Tipp blitz Clare to confirm League final spot
Tipperary set-up a National Camogie League final date against three-in-a-row chasing Galway on Sunday week, thanks to a very impressive 24-point victory over Clare
CAMOGIE: Very Ireland National League Division 1A Round 5
Clare 0-7
Tipperary 4-19
Report: by Joe Scully at Cusack Park, Ennis
It will be the Premier County’s first appearance in a league or national final since 2009, albeit they did qualify for the 2020 league decider, which, of course, didn’t go take place due to Covid.
Last Saturday’s result was never really in doubt, apart from the opening three minutes when Clare raced into a two point lead, and were looking impressive. But once Grace O’Brien, who was starting her first game of the league after an injury layoff, hit Tipp’s first score in the fifth minute, the visitors never looked back.
They played some great camogie, hitting some fine scores throughout, producing their best performance of the group stage, and in the process making it four wins in a row, after an opening day defeat at the hands of Waterford.
Some of Tipp’s play was excellent with the ball going into the forward line of the highest quality, from which the home side just couldn’t cope, and another impressive aspect was how well the subs played when introduced.
The only worrying aspect for Tipperary was that captain Karen Kennedy had to be withdrawn at half-time due to a shoulder injury, picked up in the process of scoring her goal, with Denis Kelly and his management team hoping it’s not too serious.
Clare were quickest off the mark and were two points up inside three minutes thanks to Áine O’Loughlin and Ciara Grogan.
However, it wouldn’t take last year’s Munster champions long to find their groove and would go on a run of scoring 1-7 unanswered, with the returning Grace O’Brien opening their account from play, before Eimear McGrath would hit three frees in a row.
Then O’Brien got in for her sides first goal in the seventeenth minute, after receiving a superb ball into her, then turning her marker before finishing confidently to the back of the net.
Eimear McGrath hit the next two scores, both of the highest quality, the first after Caoimhe Maher picked her out with a wonderful pass, and then with a great catch and finish, after been set up by O’Brien, as Tipperary were really starting to find their groove.
Next on the scoresheet was Casey Hennessy, before Karen Kennedy got in for Tipp’s second goal, following another great ball played in by Maher, with Kennedy picking it up on the run, rounding her marker and finishing past an advancing Rachel Daly who despite getting a touch to the shot couldn’t keep it out.
It was as she was finishing that Kennedy picked up her injury. In the 28th minute Clare finally responded with their first score in 24 minutes through a Ciara Grogan free. The final say of the half went to Eimear McGrath with a free as Tipperary went in at the break 2-8 to 0-3 up.
Clare, who would have the advantage of the wind in the second half, needed a strong start to have any chance of making a comeback, but it was the complete opposite as Tipp would hit the first two scores, both from play from Eimear McGrath.
The Banner ladies responded with two quickfire scores, the first from Caoimhe Carmody with a fine effort on the run and then Caoimhe Cahill after a puck-out went awry for Tipp.
The visitors response would be swift and emphatic as they would reel off the next six scores through McGrath, Roisin Howard and Caoimhe McCarthy from play, then a Howard effort sandwiched in between two frees from McGrath. Ciara Grogan hit Clare’s sixth point from a free, before a Sarah Madden effort from play.
Sub Mary Burke then scored Tipp’s third goal in the 55th minute after a good run and finish. Grace O’Brien, now on free duties after McGrath was taken off, hit the next score from a free, before Áine O’Loughlin hit Clare’s seventh and final point.
Tipperary weren’t finished, however, and Grace O’Brien would hit her sides fourth and her second goal, following a bit of a goal-mouth scramble where Clare failed to clear and the ball eventually fell to O’Brien who had the easy task of knocking the ball into an empty net, to round off an emphatic victory and a place in the Division 1A League final against Galway in Croke Park on Sunday, 14th April, and they will go into the game full of confidence following their last few games, and the fact they have beaten Galway in the group stage.
TEAMS – Clare: Rachel Daly (6), Susan Daly (7), Ellen Casey (8), Muireann Scanlon (6), Lynda Daly (6), Abby Walsh (7), Niamh Mulqueen (6), Caoimhe Carmody (7), Grace Carmody (6), Jennifer Daly (6), Ciara Grogan (7), Labhaoise O’Donnell (6), Zi Yan Spillane (6), Áine O’Loughlin (7), Caoimhe Cahill (6).
Subs: Laoise Ryan for S Daly (20-22 blood); Hannah Mai Neylon (6) for G Carmody (HT), Aoife O’Donnell (6) for O’Donnell (45), Caoimhe Lally (6) for J Daly (45); Rebecca Crowe for Spillane (48-49 blood); Laoise Ryan (6) for L Daly (51); Rachel Minogue (6) for Scanlon (53), Rebecca Crowe (NR) for Mulqueen.
Tipperary: Nicole Walsh (Borris-Ileigh 6), Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs 7), Julieanne Bourke (Borris-Ileigh 7), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6); Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7), Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha 8); Tess Ryan (Borris-Ileigh 6), Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6); Roisin Howard (Cahir 7), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra 9), Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 7); Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 9), Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch 9), Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6).
Subs: Mary Ryan (Moneygall 7) for Kennedy (HT inj); Mary Burke (Drom & Inch 7) for Howard (46); Sarah Madden (Silvermines 7) for McGrath (46); Aoife McGrath (Drom & Inch 6) for T Ryan (46); Kate Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris 6) for McCarthy (51); Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields 6) for McIntyre (53); Emma Carey (Thurles Sarsfields 6) for Loughman (53); Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch NR) for Heffernan (57).
Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare).