Towey inspires Tipperary to victory over Kerry
LADIES FOOTBALL: Munster Minor Championship Round 1
Kerry 0-9
Tipperary 1-9
Report: Murt Murphy at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Game: Neassa Towey (Tipperary)
SCORERS – Kerry: Melanie Higgins, Sarah Taylor 0-2 each; Grace Reidy, Caoimhe NicEoin, Amy Harrington, Ellie O’Connell, Clodagh Murray 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Clara English 1-1; Neassa Towey 0-3 (1 free); Caitlin Byrnes 0-2; Sarah Ryan, Helen Cleere, Niamh Dunne 0-1 each.
Tipperary availed of the Kerry’s profligacy in front of goal, which included a missed penalty as they deservedly defeated the home side in the opening round of the Munster Minor ‘A’ Ladies Football Championship on Sunday, which acted as the curtain raiser before the Kerry/Tyrone Allianz League game.
It was probably the biggest audience that these young players had played in front of and the number would have reached 10,000 before the game ended. In fact, it appeared that the occasion got to the Kerry players as they played well below par while the Tipperary appeared to revel in it.
What it now means is that Tipperary can afford to lose to Cork in their next game, but Kerry will have to travel to Cork and win in late April if they are to survive in the Munster Championship.
Kerry could never get to grips with Tipperary senior Nessa Towey at midfield while the visitors two corner forwards Clara English and Caitlin Byrnes had the legs on the Kerry’s corner backs. This meant that fullback Shonagh Fitzpatrick who had a massive game, but she had too much to do.
Full credit to Roisin Rahilly and Grace Reidy who performed admirably despite have been the star players in Mercy Mounthawk’s All-Ireland ‘C’ win the previous day with the Ballymacelligott centre back growing in stature as the game went on, but it is a tough ask to have to play in two big games in less than twenty-four hours.
But having said all of that Kerry’s problems were at the other end of the field as the forwards never played with any cohesion, were guilty of losing the ball in contact, passing was wayward and that final ball was rushed and the Tipperary defence inspired by Aoife Flynn were on top.
Tipperary settled the quicker and Neassa Towey shot into the Kerry side netting before she opened Tipperary’s scoring in the third minute.
Kerry had a couple of attacks that came to nothing before Melanie Higgins levelled the contest in the eighth minute.
The sides reached the first water break level on 0-3 apiece with Towey and Caitlin Byrnes adding points for the visitors while Sarah Taylor and Higgins replied for Kerry who were at the pace of the game.
Then in the space of five minutes momentum shifted when Tipperary found the Kerry net through whom Clara English finished a move involving Helen Cleere and Sarah Finnane. But then Grace Reidy replied with a Kerry point as Tipperary wing back Nora Martin was yellow carded for ten minutes.
Kerry should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when they were awarded a penalty, but the normally reliable Melanie Higgins struck the post and Clara English put Tipp four clear after a swift counter attack. Sarah Traynor scored a fine point as Kerry retired 1-4 to 0-5 down at half time when they should have been in front.
The third quarter was littered with basic errors on both sides with Kerry adding two points from Ellie O’Connell and Amy Harrington while Sarah Ryan and Caitlin Byrnes replied for Tipp as they led 1-6 to 0-7 at the water break.
But in the final quarter the visitors, thanks to points from Niamh Dunne and Neassa Towey (free), moved four clear and despite a superb Clodagh Murray point and another from wing back Caoimhe Nic Eoin Kerry just could not find a way through as Tipperary saw out the game with ease and now are as good as in the Munster Final.
TEAMS – Kerry: Katie Hannon; Kellie McGrath, Shonagh McGrath, Jessica Gill; Grace Reidy, Roisin Rahilly, Caoimhe NicEoin; Amy Harrington, Ellie O’Connell; Finóla Ní Chathasaigh, Sarah Taylor, Clodagh Murray; Sarah Lynch, Aisling Hannafin, Melanie Higgins.
Subs: Niamh Quinn for Lynch, Roisín Smith for Gill, Saoirse Dorian for Hannafin, Chloe Hue for Taylor, Olwyn Evans for Ní Chathasaigh.
Tipperary: Caoilinn Casey (Boherlahan-Dualla); Caoimhe Grace (Cahir), Aoife Flynn (Galtee Rovers), Kelly Ryan (Fethard); Katelyn Downey (Boherlahan-Dualla), Grace Moloney (Boherlahan-Dualla), Nora Martin (Sliabh na mBan); Sarah Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Neassa Towey (Templemore); Jill Johnson (Templemore), Sara Finnane (Galtee Rovers), Niamh Costigan (Cahir); Clara English (Ardfinnan), Helen Cleere (Moyne-Templetuohy), Caitlin Byrnes (Lattin-Cullen/Emly).
Subs: Niamh Dunne (Moyne-Templetuohy) for Cleere, Hazel Brennan (Moyle Rovers) for Johnson, Nia Donovan (Arravale Rovers) for Byrnes.
Referee: Mark Murphy (Limerick)