CAMOGIE: Very Ireland National League Division 2B Round 2
Tipperary 1-8
Kilkenny 3-10
Tipperary suffered their second successive defeat in National League Division 2B on Saturday against a stronger Kilkenny outfit.
A Kilkenny goal on the stroke of half time was followed by two more within five minutes of the restart to kill off any chance of a Tipperary win.
The premier players will have huge regrets about conceding three goals at crucial times but can also take satisfaction in the response to the second half goals. At no stage did they drop their heads but instead worked really well, enjoyed plenty of possession and scored 1-5, having only scored three points in the opening half.
After suffering a very heavy defeat in the opening round against Cork, manager David Sullivan was looking for a response from his side. The signs were good early on as both teams exchanged early points and looked evenly matched in the opening quarter. After sixteen minutes, the game was evenly poised at 0-3 each with Tipperary points coming from Ellen Cunneen (2) and Claire Stakelum while for Kilkenny Afton Grace (1) and star forward Danielle Morrissey (2) had gotten on the scoresheet.
Unfortunately for Tipp they failed to score for the remaining of the half as Kilkenny started to get a grip on the game with the Tipperary defence coming under huge pressure. Three points from Danielle Morrissey gave Kilkenny a three point lead with 27 minutes on the clock when corner forward Claire Doheny then fired home the first of Kilkenny’s goals. Kilkenny were really beginning to carve open the Tipperary rear-guard and had two more points to give them an eight-point cushion at the break, 1-8 to 0-3.
Tipp needed to start brightly in the second half but it was Kilkenny who struck for an early goal. Sarah Madden who was introduced as a half time substitute responded with an excellent point from distance but again Kilkenny found the back of the net this time from Danielle Morrissey.
Trailing 3-8 to 0-4, Tipperary looked dead and buried but spurned on by the impact from the fresh legs off the bench they showed great fighting spirit and produced some of their best camogie in the final twenty minutes. Three points without reply from Ellen Cunneen (2) and Aoife Dwyer gave the home crowd something to shout about. Dwyer was unlucky not to have scored a goal when her original shot came of the crossbar before reacting quickest to the rebound and taking her point.
Morrissey extended her own impressive personal tally with a pointed free to make it 3-9 to 0-7 points after 48 minutes. Ellen Cunneen pointed a free before Claire Stakelum flicked the ball for Tipperary’s goal after some sustained pressure. It was a deserving goal for Tipperary which put a better and more accurate reflection on the scoreboard. Danielle Morrissey had the final score of the game as Kilkenny won by eight points.
There are plenty of improvements needed for Tipperary’s second side if they are to remain in Division 2B for next year and have a say in this year’s Junior Championship. However, there were also lots of positives for the management to take away from the game. Rachel Maher was excellent at full back while Ciannait Walsh and Lisa Cahill stood out in defence. Up front Claire Stakelum was winning a lot of ball in the first half before picking up a knock but finished strong again in the second half with an important goal.
Next up for Tipp is a home game against Wexford on 25th March.
Tipperary: Aisling Carey (Silvermines), Nessa Murray (Silvermines), Rachel Maher (Nenagh Eire Og), Aine Greed (Drom & Inch); Eimear Murphy (Silvermines), Lisa Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Ciannait Walsh (Eire Og Annacarty), Ciara Ryan (Silvermines), Katie Fitzgerald (Borris-Ileigh), Ciara McKeogh (Burgess/Duharra), Rachel O’Dwyer (Eire Og Annacarty), Claire Stakelum (Holycross/Ballycahill 1-1), Clodagh Horgan (Boherlahan-Dualla), Eimear Myles (Brian Borus), Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines 0-5).
Subs: Sarah Madden (Silvermines 0-1) for Fitzgerald; Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields 0-1) for Myles, Caroline Shanahan (Drom & Inch) for Greed, Aishling Sheedy (Portroe) for Murray, Amy Callanan (Moycarkey/Borris) for Dwyer, Eimear Fogarty (Shannon Rovers) for Walsh; Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers) for Horgan.