Tipp Seniors blown away by slick Cork

CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship Group 1 Round 2

Tipperary 1-9

Cork 3-21

Report: Joe Scully at the Camogie Grounds, The Ragg

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Amy O’Connor (Cork).

SCORERS – Tipperary: Mary Burke 1-0; Karen Kennedy, Roisin Howard, Caoimhe McCarthy 0-2 each; Sarah Corcoran, Grace O’Brien (free), Jean Kelly 0-1 each.

Cork: Amy O’Connor 1-13 (0-9 frees); Katrina Mackey 1-2; Clodagh Finn 1-1; Laura Hayes, Emma Murphy, Saoirse McCarthy, Sorcha McCartan, Ciara O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Tipperary were given a rude welcome into the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship by defending champions Cork on Saturday.

After a bye in the opening round, Tipp came in fresh for this game but were no match for a Cork side who had the game all but put to bed after just twelve minutes, following a devastating opening period which saw them score 3-2 to just a solitary point by Tipp.

The reigning All-Ireland champions sent out a clear message to all their rivals that they mean business once again this year, and judging by this first half performance, the Rebelettes will take some beating, as they look miles ahead of the chasing pack.

This result is a major setback for Tipperary as they looked well off the pace and couldn’t live with a Cork side who smothered them throughout and just blew them out of the water.

The home side failed to get anywhere near the Cork players, practically their forwards causing problems all game long, especially with their running game.

The only real upside Tipp can take was their much-improved second-half performance, which they came out level in, albeit with Cork easing up a bit.

There will definitely be a lot of soul searching in the Tipp camp ahead of a trip to Wexford next Saturday as they look to bounce back from what is now four defeats in a row in all competitions.

Cork gave an early indication of what was to come when the superb Amy O’Connor put them ahead after just 42 seconds after being set-up by Laura Hayes.

Roisin Howard had the home side level in the third minute, but this would be as good as it would get for Tipp as a Cork blitz was about to be unleashed, which would leave the Premier County gasping for breath.

Laura Hayes had Cork back ahead in the fourth minute, before the away side were in for their first goal in the eighth minute, when following a strong run from Katrina Mackey, she passed to Clodagh Finn and the corner forward made no mistake with her finish.

Two minutes later, Amy O’Connor goaled again following a fine team move, and in the eleventh minute they hit their third, this time when Finn returned the favour for Mackey who hit a powerful shot to the back of the net. O’Connor added a free a minute later to leave the champions 3-2 to 0-1 up after twelve minutes.

Tipp would hit back with a goal a minute later following a strong run from Howard, who then set-up Mary Burke for the finish.

Cork responded with three points, through Amy McCarthy free, Saoirse McCarthy after the Tipp puckout went wrong, and then a Katrina Mackey point after she found herself in loads of space.

Sarah Corcoran added Tipp’s second point following a fine team move in the seventeenth minute, their last score of the half, as once again Cork put their foot to the gas to put the game to bed. O’Connor, Emma Murphy, and Mackey all with points from play, before four in a row from O’Connor (3 frees) left the half-time score 3-13 to 1-2.

The home side who made four changes at the break, one enforced, with Caoimhe Maher having to be withdrawn following a nasty looking head injury, which leaves her a major doubt for the Wexford game.

They started the second half a lot better and hit the first three points through Karen Kennedy, then Roisin Howard punished a rare mistake from the Cork defence before Kennedy again showed her class with a fine finish.

Cork then got back into their groove hitting four unanswered points, through Clodagh Finn, then three in a row from O’Connor (2 frees). Caoimhe McCarthy replied for Tipp with an effort from long range, before another O’Connor free left the score at 3-18 to 1-7 after 43 minutes.

Grace O’Brien added a free for Tipp, but once again Cork showed their class with another three in a row burst, with an O’Connor free sandwiched in between a point each from subs Ciara O’Sullivan and Sorcha McCartan.

Tipperary, to their credit, continued to plug away and were rewarded by scoring the final two scores of the game, firstly Caoimhe McCarthy with her second, a great finish from out by the sideline, and then in the fourth minute of added time, Jean Kelly who impressed off the bench, as Cork ran out victorious by an impressive eighteen points.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers 8); Julieanne Bourke (Borris-Ileigh 6), Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs 7), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6); Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 7), Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch 6), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra 6); Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris 7), Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch 6); Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines 6), Mary Burke (Drom & Inch 6), Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6), Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields, Capt 6), Roisin Howard (Cahir 7), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 6).

Subs: Emma Carey (Thurles Sarsfields 7) for Maher (HT inj); Niamh Costigan (Cahir 6) for Bourke (HT), Jean Kelly (Eire Og Annacarty/D 7) for Loughman (HT), Amy Quinlisk (Kilruane MacDonaghs 7) for Treacy (HT), Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6) for Hennessy (45); Sarah Madden (Silvermines 6) for O’Brien (53).

Cork: Amy Lee (6); Meabh Murphy (7), Pamela Mackey (7), Maebh Cahalane (7); Aoife Healy (8), Laura Treacy (7), Laura Hayes (7), Hannah Looney (7), Ashling Thompson (7), Emma Murphy (6), Saoirse McCarthy (7), Orlaith Cahalane (6), Clodagh Finn (8), Katrina Mackey (8), Amy O’Connor (9).

Subs: Cliona Healy (7) for E Murphy (38); Sorcha McCartan (7) for Mackey (45), Kate Wall (6) for Treacy (45 mins), Rachel Harty (6) for Looney (54), Ciara O’Sullivan (6) for Finn (54).

Referee: Justin Heffernan (Wexford).