Tipp hit the spot in Munster U23 Camogie success

CAMOGIE: Munster Under 23 Championship Final

Tipperary 1-12

Cork 0-13

Report: Joe Scully in Cappamore

Photos: Marty Ryan/SportsFocus

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Grace Maloney (Tipperary).

SCORERS – Tipperary: Eva O’Dwyer 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3 frees, 0-1 ’45); Grace Moloney 0-4; Maeve Cunneen, Lucy Heffernan 0-2 each.

Cork: Amy Sheppard 0-6 (5 frees, 1 ’45); Ciara Golden 0-4; Eimear Duignan, Niamh McNabola, Ciara Morrison 0-1 each.

Tipperary became the second ever Munster Under 23 Camogie champions after coming through as two-point victors over holders Cork after an epic provincial final on Sunday afternoon.

The result was a reversal of last years final which Cork won after extra-time, with Tipp, thanks in the main to a strong second-half performance after trailing by a point at the break, deserving the win.

It was very much a game of two penalties, as Cork missed theirs when Molly O’Dwyer pulled off an excellent save to deny Amy Sheppard, while at the other end not long after Tipp’s Eva O’Dwyer buried her shot for what turned out to be the games crucial score.

The match was a real back and forth battle throughout, with neither side giving an inch, and the game was very much in doubt up till the last puck, as Cork pushed for a late leveller after mounting a comeback from being five points down, but were held at bay by a dogged Tipperary defence before an Eva O’Dwyer 45 in added time put the game beyond doubt for the Premier County as a huge roar went up from the bench as the ball crossed the black spot.

Both sides produced a great hour’s camogie and while they will meet again in the group stages of the All-Ireland Championship and possibly in the knockout stages if both progress.

The first half ebbed and flowed with Cork racing into a two-point lead, through scores from Ciara Golden and Eimear Duignan with a superb finish.

Tipp were level in the seventh minute, after Lucy Heffernan pointed and then following a fine team move Grace Moloney finished nicely.

Cork would hit a purple patch with four unanswered scores through Rose Murphy Niamh McNabola, and two placed balls from Amy Sheppard.

Then it was Tipp turn to have their purple patch hitting four unanswered points through Maeve Cunneen after being set-up by Grace Moloney, and then a mishit free from Eva O’Dwyer found its way to Maloney who pointed on the turn.

From the resultant puckout, Maeve Cunneen won possession and added her second point before Maloney had the sides level in the 25th minute.

Ciara Morrison had Cork back ahead in the final minute of the half and the lead was doubled two minutes later when Ciara Golden found the target once more.

Eva O’Dwyer had the final say of the half when her free sailed between the posts as Cork went in at the break 0-8 to 0-7 ahead.

The sides were level within 38 seconds of the restart when Lucy Heffernan pointed. One of the games key moments then came in the 33rd minute when Niamh McNabola won possession close to the Tipp goal and was fouled with a penalty awarded, however, Amy Sheppard saw her effort brilliantly saved by Molly O’Dwyer.

Tipp took the lead for the first time in the 37th minute through an Eva O’Dwyer free, but the sides were level again two minutes later with Amy Sheppard pointing another free, and it was O’Dwyer again two minutes later from another dead ball who put Tipp back in front, a lead they would not relinquish.

Grace Moloney added her sides eleventh point in the 43rd minute, and it would be seven minutes later when the games second penalty was awarded to Tipperary after Lucy Heffernan was fouled while bearing down on goal. Eva O’Dwyer stood over the penalty and dispatched it low into the bottom corner to put her side five clear with just over ten minutes of normal time left.

This goal seemed to spark Cork back into life, and they started to dominate from here on in, slowly reeling in the Tipp lead with four unanswered points, three Amy Sheppard frees, and another from Ciara Golden.

They pushed for a late leveller but were kept out by some heroic Tipp defending and then in the 64th minute Eva O’Dwyer pointed from a 45 to put the game beyond a doubt, and when the final whistle went moments later there were joyous scenes of celebrations for the blue & gold.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Molly O’Dwyer (7), Aoife Mellerick (Newport/Ballinahinch 7), Katie Fitzgerald (Borris-Ileigh 6), Lillie Fahie (Cashel King Cormacs 8); Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla 8), Miriam Murphy (Silvermines 7), Katie Dowling (Moycarkey/Borris 6), Eimear Fogarty (Shannon Rovers 6), Anna Fahie (Cashel King Cormac 7), Maeve Cunneen (Silvermines 7), Niamh Cunneen (Silvermines 7), Eva O’Dwyer (Eire Og Annacarty/D, Capt 9), Lucy Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty/D 7), Grace Moloney (Cashel King Cormacs 9), Kate Ferncombe (Clonoulty/Rossmore 6).

Subs: Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines 6) for M Cunneen (44), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty/D 6) for Heffernan (54).

Cork: Anna Kearney (6), Maedhbh De Burca (6), Amy O’Riordan (7), Avril Cashman (6), Liz O’Donovan (8), Laura Dunlea (7), Keeley Goulding (7), Ciara Golden (8), Amy McCarthy (7), Catherine Murphy (6), Rose Murphy (6), Eimear Duignan (7), Amy Sheppard (7), Niamh McNabola (7), Ciara Morrison (6).

Subs: Aoife Barrett (6) for C Murphy (HT), Ella Wigginton Barrett (NR) for O’Donovan (57 inj), Maebh O’Brien (NR) for Morrison (57).

Referee: Daniel O’Donnell (Limerick).