Tipp fail to use elements as Waterford reclaim bragging rights

CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship Group 1 Round 1

Waterford 0-16

Tipperary 1-10

Report: Joe Scully at Azzurri Walsh Park, Waterford

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Eimear O’Neill (Waterford).

SCORERS – Waterford: Niamh Rockett 0-4 frees; Eimear O’Neill, Beth Carton (1 free) 0-3 each; Lorraine Bray, Annie Fitzgerald 0-2 each; Abby Flynn, Roisin Kirwan 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Eimear McGrath 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-2 frees); Eimear Heffernan 0-3 (1 free); Casey Hennessy, Grace O’Brien 0-2 each; Clodagh McIntyre 0-1.

Tipperary opened their All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship campaign with a disappointing three-point defeat, at the hands of old rivals Waterford on Sunday.

For the Deise it was some measure of revenge for the Munster final defeat at the hands of the same opposition three weeks ago but two crucial points in the race for direct passage to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

It was a deserved win for Waterford, who after playing against a strong breeze in the opening period, went in only a point behind, and stepped on the gas upon the restart, defending brilliantly and restricting the visitors to just three points in the half, before Tipp goaled in added time from an Eimear McGrath penalty, but it was too little too late as Waterford held on for a crucial win.

It was a disappointing performance from Tipp, who were a long way from their best, but at the same time only for a brilliant save from Waterford keeper Brianna O’Regan at the start of the second period from the aforementioned McGrath, just on the pitch as a half-time sub, which if it had found the back of the net would have put Tipp four points up and who knows how the game would have went.

McGrath's inability to start with the help of the elements, as well as Caoimhe Stakelum unavailable due to the Leaving Cert certainly blunted the visitors attack.

However, both Waterford and Tipperary will know though they need to improve if they are to finally make the breakthrough to win an All-Ireland as both sides were guilty of some poor finishing in the game, and that will not be good enough against either Galway or Cork going forward.

Another major worry to come out of the game from a Tipperary perspective was Karen Kennedy limping off in the second half with what looked like a groin injury and if they were to lose the Thurles star for a period of time it would be a massive blow for the Blue & Gold.

Much like the sides meeting in the Munster final last month, the first half was a real back and forth affair and there was three minutes and 37 seconds gone when an Eimear Heffernan free opened the scoring for the Premier County.

Waterford were level almost straight away when Lorraine Bray finished smartly following a slick pass from player of the match Eimear O’Neill.

The recalled Casey Hennessy had Tipp back ahead before Grace O’Brien extended the lead when her effort flashed over the bar when a goal chance was on.

A Niamh Rockett free in the tenth minute had the gap back to a point before O’Brien picked out Clodagh McIntyre with a superb cross field ball and the Lorrha native finished with ease.

Beth Carton showed her class with a fine individual score in the 14th minute to leave just the solitary in it again. Tipp responded from the resultant puckout with O’Brien once again on target, the assist this time for Roisin Howard.

Waterford would reply in kind with O’Neill setting up Annie Fitzgerald, and the sides would be level in the 22nd minute when O’Neill turned scorer.

A brilliant finish from distance from Eimear Heffernan had Tipp back ahead before a Niamh Rockett free had the sides level again. In stoppage time Heffernan added her third of the game to leave Tipp 0-7 to 0-6 up at the break.

The second half nearly burst into life within 24 seconds when Eimear McGrath found herself through on goal but her effort was brilliantly saved by Brianna O’Regan.

This would kick the home side into action, and would hit three unanswered points, with a Niamh Rockett free sandwiched in between an Eimear O’Neill effort and a brilliant Abby Flynn point.

Eimear McGrath responded with a free for Tipp but Waterford hit straight back through Beth Carton with a fine finish. Casey Hennessy had the gap back to one in the 40th minute following great build-up play by Roisin Howard, but efforts from Rockett free and Annie Fitzgerald had Waterford three ahead with 15 minutes to play.

A McGrath free reduced the arrears, but Waterford then stepped on the gas yet again hitting four unanswered points through O’Neill, Bray, substitute Roisin Kirwan and a free from Carton in the 59th minute.

Twenty seconds later, Eimear McGrath was dragged down while going through on goal and a penalty was awarded and after a delay for treatment of two minutes. McGrath would step up and blasted the penalty to the back of the net, leaving just three points in it with four minutes of added time to play.

Tipp would push for a levelling goal but were repelled by the Waterford rearguard who held on for a valuable win.

TEAMS – Waterford: Brianna O’Regan (7), Vikki Falconer (7), Laoise Forrest (8), Alannah McNulty (7), Clodagh Carroll (6), Keeley Corbett Barry (7), Rachael Walsh (6), Orla Hickey (6), Lorraine Bray (7), Eimear O’Neill (9), Beth Carton (8), Bevin Bowdren (6), Annie Fitzgerald (7), Niamh Rockett (6), Abby Flynn (6).

Subs: Mairead O’Brien (6) for Rockett (43); Alannah O’Sullivan (6) for Hickey (46); Roisin Kirwan (6) for Fitzgerald (50); Maggie Gostl (NR) for Walsh (58).

Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers 7); Amy Quinlisk (Kilruane MacDonaghs 7), Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch 6), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6), Karin Blair (Cashel KC 6), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra 7), Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers 6); Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields 6), Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams, Capt 6), Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 7), Roisin Howard (Cahir 7), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha 6); Jean Kelly (Eire Og Annacarty/D 6), Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 7).

Subs: Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch 6) for McCarthy (HT), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris 6) for Kennedy (34 inj); Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields) McIntyre (46-50 blood), Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch 6) for Kelly (50), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty/D) for O’Brien (60).

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare).