Last gasp Stakelum point fires Tipp into semi-final

CAMOGIE: Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship Quarter Final

Tipperary 1-14

Wexford 1-13

Report: Joe Scully at the County Camogie Grounds

Photos: Marty Ryan/SportsFocus

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Caoimhe Stakelum (Tipperary).

SCORERS – Tipperary: Caoimhe Stakelum 0-11 (7 free); Lucy O’Brien 1-0; Maeve Cunneen 0-2; Doireann Ryan 0-1

Wexford: Ciara Whelan 1-8 (0-6 frees); Emma McCarthy 0-4; Layla Stafford 0-1.

Those in attendance at the County Camogie Grounds on Sunday afternoon were treated to a treat as Tipperary qualified for an All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship semi-final after an epic encounter against Wexford.

A Caoimhe Stakelum point in the fourth minute of added time was the difference in the end after a titanic struggle. It was a cruel blow for the Slaneysiders who played their part in a pulsating game, with some superb individual performances on both sides, and top class scores throughout.

But when her side needed her most it was Caoimhe Stakelum who stood up to be counted to keep her sides two-in-a-row dreams alive.

It was a game that could have gone either way as both sides slugged it out for over an hour. Also, some of the skill levels on display was a joy to behold and both teams deserve immense credit for what was a tremendous game of camogie.

The visitors opened the scoring after just 29 seconds with a fine effort from midfielder Layla Stafford, and not long after Wexford had two goal chances, but Kayla Reddy and Lucia Goggins saw their efforts kept out by the Tipperary rearguard.

Stakelum levelled matters in the fourth minute with a tidy finish from 45 metres after being set up by Doireann Ryan. She put her side ahead in the sixth minute with a free, before Emma McCarthy who was superb throughout levelled, and it would be the same two who would trade scores again, to leave it 0-3 apiece.

Stakelum put the Munster outfit back ahead in the eleventh minute right after a Doireann Ryan effort came back off the post. Ciara Whelan pointed a free two minutes later to level proceedings again.

Tipp then took a stranglehold on proceedings with Stakelum knocking over three frees in-a-row, the third a monster effort from inside her own half, before Maeve Cunneen added another from play in the 18th minute.

Wexford would hit back strongly two minutes later when Ciara Whelan hit a rocket to the back of the net after Kayla Reddy set her up with a handpass. Stakelum added another free in the 25th minute, before Emma McCarthy hit the final score in added time, to leave the score at the half 0-9 to 1-5 in favour of Tipp.

The drama would really ratchet up in the second-half as both sides would leave it all out in the pitch, and it was Tipp who opened the scoring after a minute following a great ball into Doireann Ryan by Isobel O’Donnell and following a great catch, turned her marker and pointed.

A free from Ciara Whelan in the 33rd minute had the gap back to one, but it would be out to four in the 36th minute when Lucy O’Brien had the ball in the back of the Wexford net after a fine team move.

Wexford didn’t let this set-back affect them and hit the next three scores to leave a solitary score in it by the 45th minute through a Whelan free, followed by a magnificent effort from Emma McCarthy from out by the sideline. Whelan added another free, before Caoimhe Stakelum settled Tipp nerves with a free to leave two in it with twelve minutes to play.

Within two minutes, the scores were level, thanks to two points from Whelan, one from play. The game would really heat up from here with both sides really going at it.

With the game going back and forth, in the 55th minute Caoimhe Stakelum showed just why she is going to be a future star, when she won the ball from a ruck inside her own half went on a run played a one-two with Maeve Cunneen and then sent a superb effort over the bar.

The drama was far from over however, as from the puckout Ciara Whelan won it and ran at the Tipp defence before pointing from out wide.

The drama continued and Maeve Cunneen had Tipp back in front in the 58th minute, after being set up by Stakelum. Wexford would continue to push and would win a 45 in stoppage time and from out by the sideline Ciara Whelan, under massive pressure, levelled again.

All in attendance would have been forgiven for thinking this game was going to extra time, but following a spell of pressure by the Leinster side, Tipperary cleared and after a bit of a melee in the middle of the pitch, the ball found its way to Caoimhe Stakelum and with 33 minutes and 34 seconds on the clock the Thurles Sarsfields star struck the ball from 50 metres over the bar, with what turned out to be the second last puck of the game, much to the delight of all in blue and gold, as Tipperary qualify for the All-Ireland semi-final away to Cork in two weeks’ time.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Danielle Butler (Eire Og Annacarty/D 7); Leah Maher (Boherlahan-Dualla 6), Sarah McLoughlin (Boherlahan-Dualla 8), Leanna Coppinger (Thurles Sarsfields 6); Emma Kennedy (Lorrha 8), Isobel O’Donnell (Brian Borus 8), Eva Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris 7); Rachael O’Meara (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 6), Kate Dowling (Moycarkey/Borris 8); Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields 9), Lucy O’Brien (St Patrick’s 7), Elana McGrath (Holycross/Ballycahill 6); Doireann Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla 8), Ciara Cahill (Drom & Inch 7), Maeve Cunneen (Silvermines 8).

Subs: Lucy Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty/D 7) for McGrath (33); Izzy Carr (Holycross/Ballycahill 6) for O’Meara (48).

Wexford: Muireann Kavanagh (6); Emma O’Leary (6), Rose Codd (7), Róisín O’Meara (7), Eirin O’Brien (6), Anna Hughes (8), Anna Dolan (6), Layla Stafford (8), Orla O’Rourke (7), Rachel Cullen (6), Emma McCarthy (9), Caoimhe McGonigle (6), Lucia Goggins (7), Kayla Reddy (6), Ciara Whelan (9).

Subs: Mollie Quirke (7) for O’Meara (36 inj), Makila Tobib Cosgrave (6) for Reddy (44), Ella Jones (NR) for McGonigle (58).

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).