Tipp dig deep to earn draw in Cork

CAMOGIE: Centra National League Division 1A Round 4

Cork 2-8

Tipperary 1-11

Report: Therese O’Callaghan

in Páirc Uí Rinn, Cork

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Caoimhe Stakelum (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Cork: Orlaith Cahalane 1-2, Sorcha McCartan 0-4 frees; Emma Murphy 1-0, Laura Hayes (free), Hayley Ryan 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Caoimhe Stakelum 1-2; Eimear McGrath 0-5 (2 frees, 1 ‘45), Aoife Dwyer 0-2; Róisín Howard, Clodagh McIntyre 0-1 each.

Tipperary’s journey to Cork on Saturday ended with a richly-deserved draw in the National Camogie League Division 1A.

A result that might have looked beyond them in stoppage time with the hosts clinging on to a one-point lead.

Showing no signs of giving up, Tipperary came with one last burst that yielded a share of the spoils in the fourth minute of the three minutes that were added on. Working the ball out of defence, captain Caoimhe McCarthy picked out the advancing Clodagh McIntyre and a brave run through the centre resulted in the Lorrha forward splitting the posts.

Coming after straight defeats to Galway and Kilkenny, Tipperary now have a lot to play for in their final game at home to table-toppers Waterford next weekend, the Déise have already qualified for their first final with a match to spare.

In the most intriguing and competitive league in a long time, the Premier County sit fourth in the table behind Kilkenny and Galway, and above Cork and Antrim.

The northern county is the only county out of the equation as regards qualification for the showdown.

Eight points adrift at the break (2-6 to 0-4) — albeit after playing into the wind - Tipperary had a job on their hands. But some terrific moments of skill and no shortage of self-belief in a physical battle that was let flow by referee Donnacha O’Callaghan, saw them claw their way back. They held Cork scoreless from play in the second half.

Once the eye-catching Caoimhe Stakelum grabbed Tipperary’s goal five minutes into the new half after a free was brought forward for dissent, the Thurles Sarsfields forward collected the sliotar with only one thing on her mind.

The visitors dominated the third quarter. Even though an Eimear McGrath free from an acute angle hit the post and was cleared, she made no mistake when she was presented with a similar situation a couple of minutes later. Róisín Howard drew a foul, McGrath obliged. McGrath added another point from a ’45 to cut the lead to two, and the tide was beginning to turn.

It took Cork until the 46th minute to raise a second-half flag - a free from McCartan.

Tipperary fought tooth and nail for every ball with Mairéad Eviston and McCarthy excelling in defence.

The pick of Stakelum’s scores arrived in the 49th minute when she showed beautiful skill and her overhead flick led to a magnificent point from near the Boreenmanna Road side.

It was a one-point contest when McGrath pointed from play, 2-7 to 1-9, and seven minutes of regulation remaining.

Praise too for goalkeeper Laura Leenane who dealt with a Saoirse McCarthy effort.

Cork got their second score of the half, another McCartan free, on an afternoon news broke that six-time All-Ireland winner Ashling Thompson will be sidelined for the foreseeable future due to an elbow injury she sustained in an accidental clash against Kilkenny seven days earlier.

Tipperary made it clear they weren’t going to give up this fight. They bore down on goal but McIntyre’s shot couldn’t gain traction and was cleared.

They persevered. McGrath’s fifth point in the 62nd minute - and her second from play - made for a frantic finish. When another McGrath shot tailed wide, the clock was not on their side.

There was time enough though for one more classy white flag. Both teams made three changes from the preceding week, and it was Cork aided by the elements made the early running.

The score was a point apiece after ten minutes, but Tipperary were wayward and dropped a few balls short. When Emma Murphy latched onto a Sorcha McCartan sideline ball to grab an 11th minute goal, Cork were up and running.

It got worse for Tipperary when Orlaith Cahalane slipped her marker to register a second Cork goal three minutes later, 2-2 to 0-2. Stakelum and Aoife Dwyer were the Tipperary providers.

An eight-point difference emerged by the 20th minute as Cork settled into their stride.

A Dwyer point and one from Róisín Howard left the score 2-4 to 0-4, but another Cork brace kept the difference at eight, 2-6 to 0-4, at the change of ends.

Tipperary returned with a plan and their support play was much improved, while Stakelum’s goal acted as the catalyst.

They are set up nicely now for what should be an intriguing home game against Waterford on Saturday.

TEAMS - Cork: Amy Lee; Meabh Murphy, Libby Coppinger, Méabh Cahalane (Capt); Rachel Harty, Laura Hayes, Ava Fitzgerald; Millie Condon, Izzy O’Regan; Emma Murphy, Saoirse McCarthy, Ava McAuliffe; Hayley Ryan, Orlaith Cahalane, Sorcha McCartan.

Subs: Orlaith Cremin for Ryan (7-12 blood, 44); Niamh McNabola for E Murphy (44), Isobel Sheehan for McAuliffe (54).

Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers); Isobel O’Donnell (Brian Borús), Mairéad Eviston (Drom & Inch), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore); Mary Burke (Drom & Inch), Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams, Capt), Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers); Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra), Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields), Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha), Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields); Róisín Howard (Cahir), Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch).

Subs: Emma Carey (Thurles Sarsfields) for Burke (44); Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams) for Maher (44); Jean Kelly (Éire Óg Annacarty/Donohill) for Dwyer (56), Niamh Cunneen (Silvermines) for Treacy (60+1).

Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick).