Minors get back on track

CAMOGIE: Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor 'A' Championship Round 2

Dublin 0-5

Tipperary 2-17

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Kate Ralph (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Dublin: Aoibheann Stokes 0-2 (1 free); Saoirse Behan, Kerri Austin (45), Anna Simpson 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Celine Guinan 0-8 frees; Emer Dwan 1-3, Danielle Ryan (Annacarty) 0-4; Lucy Purcell 1-0; Kate Ferncombe, Danielle Ryan (Boherlahan) 0-1 each.

Tipperary travelled to Abbotstown on Sunday in need of a win after a late defeat to Kilkenny in round one of the All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship the previous weekend, and they duly got it, registering a comprehensive win over Dublin.

Dublin were well in the game at half-time but the concession of a goal seconds after the restart tipped the tide in favour of Tipperary and they relentlessly drove on for the remainder of the half dominating proceedings.

Tipperary opened the scoring in the first minute with a fine point from Danielle Ryan (Annacarty). The teams were all square in the fifth minute with Aoibheann Stokes finding the target. Dublin took the lead thanks to a nice point from play from Saoirse Behan, but the sides were quickly level with Tipperary corner forward Emer Dwan popping over a point.

Between the tenth & twentieth minutes, Dublin had their best spell but failed to capitalise on the creation of a number of scoring opportunities. Tipperary’s defence was very solid in both halves with Celine Guinan moving to midfield, stemming the Dublin dominance. Tipperary took full advantage of the let-off and Guinan converted three frees and Emer Dwan added another from play to give Tipp a four-point lead. In first half injury time, Dublin’s Aoibheann Stokes slotted a free over from the right-hand side to leave the score at the break, 0-6 to 0-3, and the game very much still in the melting pot.

The momentum fully turned in Tipperary’s favour seconds after the restart, as the ball was played to Danielle Ryan (Annacarty) who drove through the centre of the Dublin defence, fed Danielle Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla) who sprinted through and worked the ball into corner forward Emer Dwan who buried the ball to the net and suddenly Tipperary enjoyed a six-point advantage.

Celine Guinan added another point from a free to extend the lead. Dublin got their first score of the second half in the 42nd minute point by second half substitute Kerri Austin from a 45’ after a Paula Quirke save. That was as good as it got for Dublin as Tipperary dominated the rest of the game and scored an unanswered 1-9.

A converted free from Celine Guinan in the 44th minute was quickly followed by Tipperary’s second goal, once again a powerful run through the middle from Danielle Ryan set up the chance and the unmarked Lucy Purcell made no mistake when put in on goal. A superb second half performance by half-back line of Niamh Franks, Sarah Corcoran and Shauna Heffernan kept Dublin scoring chances to the minimum. Kate Ralph’s energetic display was a fulcrum for several of Tipperary’s attacks.

Danielle Ryan (A) then got in on the scoring act shooting three excellent points, the ever-accurate Celine Guinan converted three more frees, and Kate Ferncombe, Danielle Ryan (B) and Emer Dwan added a point each from play as Tipperary powered away from the home side. Anna Simpson scored Dublin’s fifth point in injury time, but Tipperary had the last say on the scoreboard with the impressive Danielle Ryan (Annacarty) scoring her fourth point of the half.

TEAMS – Dublin: Mia Farrell, Caoimhe Tierney, Sibeal Cherry, Aoife Byrne, Milly Hughes, Nicola Cotter, Nina Brennan, Zara Thorne, Aoife Kenny, Anna Thornton, Helen Reynolds, Saoirse Behan, Aoibheann Stokes, Sarah Power, Amy Carey.

Subs: Kerri Austin for Thornton (34), Emily Fogarty for Behan (34), Caoimhe French for Kenny (48), Anna Simpson for Carey (48), Tara Brady for Thorne (52), Mia Browne for Brennan (59).

Tipperary: Molly O’Dwyer (Moycarkey/Borris); Aoife Bourke (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Alison Fitzgerald (Holycross/Ballycahill), Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla); Shauna Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris), Niamh Franks (Shannon Rovers), Kate Ferncombe (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Kate Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty), Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers), Hazel Brennan (Moyle Rovers), Emer Dwan (Cashel King Cormacs), Danielle Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla), Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields).

Subs: Rebecca O’Mara (Thurles Sarsfields) for Franks (52), Ellen Browne (Knockavilla Kickhams) for Danielle Ryan (A) 57), Ali O’Kelly (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Dwan (58), Aoife Mellerick (Newport/Ballinahinch) for Quirke (58), Caithlyn Treacy (Moneygall) for Ferncombe (60+1), Áine Finn (Newport/Ballinahinch) for Purcell (60+2), Ciara Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris) for Danielle Ryan (B) (60+3).

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).