Tipp grind out hard earned win over Donegal

LADIES FOOTBALL: Lidl National League Division 2 Round 6

Tipperary 0-7

Donegal 0-6

Report: Michael Heverin at Clonmel Sportsfield

Photos: Michael Boland

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Anna-Rose Kennedy (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Anna-Rose Kennedy 0-3, Emma Morrissey 0-2 (1 free), Sarah English, Heather Spillane 0-1 each

Donegal: Katie Dowds 0-2; Susanna White, Eva Gallagher, Ciara McGarvey, Mia Bennett 0-1 each

Control proved to be the key attribute for Tipperary as they edged past Donegal on Sunday for their first home win of the campaign – a result that keeps them with a slim chance of promotion.

It’s an outside chance but first they need to beat Tyrone in Clonmel next Sunday and hope that Donegal and Mayo fall to unlikely defeats.

It wasn’t the side’s best performance to date but it was their most composed. Their build-up in attack was patient – almost pedestrian at times – but that was to deny Donegal any turnovers that could prove costly. And there were no speculative long-range shots that might fall short and cough up possession.

At the other end, the defence was solid and disciplined, not conceding frees within scoring range and smothering Donegal attacks with tenacious tackling.

Tipp led 0-4 to 0-3 at half time and a terrific first ten minutes of the second half saw them extend the lead to four, 0-7 to 0-3. Team captain Anna-Rose Kennedy was outstanding, kicking her third point, with Heather Spillane splitting the posts after sustained pressure, and Emma Morrissey pointing a free following a foul on Sarah English – Tipp’s only score not from open play.

Donegal replied with three points of their own during their best spell of the day as they ramped up pressure on the home side. But despite being down to fourteen players for ten minutes following a yellow card for centre-half back Nora Martin for a high tackle, Tipp excelled in their game management to deny the Ulster side an equaliser.

“Donegal are a good team and live off your mistakes so we had to be very patient. They got one great score from a counter-attack because we were sloppy on the ball and we will get punished for that”, said manager David Power after the game.

“But we controlled it well, even when down to fourteen players. The girls worked so hard. I thought we were the better team and should have been more ahead before they came back at us. But overall, it was very positive. We are improving each week and this is a massive step forward and confidence boost for us. We ticked a lot of boxes and to beat Donegal is a big statement win. It was a super win and we are still in with a slight chance of promotion”.

Donegal’s threat on the counter was evident in their first score after three minutes. They soaked up nearly two minutes of Tipp pressure before forcing a turnover that saw a quick break through the centre resulting in a Katie Dowds point.

Tipp were more careful after that and another patient build-up saw Sarah English kick a superb leveller. Donegal regained the lead when Susanne White pointed when on an advantage, but Tipperary hit back immediately when Anna-Rose Kennedy found herself unmarked to the left of goal and floated over a lovely point.

Another well-constructed Tipperary attack, with Lauren Cunningham, Angela McGuigan and Emma Buckley prominent, saw Emma Morrissey kick them into a lead midway through the half that they were never to relinquish.

Playing now with confidence, Tipp continued to press for openings and with Emma Buckley orchestrating much of the play in her first league start, the final pass of another slick move found Kennedy in space again, and the Aherlow player extended the lead to two. It was back to a single point game before the break when Ciara McGarvey finished off a quick Donegal break through the centre.

With the wind in their favour, Tipperary started the second half in blistering fashion with an Anna-Rose Kennedy shot saved by goalkeeper Clare Friel after just forty seconds, Clara English just wide with a shot, and Emma Morrissey forcing another save from Friel, before Kennedy extended the lead with a huge point from play five minutes into the half.

A minute later, the home pressure was rewarded again with Heather Spillane pushing the lead out to two, and then after Sarah English was fouled on the roadside, Emma Morrissey pointed the free in the 39th minute.

Tipperary weren’t to score again for the game’s remaining 21-plus minutes but they managed to weather the Donegal storm. The Ulster side started to show the form that had seen them win four of their first five games, with Katie Dowds pointing her second score of the game, followed by one of the scores of the match from Mia Bennett to make 0-7 to 0-5 with 42 minutes gone.

It was a narrow lead to defend, and a hand injury to team captain Kennedy that forced her substitution might have proven costly in the final stretch, but she returned within ten minutes when her calm presence was again vital. Seven minutes from the end, Donegal narrowed the gap to a single point through substitute Eva Gallagher during Nora Martin’s sin-binning.

Composure and control were then required for Tipperary to see the game out, and record their third win of the campaign, and that’s what they produced to the delight of the home support.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry 7); Tara Hoare (Templemore 7), Maria Curley (Templemore 8), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers 7); Emma Buckley (Cahir 8), Nora Martin (Sliabh na mBan 7), Sarah English (Ardfinnan 7); Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus 7), Clara English (Ardfinnan 7); Angela McGuigan (St. Sylvester’s, Dublin 8), Anna-Rose Kennedy (Aherlow 9), Heather Spillane (Fethard 7); Lauren Cunningham (Holycross/Ballycahill 7), Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials 7), Emma Morrissey (Aherlow 7).

Subs: Nicole Shelly (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 7) for Kennedy (42), Anna-Rose Kennedy for Laura Morrissey (50), Kirsty Crotty Ryan (Moyle Rovers 7) for Carey (50).

Donegal: Clare Friel (8); Niamh Carr (7), Evelyn McGinley (7), Sophie McFeely (8); Tara Hegarty (7), Shauna McFadden (8), Ava Caulfield (7); Jodie McFadden (7), Roisin Rodgers (7); Bláthnáid McLaughlin (7), Katie Dowds (8), Niamh Boyle (7); Susanne White (7), Mia Bennett (7), Clara McGarvey (7).

Subs: Clodagh Brennan (7) for Caulfield (38), Eva Gallagher (8) for Shauna McFadden (42), Ulitah Boyle (7) for Jodie McFadden (42), Ava Walsh (7) for Bennett (51), Cait Gillespie (7) for McLaughlin (53), Nicole Gordon (NR) for McGarvey (58).

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).