Moneygall under pressure after Knockavilla loss

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Group 1 Round 3

Moneygall 1-8

Knockavilla-D Kickhams 0-14

Report: Joe Scully at St Flannan’s Park, Moneygall

Moneygall suffered their third straight defeat in the Tipperary Senior Camogie Championship on Tuesday of last week, and in doing so ended their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages, as they suffered a three-point defeat at the hand of a Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams side who in turn picked up their first win of the campaign.

It was a close, tight battle throughout the hour and was in the melting pot right up to the last few seconds, as the home side pushed for an equalising goal but were kept out by a gallant Kickhams defence.

It was a game Moneygall will look back on with a lot of regret as once again their inability to finish off chances and lack of points came back to haunt them, and their conversion rate of just 36% at the final whistle told its own story.

The away side got off to a flyer with two points in the opening two minutes one each from their Tipperary stars Eimear Heffernan and Caoimhe McCarthy, Moneygall opened their account in the sixth minute through a Mairead Teehan free.

McCarthy extended the Kickhams lead soon after before Ciara Maher, after a good catch and run, had the gap back at just in the tenth minute. That would be the last score for ten minutes when Maher would find the back of the net with a bullet of a shot, after a superb catch following a Caithlyn Treacy free.

This goal would kick the West Tipp side into action and they would see out the half strongest adding four unanswered points, through Caoimhe McCarthy again and then two frees by Eimear Heffernan who was becoming more of an influence with her strong running, before Millie Kelly added another with the last puck of the half, to leave her side 0-7 to 1-2 up at the break.

Both sides traded the first three scores of the second half as Eimear Heffernan and Mairead Teehan converted a free each, before Caoimhe McCarthy added another following a fine move involving Heffernan. Kickhams added another in the 36th minute through Millie Kelly once again being set-up by Heffernan.

Three unanswered points from Mairead Teehan free, Edwina King who was excellent throughout, and Ciara Maher had the gap back to just one point in the 43rd minute, with Moneygall very much having all the momentum at this point.

But, Kickhams would respond with two points in the space of two minutes, firstly through Emma Daly and then another free from Eimear Heffernan. A Teehan free had the gap back at two, but it was out to four again shortly after two frees from Heffernan.

Moneygall pushed late on for a goal and went close a couple of times, once through Ciara Maher who saw her shot deflect out for a 45 which Mairead Teehan converted, and it was Teehan in the fourth minute of added time who saw her shot off the ground saved by Sheena Ryan in the Kickhams goal, with the visitors holding out for a huge victory.

Player of the Match: Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams).

Moneygall: Eimear Ryan (6); Julie Kelly (8), Stephanie Kenny (8), Alice Maher (6); Mary Teehan (7), Caithlyn Treacy (6), Katie Hayes (6); Edwina King (0-1, 8), Mary Ryan (7); Mairead Teehan (0-5f, 7), Ciara Maher (1-2, 7), Bronagh Kenneally (6); Orlaith Treacy (6), Orlaith Cleary (6), Emma Costello (6).

Sub: Amy Ryan (7) for C Treacy (33 inj).

Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams: Sheena Ryan (6); Eimear Crowe (7), Emma Ryan (7), Orla Gleeson (7); Sarah Ryan (7), Ereena Fryday (8), Sinead Furlong (6); Caoimhe McCormack (6), Caoimhe McCarthy (0-4, 9), Emma Daly (0-1, 6), Eimear Heffernan (0-7f, 9), Emma O’Meara (6); Millie Kelly (0-2, 7), Niamh Slattery (6), Sinead Hayes (7).

Subs: Doireann Hayes (7) for McCormack (HT), Ellen Browne (6) for Slattery (51).

Referee: Mike Ryan (Nenagh Eire Og).