Tipp 23's hold on to beat Galway

CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Under 23 Championship Round 4

Tipperary 2-14

Galway 2-13

Report: Joe Scully at the County Camogie Grounds

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Molly O’Dwyer (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Maeve Cunneen 1-3; Eva O’Dwyer 0-4 (3 frees); Niamh Cunneen 1-1; Danielle Ryan 0-3; Anna Fahie, Ciara Shelly, Grace Moloney 0-1 each.

Galway: Kerri O’Driscoll 1-2; Katie Gilchrist 0-4 (2 frees); Emily Lawless 1-1; Leah O’Halloran, Katie Lawless (frees) 0-3 each.

Tipperary qualified for the All-Ireland Under 23 semi-finals with a game to spare, after withstanding a late Galway surge on Sunday.

It was a well-deserved victory for the home sid, who once again showed great determination, work-rate and were superb defensively to withstand a Galway onslaught as the second half wore on.

It is a superb win for the Premier Ladies and one that shows they are genuine contenders for All-Ireland glory. They face Cork in two week’s time knowing a place in the semi-finals is already assured but also that another win will see them finish top of the group and potentially an easier semi-final although the championship is so competitive.

The games’ pivotal moments came just before the half time break when two goals in the space of a minute from the home side extended their lead from two points out to eight at the break, a margin that was just too much for the Tribeswomen to overturn in the second period despite a very strong showing.

The game started off evenly enough with the sides sharing the first four points with Galway taking the lead through Kerri O’Driscoll before Tipp captain Eva O’Dwyer levelled from a dead ball. Galway retook the lead soon after when a strong run by Kayla Earner, before she set up Katie Gilchrist who finished.

Anna Fahie responded for the Munster champions, finishing off a well-worked team move to level the scores once again.

Then in the seventh minute, Galway were awarded a penalty when an Ava Bloomer shot was blocked with the ball rebounding to Emily Lawless, who was taken down. Up stepped Katie Gilchrist to take the penalty but she failed to get a proper connection, and Molly O’Dwyer turned the ball around the post for a 45.

Gilchrist would atone for the miss not long after with a free before Galway went two ahead after a great catch and run from Bloomer, who set up Kerri O’Driscoll who added her second point.

The two full forwards traded scores with Danielle Ryan pointing for Tipp, before another free from Gilchrist had Galway two ahead again.

The home side responded with two scores to level again, firstly from an Eva O’Dwyer free, and from the resultant puckout a well-worked team move resulted in Niamh Cunneen splitting the posts.

Molly O’Dwyer pulled off a superb save in the 20th minute to deny Kayla Earner from close range before Tipp would take the lead for the first time not long after when Ciara Shelly overturned a Galway defender before firing over a stunning point.

The lead was out to three thanks to points from Eva O’Dwyer and Grace Moloney before in the last minute of the half, following a great cross-field pass from Ellen Cunneen to her twin sister Niamh who after a fine run buried to the back of the net.

From the next puckout, Ciara Shelly won possession before setting up the other Cunneen, Maeve, who finished with aplomb to the net for a 2-8 to 0-6 lead at the break.

Tipp started the second half as they finished the first, with the opening two points from Danielle Ryan and Maeve Cunneen.

Galway’s Leah O’Halloran responded with two points. Eva O’Dwyer then hit a free, before Katie Gilchrist added to her personal. Then a fine team move from Tipp led to Maeve Cunneen finishing to leave nine between the sides.

The gap was back to six shortly after though after Kerri O’Driscoll ran at the heart of the Tipp defence before unleashing a rocket to the back of the net.

Katie Lawless reduced the gap further with a 45, and Galway were nearly in for another goal soon after, but once again Molly O’Dwyer came to the rescue to deny Emily Lawless.

Another Lawless effort from a free had the gap back to four as Galway started to turn up the pressure but Tipp responded with a much-needed score through Danielle Ryan, with Lawless again responding from a free, before Maeve Cunneen once again found the target.

As the game reached its conclusion, Galway had the gap back to two when a long range effort from Ava Bloomer was batted out by Molly O’Dwyer but fell to Emily Lawless who batted to the net.

This would lead to Galway laying siege to the Tipp goal in the hope of finding a winner, but they could only manage just one more point from Leah O’Halloran as Tipperary managed to hold out for a huge win.

Best for Tipp in what was a strong team performance overall were Molly O’Dwyer, Lilly Fahie, Miriam Murphy, Niamh Cunneen and Maeve Cunneen.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Molly O’Dwyer (Moycarkey/Borris 9); Aoife Mellerick (Newport/Ballinahinch 7), Katie Fitzgerald (Borris-Ileigh 7), Lilly Fahie (Cashel KC 8); Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla 6), Miriam Murphy (Silvermines 8), Kate Dowling (Moycarkey/Borris7); Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines 7), Anna Fahie (Cashel KC 6); Niamh Cunneen (Silvermines 8), Eva O’Dwyer (Eire Og Annacarty/D, Capt 8), Ciara Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris 7); Grace Moloney (Cashel KC 6), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty/D 8), Maeve Cunneen (Silvermines 9).

Subs: Emma Kelly (Shannon Rovers 6) for L Fahie (40); Caitlyn Treacy (Moneygall 6) for Shelly (50); Emma Fogarty (Shannon Rovers 6) for M Cunneen (55).

Galway: Caoimhe Hickey (6); Emily Brogan (6), Laoise McGrath (7), Sarah Lyons (6); Chloe Allen (6), Katie Lawless (8), Aoibhe Joyce (7); Emma Madden (6), Emma Deeley (6), Kerri O’Driscoll (8), Kayla Earner (6), Ava Bloomer (8), Emily Lawless (8), Katie Gilchrist (7), Leah O’Halloran (8).

Subs: Catherine Hanley (7) for Deeley (35); Alison Greaney (6) for Allen (39); Leah Murphy (6) for Gilchrist (45); Sophie Flynn (6) for E Lawless (53).

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny). .