Impressive Tipp brush Clare aside

CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final

Tipperary 3-20

Clare 3-13

Report: Joe Scully at Croke Park

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Caoimhe Stakelum (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Caoimhe Stakelum 1-4 (1 free); Eimear McGrath 0-5 (4 frees); Clodagh McIntyre 1-1; Eimear Heffernan, Grace O’Brien 0-3 each; Roisin Howard 1-0; Casey Hennessy, Karin Blair, Aoife Dwyer, Niamh Treacy 0-1 each.

Clare: Ellen Casey 2-2 (1-0 pen, 1-1 frees); Roisin Begley 0-4 (2 frees); Aine O’Loughlin 1-1; Andrea O’Keeffe 0-2; Claire Hehir (free), Roisin McMahon, Jennifer Daly, Maeve Millea 0-1 each.

Tipperary are back in another All-Ireland Senior Camogie semi-final after beating a gallant Clare side in Sunday’s quarter final.

It was a comfortable and deserved win for the Premier County despite a late Clare fightback as held on for their first victory in the All-Ireland championship.

In what was their best performance so far of the year, Tipp had ten different scorers in with a 79% shooting accuracy, although can be a bit thankful Clare were so poor with their finishing with a 48% efficiency in comparison.

But overall Tipperary will be happy with their performance as they get ready to face Cork in the semi-final on July 25th as they look to end their semi-final hoodoo of the last eight years.

One major worry though for Tipp was Caoimhe Maher going off with what looked like a serious knee injury in the first half, but her replacement, the experienced Clodagh Quirke had a solid game and shows the strength in depth at the disposal of manager James Heffernan this year.

Tipp got off to a flyer and were in control for the most part of the first half and would hit the first seven points before Clare opened their account in the 23rd minute.

Caoimhe Stakelum opened the scoring in the third minute, great control and turn before a tidy finish. An Eimear McGrath free was very quickly added to by points from play from McGrath, and from the resultant puckout Grace O’Brien hit Tipp’s fifth.

Two more frees from McGrath had the lead out to seven before a great finish by Andrea O’Keefe out by the sideline finally got the Banner off the mark.

Two minutes later, Caoimhe Stakelum added her second after a Eimear McGrath effort was superbly blocked by Abby Walsh. It was then the turn of Clodagh McIntyre to get her name on the scoresheet following a strong run through the middle by the midfielder.

Tipp’s tenth and final score of the half came in the 27th minute following great play by Eimear Heffernan to set up Grace O’Brien.

Clare would hit the final three points of the half through Roisin McMahon and frees by both Clare Hehir and Roisin Begley, as the sides went in at the break with Tipperary leading 0-10 to 0-4.

The Premier made the ideal start to the second half when after just 31 seconds Roisin Howard goaled, after Grace O’Brien saw her shot hooked with the ball falling to the Cahir native who pulled to the back of the net.

Clare responded with two points in a row from Roisin Begley but Tipperary would go straight up the other end where Eimear Heffernan opened her account.

Half time club Aine O’Loughlin was very dangerous for Clare, boasted over from close range following a brilliant catch, but once again Tipp would reply straight away with Heffernan on target, before Karin Blair added another while on an advantage.

The game was put to bed in the 40th minute when quick thinking from Eimear McGrath over thirty metres caught the Clare defence napping, and picked out the unmarked Caoimhe Stakelum who blasted to the net. Aoife Dwyer stretched the lead to thirteen before an Andrea O’Keeffe point from play reduced the gap by one.

However, Clare were caught out again from the resultant puckout with Clodagh McIntyre and Caoimhe McCarthy playing a one-two before the Lorrha player finished smartly to the back of the net.

Roisin Begley and Casey Hennessy exchanged points before Aine O’Loughlin struck 1-1 in quick succession. Clare added another point from Meave Millea, with the impressive O’Loughlin providing the assist.

Tipp would then go straight down the other end with Heffernan on target and she would win the resultant puckout to set up a Niamh Treacy point.

Ellen Casey pointed for Clare in the 54th minute when her free from close range was pushed over the bar by Tipp keeper Laura Leenane.

Tipp did exactly what they did all game though and went down the other end with player of the match Caoimhe Stakelum providing the finish, from where they turned over Clare at the next puckout with Grace O’Brien finding the target, before Stakelum added what was Tipp’s last score from a free in the 58th minute.

Clare scored their second goal in the 59th minute when Ellen Casey goaled from a thirty metre free, and then O’Loughlin showed her class again with another great point after a great catch.

The final say of the game went to Clare from a penalty when Casey goaled with the last puck of the game but by then the result was long since determined.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers); Amy Quinlisk (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch), Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla-D Kickhams, Capt), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess/Duharra), Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers); Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs), Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha); Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams), Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Roisin Howard (Cahir); Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch), Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og).

Subs: Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore) for Maher (16 inj); Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields) for Howard (38); Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields) for McIntyre (47); Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch) for McGrath (47); Emma Carey (Thurles Sarsfields) for Guinan (57).

Clare: Doireann Murphy; Muireann Scanlon, Sinead O’Keeffe, Niamh Mulqueen, Lynda Daly, Abby Walsh, Claire Hehir, Aoife Anderson, Danielle Griffin, Roisin McMahon, Andrea O’Keeffe, Ellen Casey, Ziyan Spillane, Roisin Begley, Jennifer Daly.

Subs: Aine O’Loughlin for Anderson (HT); Susan Daly for S O’Keeffe (39); Maeve Millea for Spillane (44); Caoimhe Carmody for Griffin (44), Clare McNamara for L Daly (54).

Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin).

Full report and reaction in this Wednesday's Nenagh Guardian.