Tipp bounce back with win over Laois

The Tipperary Ladies Footballers have picked up an impressive win in division 2 of the National Football League on Sunday as they completely overpowered a young Laois side

LADIES FOOTBALL: LIDL National League Division 2 Round 3

Laois 0-5

Tipperary 2-8

Report: Mark Comerford in Crettyard

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Emma Morrissey (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Laois: Mo Nerney (frees), Orla Hennessy 0-2 each, Emily Lacey 0-1.

Tipperary: Emma Morrissey 0-5 (3 frees), Angela McGuigan 1-1, Neassa Towey 1-0, Niamh Martin, Anna Downey 0-1 each.

Emma Morrissey led the way for Tipperary with a supporting cast of Neassa Towey, Angela McGuigan and Heather Spillane helping to pull the strings.

The win moves Tipperary into third place in the division with two wins from three, while Laois are now firmly rooted to the bottom after their third consecutive defeat.

Tipperary made a bright start, but it was Laois who opened the scoring after six minutes through Mo Nerney. Niamh Martin equalised after some sustained pressure from the visitors, but Orla Hennessy responded immediately with a great score.

The away side then raised the game's first green flag when Neassa Towey prodded the ball home after Laois had failed to clear their lines. Two quick points followed from Towey and Emma Morrissey before Mo Nerney's second free of the half reduced the deficit. Morrissey ended the half with another superb score to give Tipperary a 1-4 to 0-3 lead at the break.

Peter Creedon’s team bossed the first half and should be further ahead. The heavy wind was certainly a factor in south Laois, with Tipperary side kicking six wides in that half.

Laois were quickest out of the blocks after the restart and kicked two quick scores through Orla Hennessy and Emily Lacey. But Tipperary had a prolonged period in possession in the Laois half after that and did add a point to their tally – a third from Morrissey.

Substitute Lauren Kearney had a big impact for Laois when she came on and almost had a goal in the 41st minute, but saw her shot come back off the post. That would have levelled the score, but instead, Tipperary took over once more and kicked on for an emphatic win.

Emma Morrissey added another couple of scores for the visitors who put the nail in Laois's coffin with a second goal in the 52nd minute. Angela McGuigan ran through on goal and chipped the ball, soccer-style over Ava Shanahan to put the gloss on the scoreline.

Tipp will welcome top-of-the-table Kildare in two weeks’ time knowing a win will see them leapfrog the lilywhites to the summit of Division 2.

TEAMS - Laois: Ava Shanahan; Sinead Farrelly, Clodagh Dunne, Sarah Delaney; Susie Delaney, Andrea Moran, Ciara Malone; Anna Moore, Anna Lalor; Grainne Moran, Emily Lacey, Katie Donoghue; Mo Nerney, Aisling Fitzpatrick, Orla Hennessy.

Subs: Aoife Gorman for Sarah Delaney (13 inj), Lauren Kearney for Nerney (HT); Roisin Allen for Fitzpatrick (HT); Kate Wall for Susie Delaney (44), Grainne Lalor for Moore (50 inj).

Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry); Katelyn Downey (Boherlahan-Dualla), Lucy Spillane (Fethard), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers); Nora Martin (Sliabh na mBan), Maria Curley (Templemore), Niamh Martin (Sliabh na mBan); Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus), Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow); Neassa Towey (Templemore), Marie Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields), Emer McCarthy (Galtee Rovers); Emma Morrissey (Aherlow), Angela McGuigan (Sliabh na mBan), Heather Spillane (Fethard).

Subs: Sarah English (Ardfinnan) for Spillane (36); Cliona O'Dwyer (Brian Borus) for Nora Martin (36), Anna Downey (Cahir) for Kennedy (49); Aoife Flynn (Galtee Rovers) for K Downey (54), Nell Spillane (Fethard) for McCarthy (55), Sara Morrissey (Aherlow) for Niamh Martin (56), Sarah Ryan (Arravale Rovers) for Morrissey (59).

Referee: Angela Gallagher (Dublin).