Kennedy’s new role sparks Tipp victory

CAMOGIE: Munster Senior Championship Quarter Final

Tipperary 4-13

Limerick 0-10

Report: Joe Scully at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Grace O’Brien (Tipperary).

SCORERS – Tipperary: Grace O’Brien 0-9 (6 frees); Karen Kennedy 2-1; Clodagh McIntyre 1-1; Roisin Howard 1-0; Jean Kelly 0-2.

Limerick: Caoimhe Costello 0-4 frees; Stephanie Woulfe, Laura Southern 0-2 each; Ailbhe Larkin, Orlaith Kelleher 0-1 each.

Tipperary qualified for the Munster Senior Camogie Championship semi-final after a comfortable fifteen-point victory over Limerick on Sunday, setting up a semi-final with rivals Waterford.

The home side were in control from the off, with Karen Kennedy, playing in the full forward line, goaling after just 42 seconds and stayed ahead for the rest of the game.

Limerick gave a good account of themselves but Tipp had just too much power, particularly in the forwards, with Grace O’Brien in particular impressing.

While the fifteen-point margin was impressive there were aspects of their game the Premier Ladies and manager Denis Kelly will be unhappy with and there is plenty to work in ahead of the semi-final.

One major concern for Tipp coming out of the game is an injury picked up by Clodagh McIntyre as the Lorrha player has been in great form so far this year.

Tipp flew out the gate with Karen Kennedy finishing to the back of the net from a tight angle, after being set up by Grace O’Brien. The visitors responded with two points in a row from Shauna Cunningham and Stephanie Woulfe, from out by the sideline.

Clodagh McIntyre hit Tipp’s first point in the ninth minute, following a pass from Ciara Brennan. Grace O’Brien added a free before Kennedy goaled again in the thirteenth minute, following a handpass across the square by Roisin Howard.

Caoimhe Costello and Grace O’Brien traded the next three scores from frees to leave Tipp ahead 2-3 to 0-4 after sixteen minutes.

Kennedy then added to her personal tally with a point from close range before Stephanie Woulfe added another for the Treaty women when a Costello free looked to be tailing wide but Woulfe got a clever flick to the sliotar to deflect it over the bar.

Grace O’Brien added another free in the 27th minute, and then two minutes later Tipp hit their third goal, when Roisin Howard finished to the net from close range after being set up by Karen Kennedy, to leave Tipp 3-05 to 0-5 ahead at the break.

Caoimhe Costello had the gap down to eight with the first score of the second half in the third minute, from a dead ball, answered by a Grace O’Brien free. She added another from play to put Tipp ten ahead after good play by Lucy Purcell.

Costello added another free for Limerick after 37 minutes, and Ailbhe Larkin added another near halfway. Any momentum Limerick might have been gathering was nipped in the bud in the 42nd minute when Clodagh McIntyre hit an unstoppable shot to the Limerick net, after good build up play from Grace O’Brien.

Limerick nearly hit straight back with a goal of their own but Laura Southern saw her shot well saved by Laura Leenane in the Tipp goal.

The Premier County would then hit a purple patch and hit four unanswered points, with two O’Brien efforts, then a great score from Jean Kelly after being picked out by Sarah Corcoran, with a superb ball and Kelly turned her marker sharply before hitting a superb point. Grace O’Brien added another after 52 minutes, after a goal-bound effort from Karen Kennedy was well saved and the rebound fell to the Nenagh forward and her shot flashed over the bar.

Limerick would hit the next two scores, firstly a fine effort from Laura Southern from out by the sideline, and then Orlaith Kelleher in the 57th minute with a fine individual score.

Tipperary would have the final say in the game, with the final two scores, Jean Kelly from play in added time, and fittingly it was Grace O’Brien who had the final say with the final score, with the last puck of the game as she knocked over a free as the clock hit the 65 minute mark, with Tipperary running out fifteen point winners and setting up a semi-final showdown with Waterford.

As another story will be written in what is turning into a very big rivalry between the two counties in recent years, with her most recent meeting in the league, going the way of the Deise, a one-point win in a low-scoring encounter in Walsh Park last month.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers 6); Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs 7), Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7); Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 8), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra 7), Caithlyn Treacy (Moneygall 6); Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris 6), Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7); Roisin Howard (Cahir 6), Ciara Brennan (St Cillian’s 6), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha 7), Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch 6), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 8).

Subs: Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields 7) for Hennessy (HT), Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6) for Brennan (38); Aoife McGrath (Drom & Inch 6) for C Treacy (44), Jean Kelly (Eire Og Annacarty/D 7) for N Treacy (45); Sarah Madden (Silvermines 6) for McCarthy (45); Sophie Pembroke (Gortnahoe/Glengoole 6) for Loughman (50); Amy Quinlisk (Kilruane MacDonaghs 6) for McIntyre (51 inj), Anna Gavin (Holycross/Ballycahill 6) for Quirke (51).

Limerick: Sarah Gillane (6); Teresa Dore (6), Muireann Creamer (7), Emily O’Halloran (6); Karen Cunningham (6), Sophie O’Callaghan (7), Ciara O’Riordan (6); Shauna Cunningham (6), Ailbhe Larkin (7); Mairead Ryan (6), Lizanna Boylan (6), Stephanie Woulfe (7); Orlaith Kelleher (7), Caoimhe Costello (7), Laura Southern (7).

Subs: Ciara Neenan (6) for K Cunningham (HT); Aine Foley (6) for Dore (HT); Cliodhna Ryan (6) for O’Riordan (46); Dearbhla Egan (6) for Boylan (49); Lisa English (6) for Woulfe (52), Aine O Tiarnaigh (6) for O’Halloran (54).

Referee: Andy Larkin (Cork).