Tipp edged out in semi-final cliff-hanger

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

Cork 1-7

Tipperary 0-9

Report: Thomas Conway in Thomastown

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Orlaith Cahalane (Cork)

SCORERS – Cork: Orlaith Cahalane 1-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45), Orlaith Mullins, Ana Fahy, Ciara Morrison, Aoife Healy 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Celine Guinan 0-4 frees; Anna Fahie 0-2; Orla O’Brien, Kate Ralph, Aoife Dwyer 0-1 each.

Tipperary’s bid to claim a third All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Camogie title fell by the wayside on Sunday, their dreams of success shattered by a spectacular last-ditch Aoife Healy point, which secured Cork a place in the final.

Both sides had invested everything into a compelling contest which, at times, seemed just as dramatic on the side-line as it was on the pitch. The action sent each management team into frequent fits of hysteria, it raised every spectator to their feet in Thomastown’s architecturally unique metallic stand. And when Healy punched her way through the centre to fire over Cork’s winning point in first minute of stoppage-time, it prompted roars of emotion from the Rebel supporters, sighs of dejection from the Tipp faithful, and a silent ‘wow’ from any neutral in attendance.

As match-winning points go, this one was a sight to behold. The shot was ambitious, maybe even audacious, and it was scored by a player who, amid all the chaos and tension, had enough temerity to bound forward through an open gap and slot her effort cleanly over. An individual masterpiece at the end of a game characterised by immense collective resilience.

That implacable team spirit was evident right the way through, but it only really became thrilling after the interval, when the stakes suddenly became real. The first-half was more tame, but it was also more free-flowing, containing a higher quality of camogie and an exhibition of impressive scoring.

Tipp looked sharp. Anna Fahie opened their account on four minutes, Orla O’Brien doubled the tally a minute later, and aside from some sporadic breaks up the field, play was largely concentrated inside the Cork half. The trouble was, the Rebellettes looked especially dangerous on the counter - Millie Condon carried the ball with devastating effectiveness, running it directly to the inside forward-line, who never held their shape but always seemed to look threatening.

Orlaith Mullins pinged over their first in the eighth minute, sliding in from the left and slicing over on the run. The confusingly named Ana Fahy, positioned in the opposite corner to her Tipperary counterpart, slotted Cork’s second point on fourteen minutes, and from then on they grew more and more dangerous.

That danger was amplified further when Orlaith Mullins, Cork’s most resourceful attacking weapon, began to state her impact on this game. In truth, her sixteenth minute goal shoulder never have been allowed. Make no mistake, it was legal. The wing-forward scrambled the sliotar from a ruck, dropped the shoulder, and sent a diagonal effort bouncing past Kacey Meehan into the far-corner. From a defensive perspective however, it had Tipp howling in frustration.

Celine Guinan resurrected confidence levels with a brilliantly dispatched long-range free in the moments after, fizzing the ball over from out near the side-line, and that did Tipp the world of good.

Fahie was on target for her second within minutes, swivelling past her marker and launching from 35 metres, with enough time still for Guinan to send Tipp ahead before the break, Michael Ferncombe’s side now leading by the minimum, 0-6 to 1-2.

Located along a lush plain of the River Nore, with the ruins of an old castle shadowing its clubhouse, the three pitches of Thomastown GAA club are smooth and spacious. Hence, the congestion of the second-half was difficult to understand, with around seventy per-cent of the action occurring somewhere underneath the canopy of the stand. The ball seemed to be magnetised to the crowd, the players magnetised to the ball, the referee, Gavin Donegan, a cool presence in the middle of it all.

As might be expected, placed-balls suddenly became crucial assets. Cahalane and Guinan traded frees, before the former lobbed over a tricky 45, sending Cork ahead by one.

The lead was transient. Before long, it had been cancelled out by Aoife Dwyer, with Guinan ahead stepping up in the moments which followed, landing Tipp’s last point as the final fifteen minutes elapsed.

The sheer energy of the conclusion was breath-taking - almost stirring, given the passion that was involved. Cahalane levelled proceedings with her third placed-ball, another bullet from the side-line.

Tipp, at the stage, were being swarmed by red jerseys. It wasn’t a case of being forced into submission, but the energy levels were definitely waning, the wind absorbing every kilojoule and making each stride that little bit more difficult. Cork sensed their supremacy. Healy sensed it, and that’s why she went for it. She judged the wind, connected sweetly, and sent her side into an All-Ireland final.

TEAMS – Cork: Jill Connaughton (8), Grainne O’Neill (7), Aoife Barrett (7), Tara Elliot (7), Avril Cashman (7), Aoife Healy (8), Eimear Duignan (7), Edel Sheehan (7), Millie Condon (8), Leah Hallihan (7), Ciara Morrison (7), Orlaith Cahalane (8), Grainne O’Mahony (6), Orlaith Mullins (7), Ana Fahy (7).

Subs: Niamh Nash for O’Mahony (41); Fiona Twohig (7) for Mullins (57); Meaghan Marin (7) for Fahy (57).

Tipperary: Kacey Meehan (Brian Borus 8), Lilly Fahie (Cashel King Cormacs 7), Niamh Franks (Shannon Rovers 7), Shauna Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty 7), Lorna Ryan (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7), Abbie Lenihan (Newport/Ballinahinch 7), Emma Horgan (Boherlahan-Dualla 7), Kate Ferncombe (Clonoulty/Rossmore 8), Orla O’Brien (Eire Og Annacarty 7), Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Grace Moloney (Cashel King Cormacs 7), Niamh Costigan (Cahir 7), Kate Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris 7), Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers 8), Anna Fahie (Cashel King Cormacs 8).

Sub: Lisa O’Connor (Boherlahan-Dualla 8) for Guinan (57).

Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin)