More semi-final woe for Tipp as Cork progress

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

Cork 2-16

Tipperary 0-17

Report: Joe Scully at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Libby Coppinger (Cork).

SCORERS – Cork: Amy O’Connor 1-4 (0-2 frees); Emma Murphy 0-4; Sorcha McCartan 0-3; Millie Condon 1-0; Orlaith Cahalane 0-2; Laura Hayes, Saoirse McCarthy, Orlaith Mullins 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Eimear McGrath 0-7 (5 frees, 2 ‘45s); Grace O’Brien 0-3; Eimear Heffernan, Caoimhe Stakelum (1 free) 0-2 each; Clodagh McIntyre, Casey Hennessy, Karin Blair 0-1 each.

It was more semi-final heartbreak for Tipperary on Saturday evening as despite a stirring second half fightback, Cork’s dominant first half performance saw them through to a fourth All-Ireland final in a row.

The game arguably was over as a contest by the 18th minute as Cork scored their second goal, as the Tipperary defence really struggled to cope with the movement and off the ball running of the Cork attack.

It was a disappointing day all round for the Premier ladies who just couldn’t get any kind of momentum going as Cork snuffed them out. Despite a much better showing in the second-half, Tipp had just left themselves to do as another year comes to an end for the blue & gold.

Tipp got off to a flying start with points from Eimear McGrath free and from play by Clodagh McIntyre.

Cork reacted with scores from Emma Murphy and Sorcha McCartan, before Amy O’Connor received the ball out wide turned her marker and buried to the back of the net in the seventh minute.

Eimear McGrath responded for the Premier with a free, before the brilliant Emma Murphy added her second. A brilliant snap-shot finish from Casey Hennessy reduced the gap to two in the 12th minute.

Sorcha McCartan soon after found herself in acres of space and pointed with ease, before a ball into Amy O’Connor who then laid it off to the onrushing Laura Hayes who found the target.

Eimear McGrath added another free in the 18th minute, before Cork put the foot down with 1-2 in the space of two minutes, the points coming from an O’Connor free and Emma Murphy, before the Tipp defence went MIA as Millie Condon found herself through and finished to the net despite the best efforts of Tipp keeper Laura Leenane.

Orlaith Cahalane added her sides eighth point in the 22nd minute before Grace O’Brien and Amy O’Connor exchanged points, before Saoirse McCarthy, put Cork into double figures in points.

Eimear McGrath added a free before Emma Murphy found the target yet again in added time. The final score of the half came from the stick of Eimear McGrath via another dead ball, as the Rebelettes went in at the break 2-11 to 0-8 ahead.

Tipp came flying out of the blocks in the second half and had the lead back to six by the 40th minute through a Eimear McGrath 45, and then in the 38th minute after Grace O’Brien has seen her shot saved brilliantly by Amy Lee in the Cork goal out for a 45 which McGrath converted.

From the resulting puckout, quick thinking from Roisin Howard saw her sneak in to win the ball from the Cork defender, and eventually the ball fell to Grace O’Brien who pointed.

An Amy O’Connor free in the 43rd minute got Cork off the mark in the second half, and then Sorcha McCartan added another after a strong run by Saoirse Mc Carthy.

Eimear Heffernan and Caoimhe Stakelum both pointed from play had the gap back to six, but once again Cork responded through Orlaith Cahalane.

Karin Blair then set up Heffernan, and it was Blair herself shortly after on the mark to leave five in it with ten minutes to play.

But once again Cork responded through sub Orlaith Mullins. Caoimhe Stakelum than had a close in free which she blasted over, before Amy O’Connor hit Cork’s final point.

Tipp pushed for a goal late on but could only find a solitary point off the stick of Grace O’Brien in the 64th minute as Cork booked their trip to Croke Park in two weeks.

TEAMS - Cork: Amy Lee; Izzy O’Regan, Libby Coppinger, Meabh Cahalane, Ava Fitzgerald, Meabh Murphy, Isobel Sheehan, Ashling Thompson, Laura Hayes, Emma Murphy, Saoirse McCarthy, Milie Condon, Amy O’Connor, Sorcha McCartan, Orlaith Cahalane.

Subs: Orlaith Mullins for E Murphy (51); Hayley Ryan for Thompson (54).

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

Subs: Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields) for Hennessy (47), Kate Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris) for McIntyre (50), Clodagh Quirke (Clonoulty/Rossmore) for Loughman (50), Niamh Treacy (Drom & Inch) for McGrath (59)

Referee: Barry Nea (Westmeath).