Tipp face into relegation battle after Kildare defeat

LADIES FOOTBALL TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship Group 2 Round 3

Tipperary 0-9

Kildare 1-13

Report: Michael Heverin at Clonmel Sportsfield

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Aoife Rattigan (Kildare)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Emma Morrissey 0-3 (2 frees); Kate Cashman, Sarah English, Heather Spillane, Lauren Cunningham, Angela McGuigan Kirsty Crotty Ryan (free) 0-1 each.

Kildare: Aoife Rattigan 0-4 (1 free); Ruth Sargent, Lara Curran 0-3 each; Maya Doyle 1-0, Jessica Harney 0-2, Nanci Murphy 0-1.

A hugely impressive Kildare side proved too strong for Tipperary in the winner-takes-all clash on Saturday, a result that sends the Leinster side into the All-Ireland quarter finals and condemns Tipperary to a play-off battle to retain their senior status.

Kildare proved to be one of the most impressive visitors to Clonmel this season, in league or championship, and their fluency, accuracy and work ethic proved too much for the home side.

Tipperary led twice in the opening quarter and battled bravely to the end even when the outcome was decided but were over-powered by a Kildare attack that sparkled in the afternoon sunshine.

The Lilywhites hit 1-12 of their 1-13 total from play, with Aoife Rattigan, Lara Curran and Ruth Sergent all scoring 0-3 each, Jessica Harney adding 0-2, and Mayah Doyle getting the crucial goal.

In contrast, Tipp managed just six from open play over the hour and that was never going to be enough in a contest that had a place in the last eight in the championship as the huge prize. But the effort and application shown in difficult circumstances will provide encouragement in the next battle to avoid relegation to intermediate level.

Tipperary now meet Tyrone in the first leg of the relegation play-off. If they win, they are safe, if they lose, they will play the loser of Waterford v Donegal and the loser of that game will be relegated to the intermediate grade.

The return of team captain Anna-Rose Kennedy from injury was a significant boost against Kildare, and she along with Laura Morrissey ensured that the difficulties endured in the middle third against Kerry weren’t repeated.

Yet the absence of Nora Martin through injury continues to be an issue, but the switch of Maria Curley from full to centre-back helped to shore up the defence, with Lucy Spillane coming in at full-back.

A trying afternoon for the back six was compounded as early as the eleventh minute when Tara Hoare took a heavy knock and had to be replaced by Ellen Moore.

Once again, Lauren Cunningham orchestrated much of the side’s best plays in attack, with her selfless running and clever distribution creating the best openings. Heather Spillane also looked sharp on her return to the side from injury, and while Emma Morrissey was well contained by Hazel McLoughlin, the Aherlow player was still one of the side’s main attacking options.

Tipperary started positively, and after Heather Spillane was off target with a chance in the first thirty seconds, they took the lead in the fourth minute, when good play from Sarah English and Cunningham ended with a foul on Kirsty Crotty Ryan who dusted herself down to convert herself.

But Kildare were already beginning to look potent in attack and they were level three minutes later through Aoife Rattigan. They continued to dominate possession but in a Tipp breakaway, Cunningham showed great composure to restore the side’s lead midway through the half.

It didn’t last long, and over the next seven minutes Kildare hit 1-3 without reply to build a commanding lead. Nanci Murphy kicked the equalising point, and then the game’s only goal provided a huge boost to the visitors – the outstanding Laoise Lenehan cut inside from the left and her thundering shot hit the crossbar and rebounded out, where Mayah Doyle was quickest to react and shot low to the net.

The Tipp defence had been cut open and they were punished again when Rattigan pointed a free and then Jessica Harney pointed on an advantage for a 1-4 to 0-2 lead. The game was slowly slipping from Tipp and the response they needed came in the 24th minute when Cunningham put Spillane clear for a fine score.

Another score should have followed but a promising Tipp attack broke down with one misplaced pass, and Kildare profited from the turnover to break up field for Rattigan to score.

Tipp steadied the ship again before halftime, Cunningham was just wide following good work from Spillane and Crotty Ryan, and then a superb score from Kate Cashman came after great build-up play from Anna Carey, Spillane and Emma Morrissey.

A four-point deficit at the break, 1-5 to 0-4, wasn’t insurmountable for Tipperary, but the gap had extended to six within five minutes of the restart. First came another great point from Rattigan, and then when another Tipp attack broke down, Kildare stormed up field with Sargent, McLoughlin and Sargent again involved before Lara Curran shot over when she might have gone for a goal.

Kildare were now playing with a swagger and Tipp’s first point of the half from Sarah English after six minutes was just a brief interruption to the Kildare pressure, with the outstanding Sargent and Harney replying with scores to make it 1-9 to 0-5.

But while the gap was too wide to bridge, Tipp traded scores with Kildare over the final twenty minutes, each hitting four points, and giving hope to manager David Power that his side have one big performance left to avoid the dreaded drop.

Emma Morrissey kicked a great point midway through the half, and even though Curran hit back quickly for the visitors, Cunningham saw a powerful shot rebound off the crossbar before substitute Angela McGuigan converted after good pressure.

Curran and Sargent pushed the lead out to eight but they were cancelled out by two pointed frees from Morrissey as the home support applauded the side’s battling display. A later goal-bound shot from Morrissey was denied by a combination of goalkeeper Corla Nallen and the crossbar. It was fitting that the game’s final score came from the outstanding Sargent, as Kildare celebrated their progress in the championship and Tipp prepare for the next challenge.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry 7); Tara Hoare (Templemore 6), Lucy Spillane (Fethard 7), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers 7); Kate Cashman (Templemore 7), Maria Curley (Templemore 8), Sarah English (Ardfinnan 7); Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus 7), Anna-Rose Kennedy (Aherlow 8); Ava Ryan (Moyne-Templetuohy 7), Lauren Cunningham (Holycross/Ballycahill 8), Heather Spillane (Fethard 8); Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials 7), Emma Morrissey (Aherlow 8), Kirsty Crotty Ryan (Moyle Rovers 7).

Subs: Ellen Moore (Moyne-Templetuohy 7) for Hoare (11 inj), Clara English (Ardfinnan 7) for Crotty Ryan (32), Angela McGuigan (St. Sylvester’s, Dublin 8) for Cashman (38), Lily Maher (Arravale Rovers 7) for Carey (58).

Kildare: Corla Nallen (7); Lia Reilly (7), Emma Wheeler (7), Lisa Shaw (7); Hazel McLoughlin (8), Ruth Sargent (8), Laoise Lenehan (8); Nanci Murphy (8), Gillian Wheeler (7); Lara Curran (8), Jessica Harney (8), Molly Aspel (7); Aoife Rattigan (8), Mayah Doyle (8), Alannah Prizeman (7).

Subs: Siofra Galvin (7) for Harney (40), Meabh McDonagh (7) for Doyle (42), Mia Doherty (7) for Emma Wheeler (56), Clara Moran (7) for Gillian Murphy (56), Aisling Irhue (NR) for Prizeman (60+3).

Referee: Paul McCaughey (Westmeath).