Tipp look to secure senior status at first attempt
LADIES FOOTBALL: TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Relegation Playoff Preview
By Michael Heverin
TIPPERARY v TYRONE
St Loman’s Park, Mullingar
Saturday, 4th July
Throw-in @ 3.30pm
Referee: Angela Gallagher (Dublin)
Tipperary ladies’ footballers have to get over the disappointment of not making the All-Ireland quarter finals and regroup for a battle to retain their senior status.
The defeats to Kerry and Kildare in the All-Ireland series means that they now have two chances to avoid the drop to intermediate, as they fight it out with Tyrone, Donegal and Waterford
They face Tyrone in the semi-final at St Loman’s Park, Mullingar on Saturday, and if they win then they are safe. If they lose, they then meet the losers of Donegal v Waterford in the relegation final, with the losers of that game dropping down.
“That’s one final that we don’t want to get to. We want to deal with it on the day against Tyrone”, said team manager David Power.
The defeat at home to Kildare robbed them of the chance to reach the quarter finals and plunged them into the relegation battle. The next training session following that defeat was a difficult one, Power explains, but now is the time for the girls to be positive and show the belief to overcome Tyrone.
Tipp lost to Tyrone in Clonmel in the last game of the league, 5-10 to 5-5, but the manager says that not a lot can be read into that result. Their promotion hopes were virtually gone by that stage and he made six changes for the game, as well as introducing eight subs.
“We now just have to come up with a plan to beat them and get a performance out of the girls”, Power added.
Of more relevance might be Tyrone’s most recent game against Meath in the All-Ireland series when they lost by two points, 1-12 to 1-10. Among their best performers was Sorcha Gormley, daughter of former Tyrone great, Brian Gormley, and she was also the player of the match in the league win over Tipp. Another Tyrone player with supreme football pedigree is Claire Canavan, daughter of the legendary Peter Canavan.
One player who will need careful attention is Niamh O’Neill, who is not just a threat in open play but also a brilliant free-taker, with two pointers in her locker, so Tipp will have to be careful of conceding frees within her range.
The absence of the two Martin sisters, Niamh & Nora, continues to be a huge loss for Tipperary, but manager Power knows he has to plan without them. The return of team captain Anna-Rose Kennedy against Kildare compensated for Niamh Martin’s absence at midfield, while Power moved regular fullback Maria Curley to centre back in Nora Martin’s continued absence through injury, with Fethard’s Lucy Spillane coming into the side at fullback, joining her sister Heather on the team.
Emma Cronin has been a rock at wingback throughout the season and Tara Hoare should hopefully be back in the other corner after leaving the field with an injury eleven minutes into the Kildare game.
Lauren Cunningham and Emma Morrissey have been Tipperary’s two key playmakers in attack, and while Morrissey is always tightly marked, Cunningham has been using the extra space to prise open defences. Heather Spillane is also fully fit after her recent injury, while Ava Ryan and Anna Carey were starters against Kildare and both impressed.
However, David Power isn’t showing his hand yet, saying he is looking at all options, and wants to see all the players put their hands up in training for a place on the first fifteen.
“It is huge for us to retain our senior status and I’d rather that we take that chance on Saturday and not have to play the next game. It’s all about getting the win”, he says.
One of Tipperary’s best performances of the league was in Mullingar when they proved too strong for the home side, Westmeath. Tyrone will be a tougher proposition but perhaps it’s a ground that suits them.