s sixth point on 26 minutes. This was immediately cancelled out by a Rafferty point set up by Egan. While O’Hora added a seventh, Kildare made it a three-point game at the break, as Rafferty converted the last kick of the half.

Points from Abaigh Cahill and Caoimhe Egan narrowed the gap to just a single score for Kildare and when Rafferty hit the net on 34 minutes, Kildare took the lead for the very first time.

Beibhinn Hughes pushed Kildare into a three-point advantage before Tipperary hit back, Ciara Shelly sending a thundering shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

As both management teams brought in fresh legs, the game remained at a deadlock at 1-7 to 1-7 for almost ten minutes before Kildare dealt the killer blow. Murnane struck 2-1 in four minutes to push Kildare out of sight, the second a long run up the left flank, finished to perfection with a solid left boot.

While O’Hora did point again for Tipperary, Caoimhe Egan, Abi Whelan (free) and Emma Walshe all converted ensuring Kildare celebrated an All-Ireland.

TEAMS – Kildare: Sophie Knightly, Julie Brannigan, Zara Hurley (Capt), Heidi Lyons, Laura Dunlea, Niamh Murphy, Meabh McDonagh, Beibhinn Hughes, Áine McNally, Aoife Murnane, Abi Whelan, Abaigh Cahill, Caoimhe Egan, Hannah Murphy, Tara Rafferty.

Subs: Emma Walshe for Rafferty (41), Saoirse Mahon for Cahill (51), Eimear Behan for H Murphy (53), Holly Telford for Murnane (56), Áine Travers for Whelan (57).

Tipperary: Chloe Shorley (Thurles Sarsfields); Ciara Redmond (Clonmel Commercials), Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla), Niamh O’Farrell (Ardfinnan); Sophie Maher (Boherlahan-Dualla), Caitlin Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris), Ellie Franklin (Moyle Rovers), Aedin McCormack (Moyle Rovers), Sinead O’Carroll (Ardfinnan), Amy Reddan (Moyne-Templetuohy), Ciara O’Hora (Arravale Rovers, Capt), Molly Gilmartin (Boherlahan-Dualla); Emer Dwan (Boherlahan-Dualla), Ciara Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris), Ciara Fitzpatrick (Rockwell Rovers).

Subs: Grace Fitzpatrick Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill) for Gilmartin (27), Amy Wall (Moyle Rovers) for Fitzpatrick (30), Issy Carr (Holycross/Ballycahill) for Redmond (37), Eabha Dolan (Moyle Rovers) for Shelly (52), Hannah Downey (Boherlahan-Dualla) for O’Farrell (58).

Referee: Justin Murphy (Cork).