Tipp striving for more consistency as All-Ireland championship kicks into gear

LADIES FOOTBALL: TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Preview

By Niall McIntyre

GALWAY v TIPPERARY

Tuam Stadium

Saturday, 7th June

Throw-in @ 2.00pm

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo)

‘Sweeper Keeper’ Lauren Fitzpatrick is confident Tipperary are clicking into gear at the right time as they begin their TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies championship campaign on Saturday against Galway.

The Premier women produced a ‘mixed bag’ of a league campaign according to their long-serving number one, finishing third in a competitive Division 2 where Galway and Cork took the top spots.

Ed Burke’s side subsequently lost to Waterford and the Rebels in the Munster championship and drew with All-Ireland champions Kerry, with Fitzpatrick hoping they can kick on from that result with the top two emerging in a group of three which also includes Donegal.

Tipp lost to both Galway and Donegal in the league, but they have greater ambitions in the championship and will be buoyed by the availability of former AFLW team-mates Aishling Moloney and Anna Rose Kennedy.

Kennedy finished up with the Geelong Cats at the end of last season while Moloney will return to Australia when Tipperary’s campaign ends, indicating her dedication to the cause.

“This year Aishling will head back once we’ve finished the county season and of course we’re very happy with that,” Fitzpatrick says.

“She is just a huge talent.

“Any team would be lucky to have her and it’s great to have her coming back from a professional set-up as well, giving us any tips and tricks she might have picked up.

“She doesn’t have to come back to play with Tipp and she’ll miss a bit of her club’s pre-season by coming back, but that shows her passion for Tipperary football.”

Tipp finished third in their group last year, leading them to a relegation dogfight where they overcame Laois in the semi-final to preserve their status.

Having coached Tipp to All-Ireland Intermediate glory in 2019, Burke replaced Peter Creedon as manager at the beginning of this campaign and Fitzpatrick says the transition has been smooth, with the addition of younger faces freshening up the squad.

“What’s helped big time is that Ed has taken over the minors and the seniors this year,” she revealed.

“A couple of them (minors) have come on board to our training squad in the last few weeks and they’ve fitted in very well.

“Our main goal this year is to build our consistency with our performances, rather than leaving it until our backs are against the wall and pulling out a big one in a relegation play-off or something like that.

Fitzpatrick plays her club football with Déise giants Ballymacarbry having grown up in Newcastle in Tipperary, a split-parish with Four-Mile-Water in Waterford.

There was no Gaelic football in Newcastle when she was younger, leading her to Ballymac where she has won multiple county championships as well as a Munster club championship in 2022.

Ballymacarbry were finally dethroned by Comeragh Rangers last year, stopping their bid for an incredible 43 county titles in a row and Fitzpatrick has no qualms with that result, congratulating their opponents.

Having won All-Ireland Intermediate titles with Tipperary in 2017 and 2019, after first joining the panel in 2014, her enthusiasm remains as strong as ever with her ‘fly keeper’ duties adding to her enjoyment of the game. Roving goalkeepers aren’t as common in the women’s game as the men’s but Fitzpatrick is suited to the role having played outfield in her underage days.

“It brings a bit more excitement to my game,” she added.

“Some people might be looking on going ‘what’s she doing?’ but it has worked so far, and I think it can add to the team.

“I enjoy being a bit more involved in open play. It naturally happened over time that I just started moving up the field and It’s been a very welcome change.”