Tipp brought back down to earth by slick Kilkenny
CAMOGIE: Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship Round 2
Tipperary 0-9
Kilkenny 3-14
Report: Joe Scully at Fethard Town Park
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Emily Phelan (Kilkenny)
SCORERS – Tipperary: Abbie Horgan 0-6 frees; Grace Stapleton 0-2; Alice Butler 0-1.
Kilkenny: Amy O’Shea 1-5 (0-2 frees); Emily Phelan 1-4; Ona Kennedy 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-2 frees); Shauna Mahony 0-3.
Tipperary were no match for Kilkenny in this second-round clash in the All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Camogie Championship on Sunday.
It was a chastening experience for a Tipp side who came into the game full of confidence after a great win over Munster champions Cork in the opening round, but they were no match whatsoever for the reigning All-Ireland champions who were the better side throughout and the fourteen point winning margin was a fair reflection of their dominance.
The cats had the game put to bed after a blistering first half, which saw them find the back of the net three times and which at the end of it they lead by 13 points. While the second half was a much more even affair, but the Premier Ladies never looked like making any inroads into the massive deficit, as Kilkenny comfortably saw out the game.
The cats were far superior in every facet of the game as the home side just couldn’t cope with the intensity the Leinster outfit brought to proceedings. Kilkenny were first to every breaking ball, won the vast majority the 50/50 battles, were excellent in defence, where they gave a masterclass in hooking and blocking.
It was a superb team performance with Erin Morrissey, Mairead Duggan, Ona Kennedy, Emily Phelan and Amy O’Shea outstanding, while for Tipp Ciara Cahill, Abbie Horgan and Neasa Dwan impressed.
Kilkenny hit the front in the fourth minute when Ona Kennedy pointed from a dead-ball, and the lead was out to two a minute later after a great finish from Amy O’Shea. Kilkenny continued to pile on the pressure and Shaune Mahony added her sides third point in the seventh minute, before a free from Abbie Horgan in the 12th minute opened the scoring for the home side.
However, two minutes later, Kilkenny’s Hollie Ryan was fouled close to goal and was awarded a penalty which Ona Kennedy stepped up to and finished low to the bottom corner, to leave the score 1-3 to 0-1.
Amy O’Shea was causing massive trouble to the Tipperary full-back line added her second point a few minutes later, and straight after Emily Phelan found the back of net with a well taking finish after a strong run. The same player nearly goaled again in the 22nd minute, but saw her effort saved for a 45, which Ona Kennedy pointed.
The game was effectively put to bed in the 25th minute when Kilkenny added their third goal from the stick of Amy O’Shea who after a superb catch and turn and run smashed the ball top the back of the net.
The home side responded a minute later with their second and final score of the half, Abbie Horgan pointing from a free, but the final say of the half went to Emily Phelan with a point with the last puck of the half as the visitors went in at the break with a comfortable advantage.
Kilkenny extended their lead within a minute of the restart through an Amy O’Shea free, which Tipperary responded to in the 33rd minute, with their first score from play via the stick of Grace Stapleton.
Kilkenny hit back with two scores within a minute through Emily Phelan and Shauna Mahony, before a good run and finish from Alice Butler with her sides fourth point.
Emily Phelan added another to her own tally before Abbie Horgan and Amy O’Shea exchanged frees to leave the score 3-10 to 0-5 after 46 minutes.
Tipperary would hit the next two scores, firstly a nice point from Grace Stapleton following a superb catch, and then another Abbie Horgan free.
The Cats would then hit three-in-a-row of their own, firstly Phelan with as nice finish then an O’Shea effort from a free, before Shauna O’Mahony finished neatly in the 58th minute for her sides final score.
Tipperary, to their credit, never gave up throughout and finished strongly with the final two points, both frees from Abbie Horgan, but they were mere consolation scores as Kilkenny ran out comfortable victors leaving Tipp with a lot of work to do before a trip to Dublin in two weeks’ time for round three.
TEAMS – Tipperary: Erin O’Donnell (Moyle Rovers 7); Eimear Ryan (Gortnahoe/Glengoole 6), Kate Nevin (Templemore 6), Ella Frend (Toomevara 6); Jessie Shanahan (Slieve Felim Rapparees 6), Ciara Cahill (Drom & Inch, Capt 7), Evanne Gleeson (Boherlahan-Dualla 6); Emma Bonner (Cashel King Cormacs 6), Eva Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris 6); Alice Butler (Slieve Felim Rapparees 6), Ailbhe Treacy (Silvermines 6), Grace Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh 7); Abbie Horgan (Boherlahan-Dualla 7), Isabelle Kingston (Kiladangan NR), Kaelinn Rossiter (Thurles Sarsfields 6).
Subs: Neasa Dwan (Boherlahan-Dualla 7) for Kingston (10 inj), Eavann Duffy (Moyle Rovers 6) for Bonner (HT); Doireann Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla 6) for Rossiter (45); Grace Cleary (Nenagh Eire Og 6) for Butler (50); Ava Fanning (Borris-Ileigh 6) for Shanahan (50); Kate Fox (St Patrick’s NR) for E Ryan (57), Leah Maher (Boherlahan-Dualla NR) for Frend (57), Sarah Jane Ormond (Drom & Inch NR) for Treacy (60).
Kilkenny: Ella Walton (6); Hannah Tennyson (8), Erin Morrissey (8), Mairead Duggan (8), Ciara Hickey (7), Ona Kennedy (9), Aoife O’Grady (6), Shannon Doheny (7), Eleanor Doheny (6), Sadhbh Shefflin (7), Shauna Mahony (8), Hollie Ryan (7), Emily Phelan (9), Emily Cooney (6), Amy O’Shea (9).
Subs: Aoibhinn Ryan (6) for Ryan (43); Katie O’Shea (6) for Shefflin (43); Sinead Jones (6) for Kennedy (48), Leah O’Donovan (NR) for Cooney (60+2), Ellen Treacy (NR) for Duggan (60+2).
Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin).