Sparks fly as Tipp lose hold of league title with defeat to Waterford

CAMOGIE: Very Ireland National League Division 1A Round 5

Waterford 0-10

Tipperary 0-9

Report: Tomás McCarthy at Walsh Park, Waterford

Photos: Marty Ryan/SportsFocus

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Eimear O'Neill (Waterford)

SCORERS - Waterford: Eimear O’Neill, Niamh Rockett (2 frees, 1 ‘45) 0-3 each; Annie Fitzgerald 0-2, Maggie Gostl, Beth Carton 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Grace O’Brien 0-7 (3 frees, 2 ‘45s), Karin Blair, Róisín Howard 0-1 each.

Tipperary’s reign as National League champions came to an end on a damp and dreary Saturday in Waterford city.

To reach the final, the Premier needed to win and hope that Cork defeated Galway. In the end, neither materialised, as an injury time winner from Eimear O’Neill settled another fierce tussle between these two Munster rivals. Her three second half points (all from play) proved the difference as the Déise stayed up in Division 1A.

Tipp saw a penalty appeal waved away seven minutes into added time; substitute Caithlyn Treacy going to ground inside the square, but referee Gavin Donegan wasn’t interested and blew the final whistle seconds later. The visitors failed to register in the last 23 minutes of the game to end their league campaign with back to back defeats.

There was a championship edge to this one. Whenever Waterford and Tipperary clash, sparks fly on the field and on the sideline. This was no different. A physical and feisty affair ensued on a greasy surface. Words were traded between the two management teams in front of the stand.

The fit again Karen Kennedy and Karin Blaire were thrown straight into the starting line-up for their first appearances of the year, and from the throw-in Róisín Howard pointed after fifty seconds with Grace O’Brien popping over a 45.

It took Waterford six minutes to launch their first attack; Maggie Gostl was fouled and Niamh Rockett converted. Rockett then found Annie Fitzgerald off a short free and the full forward equalised. Grace O’Brien miscued a free into Noelle Murphy but the Waterford netminder hit the ball straight back to the Tipp forward who made no mistake second time around.

Neither side scored for eleven minutes in the misty conditions. O’Brien finished off a fine Tipp move on 22 minutes to end the fallow period. Another O’Brien 45 made it 0-5 to 0-2 but Waterford ended the half on the front foot. Carton, Lorraine Bray and Fitzgerald created a goal chance for Gostl but she pulled her shot wide, but she slotted a point off the next attack

Injury time efforts from Carton and Fitzgerald left the Déise just one adrift at the break (0-6 to 0-5). It got tetchy on the field and on the sideline before Gavin Donegan signalled for half time.

Rachael Walsh made a crucial interception on the restart as Lorraine Bray was caught with a high tackle but received a yellow card for flicking out at Sarah Corcoran. Tipp worked a Karin Blair point off the throw ball before Mairéad O’Brien won a free in front of goal which Niamh Rockett tapped over. Grace O’Brien replied with a Tipp free before Eimear O’Neill shrugged off three defenders and fired over off her right side (0-8 to 0-7).

On 43 minutes, Carton sent Bray through on goal but the Déise captain was denied by Tipp keeper Laura Leenane. Grace O'Brien struck her seventh point from a free on 44 minutes, but Tipp wouldn’t score again.

Rockett dispatched a 45 after a Gostl shot was blocked down. The Waterford mentors danced a little jig when Fitzgerald and Rockett worked the equaliser for O’Neill.

Two minutes into injury time, a Rockett free broke to O'Neill again. She found space in a crowded goalmouth to shoot the winner. Tipp sub Caithlyn Treacy saw a late free drop short before that last gasp penalty appeal was dismissed.

The Premier extended panel stayed out on the pitch afterwards. They spent twenty minutes doing runs up and down the field. Championship preparations already underway.

TEAMS - Waterford: Noelle Murphy; Rachael Walsh, Kate Lynch, Alannah McNulty; Bevin Bowdren, Keeley Corbett Barry, Tara Power; Lorraine Bray, Orla Hickey; Eimear O’Neill, Beth Carton, Niamh Rockett; Mairéad O’Brien, Annie Fitzgerald, Maggie Gostl.

Subs: Molly Comerford for Lynch (51), Niamh Ahearne for Gostl (66).

Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers); Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs), Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore); Aoife McGrath (Drom & Inch), Mairéad Eviston (Drom & Inch), Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra); Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha), Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields), Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore); Róisín Howard (Cahir), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og), Mary Burke (Drom & Inch).

Subs: Caithlyn Treacy (Moneygall) for O’Brien (52), Jean Kelly (Eire Og Annacarty/D) for Howard (60+1).

Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin).