Slow start proves Tipp’s undoing

LADIES FOOTBALL: TG4 Munster Senior Football Championship Round 2

Waterford 1-9

Tipperary 1-7

Report: Stephen Gleeson in Dungarvan

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Lauren McGregor (Waterford).

SCORERS - Waterford: Lauren McGregor 1-2, Kelly-Ann Hogan 0-3 frees, Brid McMaugh 0-2, Kate Murray, Emma Murray 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Aisling Moloney 0-3 frees, Emma Morrissey 1-0, Niamh Martin 0-2, Clara English, Neassa Towey 0-1 each.

An absorbing contest was in the balance until the last second but in the end, Tipperary fell to a second successive defeat in the Munster Senior Ladies Football Championship on Sunday when they fell narrowly to Waterford.

After a cagey start, Waterford opened the scoring with a green flag, when a powering run by Kate McGrath began an attack that was finished to the net by Lauren McGregor in the ninth minute. Six minutes later, McGregor added a point before Kellyann Hogan sent a free over the bar to put the home side 1-2 to 0-0 up.

Tipp roared back into the match in the 20th minute when some Aishling Moloney trickery set up Clara English who found herself in a one-on-one situation with the keeper. She blazed over from close range but a minute later Marie Creedon set up Emma Morrissey at the edge of the square, where she calmly palmed to the net. Game on, with the home side just a point up after dictating the early proceedings.

Waterford showed real character to respond again. Brid McMaugh, Katie Murray, and Lauren McGregor scored from play while Hogan pointed a free to give the momentum back to the Déise.

With the half drifting to a close, Aishling Moloney sent over two quick frees to leave it Waterford 1-6 Tipperary 1-3 at the break.

Tipp needed a good start to the second half and Neassa Towey provided it with a fisted point from an Aishling Moloney free that dropped to the edge of the square.

Waterford kept their drive going and the impressive Brid McMaugh sent over a sweet strike with the right boot to leave it 1-7 to 1-4 with the home side keeping Tipp at a distance.

In the 42nd minute, Tipp worked it back to a two-point game when Niamh Martin, who came on in the first half for the injured Anna Rose Kennedy, kicked a fine point to leave it 1-7 to 1-5.

This entertaining contest meant both sides had their chances, but Waterford stretched their lead when Kate Hogan struck her third point from a free on 47 minutes.

Niamh Martin was playing well for Tipp and kicked another point as she searched for a goal to leave two points between the sides on 51 minutes.

Tipp kept clawing at the Waterford lead and with five minutes left, Aishling Moloney sent over a free to put just one point between the teams. An exciting finish to a fine contest meant both sides gave it everything.

Waterford attacked and late on seized the day as Emma Murray sent over a point to huge applause.

Tipp, full of character, attacked again in time added on and Emma Morrissey kicked in a long ball in the last seconds which dropped by the square to Aishling Moloney, who punched the ball, but the Waterford defence held firm as the full-time whistle sounded.

Following defeats to Cork and now Waterford, Tipp can’t reach the final, but the competitive nature of their performances is encouraging going into their final game against league champions Kerry, ahead of the start of the All-Ireland Championship.

TEAMS - Waterford: Evelyn O’Brien; Cora Murray, Niamh Power, Aoife Murray; Eve Power, Emma Murray, Kate McGrath; Kelly-Ann Hogan, Kate Murray; Aine O’Neill, Annie Fitzgerald, Caragh McCarthy; Karen McGrath, Brid McMaugh, Lauren McGregor.

Subs: Sheena McGuckian for McCarthy (37), Aoibhe Waring for Power (50), Catherine Hynes for McGregor (55).

Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry); Cliona O’Dwyer (Brian Borus), Maria Curley (Templemore), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers); Sarah English (Ardfinnan), Lucy Spillane (Fethard), Neassa Towey (Templemore); Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow), Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus); Emma Morrissey (Aherlow), Marie Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields), Niamh Martin (Sliabh na mBan); Clara English (Ardfinnan), Aisling Moloney (Cahir), Elaine Kelly (Cappawhite).

Subs: Nora Martin (Sliabh na mBan) for Kennedy (18 inj), Angela McGuigan (Eadestown) for Towey (50), Sarah Ryan (Arravale Rovers) for S English (52), Roseanne Kiely (Cahir) for Creedon (59).

Referee: Conor McCarthy (Cork)