Galway prove a step too far for Tipp

CAMOGIE: Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship Semi-Final

Galway 2-18

Tipperary 3-11

Report: Joe Scully at McEgan Park, Castletown Geoghegan

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Leah Forde (Galway).

SCORERS – Galway: Leah Forde 1-5; Mary Brigid Cosgrove 0-8 (7 frees); Amy Kenny 1-0; Lauren Morgan 0-2; Clodagh Burke, Eve Kenny, Emma Barrett 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Abbie Horgan 1-7 (1-6 frees); Nessa Dwan 1-1; Sarah Jayne Ormond 1-0; Alice Butler 0-2; Jessie Shanahan 0-1.

It is the end of the road for the Tipperary Minor camogie team for the year after they suffered a four-point defeat at the hands of Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday.

The game was similar to the sides meeting in the group stages two weeks previous in that it was a close first half, which at the end of it, the Munster outfit went in at the break with a one-point lead, having played with the wind.

Galway would come out at the start of the second half a totally different team, and after both sides traded scores they put the foot down scoring 1-9 without reply to put the game beyond the reach, who rallied with 2-1 but would run out of time, and exited the championship at the semi-final stage for the second year in a row.

The late surge was a fair reflection of the gap between the two sides as opposed to the eleven point lead Galway had built up. Tipperary, while being disappointed to lose, can be very proud of their efforts, not just on the day, where they gave it their all, and the work-rate of every single player immense.

Galway were quickest out of the blocks and raced into a three-point lead thanks to scores from all three members of their full forward line, Leah Forde, a free from Mary Brigid Cosgrove and then Emma Barrett.

Tipp would respond hitting three unanswered scores via an Abbie Horgan free, and after a long-range effort dropped short Jessie Shanahan was on hand to tap over the bar, before Horgan added her second with a fine finish from play.

The back-and-forth nature would continue in the eighth minute when after a Mary Brigid Cosgrove effort rebounded off the crossbar, midfielder Amy Kenny was on hand to finish to the back of the Tipp net.

Abbie Horgan added a free top reduce the gap, but Galway through Cosgrove and Leah Forde in the 15th minute led 1-05 to 0-4.

Galway extended their lead before Tipp hit back, an excellent move finishing with Alice Butler pointing before another free from Horgan followed for Tipp.

A free from Cosgrove two minutes later had the gap back at three but it was back to one in the 28th minute after two frees from Horgan, but less than a minute later, Lauren Morgan pointed from play.

Eight seconds into added time, Tipp were in the lead when Abbie Horgan ran at the Galway defence, before laying off a pass to Neasa Dwan who finished with aplomb, low to the net for what would be the last score of the half.

Galway were level within 27 seconds of the restart thanks to Eve Kenny, and Leah Forde had them back ahead in the 32nd minute.

Alice Butler and Abbie Horgan responded for the Tipp to put them back in front, but that would be as good as it got as Galway slowly started to take control from here on in. Two Cosgrove frees, followed by another from Forde, before Cosgrove struck again from a 45, and she added another free soon after.

Lauren Morgan, Cosgrove, Forde, and Clodagh Burke added four more from play to leave puish Galway 1-18 to 1-10 ahead with 52 minutes gone.

Any chance of a Tipp comeback was put to bed from the resultant puckout when Leah Forde won possession, ran at the Tipp defence before smashing the ball to the back of the net.

Tipperary, to their credit, kept fighting till the final whistle, and were rewarded in added time, firstly via Abbie Horgan who buried a 30-metre free to the net, and then over a minute later, sub Sarah Jane Ormond turned her marker before goaling.

The gap was back to four in the 63rd minute when Neasa Dwan pointed from close range, but any hope of a miraculous comeback ran out of time.

TEAMS – Galway: Leah Horan (6); Éabha Burke (7), Muireann Conroy (7), Heidi Hesnan (6), Aislin Healy (8), Sinéad Feeney (6), Amy Kenny (7), Aoife Scarry (6), Clodagh Burke (7), Eve Kenny (8), Lauren Morgan (7), Leah Forde (9), Emma Barrett (6), Mary Brigid Cosgrove (8).

Subs: Saoirse Counihan (7) for Healy (35); Katelyn Walsh (6) for A Kenny (53); Niesha Scott (6) for Barrett (56), Zara Spellman (NR) for E Kenny (57); Kate Dunleavy (NR) for Hesnan (59).

Tipperary: Erin O’Donnell (Moyle Rovers 6); Eimear Ryan (Gortnahoe/Glengoole 6), Kate Nevin (Templemore 7), Evanne Gleeson (Moyle Rovers 7); Grace Cleary (Nenagh Eire Og 6), Ciara Cahill (Drom & Inch, Capt 7), Emma Bonner (Cashel KC 6), Evanne Duffy (Moyle Rovers 6), Eva Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris 6); Abbie Horgan (Boherlahan-Dualla 8), Ailbhe Treacy (Silvermines 7), Jessie Shanahan (Slieve Felim Rapparees 7); Isabelle Kingston (Kiladangan 6), Neasa Dwan (Boherlahan-Dualla 7), Alice Butler (Slieve Felim Rapparees 7).

Subs: Doireann Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla 6) for Shanahan (48); Sarah Jane Ormond (Drom & Inch 7) for Cleary (51); Kaelinn Rossiter (Thurles Sarsfields 6) for Bonner (56); Grace Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh 6) for Kingston (56).

Referee: Brian Kearney (Kildare).