Tipp show Limerick no mercy

CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship Group 1 Round 4

Limerick 0-8

Tipperary 4-26

Report: Joe Scully in Cappamore

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Grace O’Brien (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Limerick: Caoimhe Costello 0-3; Orlaith Kelleher, Stephanie Woulfe 0-2 each; Lizanna Boylan 0-1.

Tipperary: Grace O’Brien 1-8 (0-6 frees); Jean Kelly 1-2; Clodagh McIntyre, Roisin Howard 0-4 each; Karen Kennedy, Lucy Purcell 1-0 each; Karin Blair, Eimear Heffernan, Caoimhe Maher 0-2 each; Caoimhe McCarthy, Niamh Cunneen 0-1 each.

Tipperary edged towards qualification for the All-Ireland Senior Camogie quarter finals after a powerful and commanding victory away to Limerick on Saturday.

The away side were always in control from the first minute, and the thirty-point winning margin was a fair reflection on the game overall, as Tipp showed there most definitely a team to be reckoned with and are warming up nicely as the championship heads towards the knockout stages.

It was a very impressive team performance, eleven different scorers, with the bench having a strong impact too with 2-5 coming from subs, showing the strong depth that is available to them this year.

The basis for the win was laid down in the first half after which by the end the Premier had racked up 2-12 whilst only conceding just a solitary point, their defence excellent, giving nothing away.

Limerick, to their credit, came out fighting in the second half and had a period where they racked up a few scores and the game was more even, but as was the case in the first half, Tipp would once again take total control and see out the game strongly.

It took until the fifth minute for the opening score with the impressive Grace O’Brien pointing, soon followed by a Roisin Howard effort. Full back Karin Blair then sauntered up the field and from distance added her sides third.

Eimear Heffernan added the fourth in the sixth minute following a fine team move, and three minutes later Clodagh McIntyre was on the mark after blasting over from close range. Grace O’Brien then added two more from a free and a 45, which was soon followed by a point each from Heffernan and Howard.

In the 20th minute, Tipp struck for their first goal when after a trademark Karen Kennedy run, she played a one-two with Roisin Howard before finishing emphatically to the net.

Clodagh McIntyre added another point after a Kennedy shot had been well saved, and McIntyre tapped over the rebound.

The home side finally got off the mark in the 25th minute when Caoimhe Costello converted a free, but it was Tipp and Grace O’Brien who finished the half stronger with the Nenagh native hitting 1-2 in the final five minutes, her goal which came after a long ball was played in and she made a superb catch, before turning her marker and finishing to the back of the net.

The start of the second half didn’t get much better for the Treaty County, with the visitors adding 1-1 in the first two minutes, O’Brien adding another free, before half time sub-Lucy Purcell goaled from close range after a Roisin Howard shot had been saved.

Limerick added their second score in the 33rd minute when Stephanie Woulfe pointed, but less than a minute later Grace O’Brien added to her tally with a well-worked individual score.

Caoimhe Costello then added a free for the home side, before another half time sub Caoimhe Maher hit two fine scores from play to extend the lead.

Limerick would finally get a bit of momentum and would hit three scores in a row, the first a fine effort from Liz Boylan, then a Costello free, before Woulfe added her second from out by the sideline.

Tipp added another point in the 43rd minute when following a good team move Roisin Howard added her third. Limerick scored their seventh in the 45th minute when corner back Orlaith Kelleher hit one of the scores of the game following a barn storming run, pointing from out by the sideline from halfway.

Another spell of dominance from Tipp would follow as they hit 1-7 without reply, with sub-Jean Kelly finding the net in the 47th minute after she won the ball off a Limerick defender, before finishing smartly past the keeper.

Grace O’Brien added a 45, before Karin Blair added her second following a strong run with Clodagh McIntyre (2), sub Niamh Cunneen, Roisin Howard and Kelly all adding points from play to leave the score 4-24 to 0-7 after 56 minutes.

Limerick would hit their final score in the final minute when Orlaith Kelleher struck again but Tipp finished out the game with two points in added time from the stick of Jean Kelly and Caoimhe McCarthy to put the icing on a very impressive performance.

Next up for the Premier County is a home tie against Clare on Saturday in FBD Semple Stadium at 3.00pm where a win would confirm second place in the group ahead of the quarter finals.

TEAMS - Limerick: Sarah Gillane (6); Orlaith Kelleher (7), Muireann Creamer (6), Emily O’Halloran (6); Ciara O’Riordan (6), Sophie O’Callaghan (6), Shauna Cunningham (6); Ailbhe Larkin (6), Mairead Ryan (6); Lizanna Boylan (6), Stephanie Woulfe (7), Ciara Neenan (6); Dearbhla Egan (6), Laura Southern (7), Caoimhe Costello (7).

Subs: Aine O Tiarnaigh (6) for O’Riordan (HT); Teresa Dore (6) for O’Halloran (48); Aine Foley (6) for Larkin (44); Lisa English (6) for Woulfe (44); Cliodhna Ryan (6) for Neenan (53).

Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers 7); Niamh Costigan (Cahir 7), Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs 8), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore 8); Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 7), Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch 7), Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines 7); Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields, Capt 8), Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch 7); Roisin Howard (Cahir 8), Mary Burke (Drom & Inch 6), Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 8); Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha 8), Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore 7), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 9).

Subs: Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields 7) for Burke (HT); Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra 7) for Treacy (HT); Jean Kelly (Eire Og Annacarty/D 8) for Hennessy (41), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris 6) for E Cunneen (41), Niamh Cunneen (Silvermines 7) for Heffernan (46); Emma Carey (Thurles Sarsfields 6) for Costigan (54); Sarah Madden (Silvermines NR) for Howard (57).

Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin).