Classy Cork too strong for Tipperary

CAMOGIE: Tesco All-Ireland Under 16 ‘A’ Championship Final

Cork 2-18

Tipperary 0-10

MATCH DIGEST

SCORERS - Cork: Grainne Finn 1-3 (0-2 frees), Sarah Murphy 1-2; Kate Fennessy (0-4), Ava Fitzgerald (1 free), Louise O’Neill 0-3 each; Aoibheann O’Neill, Orla Cremin, Amy Sheppard 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Sarah Corcoran 0-6 (4 frees, 2 45s), Caoimhe Stakelum 0-2; Danielle Ryan, Nicola Kelly 0-1 each.

Despite a bright start, Tipperary fell to a classy Cork side in the All-Ireland Under 16 ‘A’ Camogie final in Mallow on Sunday.

Tipperary were the quicker of the two sides to settle and raced into a three-point lead after twelve minutes thanks to a Sarah Corcoran 45 and free, either side of a Danielle Ryan point from play.

Cork had threatened on a number of occasions, but the Tipperary full backline of Aoife Mellerick, Irish Grace and Eabha Dolan stood firm early on. The signs were there, however, in those opening twelve minutes of Cork’s danger as they struck five early wides.

By the sixteenth minute, the teams were level as Cork soon found their range and four minutes later, they went in front for the first time thanks to points from Kate Fennessy (2) along with a brace of Grainne Finn frees.

In front of big crowd, they were really enjoying the opening exchanges and when Caoimhe Stakelum levelled up proceedings at 0-4 apiece, it looked like we were heading for a cracking final.

However, the game changed drastically in the five minutes before half time when Cork struck for two goals to give them a seven-point lead and swing the momentum completely in their favour.

Sarah Murphy, who had been introduced as an early substitute, reacted quickest to a long range shot from Amy Fitzgerald that was batted out and she fired home Cork’s opening goal. A pointed free from Ava Fitzgerald made it 1-5 to 0-4 before Caoimhe Stakelum who had a fine opening half pointed to bring it back to a three-point game.

But disaster struck for Tipp once again moments later when Grainne Finn latched onto a rebound from Orla Cremin’s initial strike and struck a low shot into the back of the net. Kate Fennessy responded with another point to put Cork into a commanding half-time lead 2-6 to 0-5.

After the restart, Sarah Corcoran landed a free for Tipperary but as manager John Ryan alluded to after the game, “Cork were slicker with the ball and got their scores easier” than Tipp. Three more points by Aoibhinn O’Neill, Kate Fennessy and Amy Sheppard made it 2-9 to 0-6 with 36 minutes gone.

At the three-quarter mark, Cork were in total control dominating most areas of the field to build up a 2-13 to 0-8 lead; Tipperary’s scores courtesy of two frees from the ever-reliable Sarah Corcoran who had an excellent game throughout, always composed on the ball and read the game well at centre back.

Unfortunately, things didn’t get any better for Tipperary in the final quarter as Cork who had a much greater spread of scorers (8 in total compared to Tipperary’s 4) powered their way to a hugely convincing victory. Tipperary’s final two points coming from another Sarah Corcoran free and a Nicola Kelly point from play.

It was a bitterly disappointing defeat for Tipperary but on the day they came up against a top-class team in Cork who have now won back-to-back All-Ireland U16 A titles.

Credit to Tipperary they fought to the bitter end and never made it easy for Cork. Paula Quirke continued her brilliant form with another excellent display in midfield. All the subs introduced gave it their all with Ciara O’Hora in particular showing great determination and making a good impact.

Tipperary will regret not getting more scores in the first half especially in the opening fifteen minutes when they did enjoy most of the possession. In the second half they had to live off scraps and frees while Cork had a very formidable front six that caused real damage at every opportunity.

TEAMS - Cork: Emma O’Sullivan; Ciara Rice, Sinead Hurley, Rachael Roche; Amy O’Riordan, Aoibhe Day, Laura Dunlea; Ava Fitzgerald, Amy McCarthy; Aoibheann O’Neill, Grainne Finn, Kate Fennessy; Lucy O’Connell, Orla Cremin, Amy Sheppard.

Subs: Sarah Murphy for O’Connell; Louise O’Neill for Fennessy, Julie Guiney for O’Neill, Isa Nestor for O’Riordan, Emma Buckley for Fitzgerald.

Tipperary: Danielle Butler (Éire Óg Annacarty); Aoife Mellerick (Newport/Ballinahinch), Iris Grace (Burgess/Duharra), Eabha Dolan (Moyle Rovers); Sophie Maher (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris), Alison Fitzgerald (Holycross/Ballycahill); Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla), Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields); Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), Danielle Ryan (Éire Óg Annacarty), Ciara Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris); Ciara Gleeson (Gortnahoe/Glengoole), Ali O’Kelly (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Emer Dwan (Cashel King Cormacs).

Subs: Aoife Fitzgerald (Borris-Ileigh) for Shelly, Ava Bevans (Borris-Ileigh) for Dwan, Robyn Fitzgerald (Holycross/Ballycahill) for Fitzgerald, Nicola Kelly (Shannon Rovers) for O’Kelly, Ciara O’Hora (Éire Óg Annacarty) for Gleeson.

Referee: Justin Heffernan (Wexford).