Gritty Tipp maintain unbeaten run with draw in Kilkenny

CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Under 23 Championship Round 3

Kilkenny 1-10

Tipperary 2-7

Report: Joe Scully at MW Hire Training Centre, Dunmore

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Danielle Ryan (Tipperary).

SCORER – Kilkenny: Ellen Gunner 0-6 (5 frees); Leah Brett 0-4; Claire Doheny 1-0.

Tipperary: Danielle Ryan 2-3 (0-1 free); Eva O’Dwyer 0-3 frees; Niamh Cunneen 0-1.

Tipperary travelled to Kilkenny on Friday evening for the third round of the All-Ireland Under 23 championship, and despite the horrendous conditions, both sides served up a very entertaining hours camogie, with the draw that ensued a fair result.

The Premier remain undefeated, with one win and two draws from their three games so far, sitting second in the group, but still have a lot of work to do finish in the top four to make the semi-finals.

With the heavy rain and strong winds throughout, the game was never going to be a shootout, but nonetheless there was some great camogie played, and the intensity both sides brought to the proceedings was of the highest level, with the crowd treated to a match of the highest drama.

It started right from the throw-in when Kilkenny went straight up the pitch leading to Clare Doheny finding the back of the net after just 25 seconds. The home side extended their lead in the third minute when Leah Brett pointed from close range.

The Munster champions responded quickly through Eva O’Dwyer from a free before two minutes later they were level when Danielle Ryan won a long ball and turned her marker smartly before finishing smartly to the net, 1-1 apiece after six minutes.

Less than a minute later, the Cats were back ahead when Leah Brett added her second point before Niamh Cunneen had the Premier ladies’ level again in the tenth minute.

Three minutes later, Brett, who was causing all sorts of problems in the early going, had Kilkenny back ahead again, and the lead was at two following an Ellen Gunner free.

A brilliant move from the visitors started by Anna Fahie, who played the ball to Niamh Cunneen who then doubled on the sliotar in the air into the path of Danielle Ryan who finished excellently.

She had Tipperary ahead in the 17th minute, when a long-range Eimear Fogarty free dropped short and was batted down by Kilkenny keeper Cara Duggan and Ryan was on hand to finish to the back of the net from close range.

Ellen Gunnar added another free for the home side in the 21st minute, which would turn out to be the last score of the half, leaving Tipp in front at the break, 2-4 to 1-5.

The second half would turn into a proper battle with scores hard to come by, especially from play, with the first six scores of the half all from frees, and only two from play overall.

Ellen Gunner hit two in the first two minutes. Then it was the turn of Tipperary and Eva O’Dwyer firstly in the 34th minute and then ten minutes later when the skipper landed superb free from out by the sideline, to put her side back ahead.

It stayed like this until the 50th minute when another free Gunner levelled the game yet again, and she was at it again two minutes later to put her side ahead.

Tipp levelled in the 55th minute through a Danielle Ryan point from play, and as the game entered the last minute Kilkenny full forward Leah Brett seemed to have won it for her side with a superb effort, but a brilliant free from Ryan in the second minute of added time earned Tipp a deserved point.

TEAMS – Kilkenny: Cara Duggan (6), Rachel Brennan (7), Rachel Whelan (NR), Caoimhe Carroll (6), Niamh Phelan (6), Aine Rohan (7), Caoimhe Power (8), Keara Ryan (8), Anna Doheny (6), Lucy Boyd (6), Ellen Gunner (8), Claire Doheny (7), Lauren Ronan (6), Leah Brett (8), Molly Conroy (6).

Subs: Sofia Kerr (7) for Whelan (9 inj), Amy Brennan (6) for Ronan (HT).

Tipperary: Molly O’Dwyer (Moycarkey/Borris 6); Aoife Mellerick (Newport/Ballinahinch 7), Katie Fitzgerald (Borris-Ileigh 6), Lily Fahie (Cashel KC 8), Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla 6), Miriam Murphy (Silvermines 8), Kate Dowling (Moycarkey/Borris 7); Anna Fahie (Cashel KC 7), Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines 6); Maeve Cunneen (Silvermines 6), Niamh Cunneen (Silvermines 7); Eimear Fogarty (Shannon Rovers 6); Grace Moloney (Cashel KC 6), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty/D 8), Eva O’Dwyer (Eire Og Annacarty/D, Capt 8).

Subs: Lucy Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty/D 7) for M Cunneen (HT); Kate Ferncombe (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6) for Fogarty (45), Elana McGrath (Holycross/Ballycahill 6) for Moloney (50).

Referee: Patrick Murphy (Carlow).