Tipperary finish strong to reach Munster senior camogie semi-finals and knock Cork out
TIPP ON TOP: Tipp's Amy Quinlisk in action against Cork's Ava McAuliffe. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.
A six-point Munster senior camogie championship quarter-final victory for Tipperary at sunny FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday got the day off to a perfect start for the hosts, with a near full crowd enjoying the fare coming down the stretch, as the defending champions crashed out.
Tipperary were full value for this win having led for most of the encounter, and it was Eimear McGrath’s goal in the 58th minute that sealed the deal, 1-15 to 1-9.
An impressive bench contribution too was key to their success.
Cork’s second green flag arrived deep in stoppage time from substitute Keeva McCarthy.
Tipperary outscored Cork 1-6 to 1-0 in an impressive closing 15 minutes.
Inaccuracy could have cost James Heffernan’s side (12 to five) but they held out.
The game marked the return of Tipperary’s Karin Blair from injury, while a late replacement saw Amy Quinlisk in for the injured Isobel O’Donnell - Blair certainly showed no ill effects from being sidelined.
In the first half Grace O’Brien opened the Tipperary account after a mere 33 seconds, and it started a run of another three points for the home side from Caoimhe Stakelum, O’Brien and Kate Ralph - and all were from play.
Cork, meanwhile, had to wait until a ninth minute point from Sorcha McCartan to get her side up and running.
Blair came up from defence to stretch their lead, 0-5 to 0-1 after 10 minutes.
With very little getting past the Tipperary rearguard, Cork had to work hard for their scores, Saoirse McCarthy adding a brace (one free) to cut the deficit to two points.
Tipperary roared back, and with a plentiful supply they shot the next three points from play - Blair grabbing her second.
Their one downfall being their wayward shooting, by half-time they hit eight wides to Cork’s two.
This was a big let-off for the visitors, who had Laura Hayes on a lot of ball as a free agent at centre-back.
Orlaith Cahalane was beginning to get on top and she halved the difference six minutes from the break.
A second white flag from Ralph had Tipperary back in the driving seat.
But on the stroke of half-time, a rare defensive error let Cahalane through on goal and she placed her shot beautifully into the bottom corner.
O’Brien and sub Niamh McNabola exchange injury-time points to leave the interval score 0-10 to 1-5.
Early second-half indiscipline cost Tipperary as McCarthy converted three long-range frees for her side to take the lead for the first time in the 39th minute.
Tipperary substitute Eimear Heffernan levelled minutes after her introduction, as the battles continued.
McGrath edged her side in front again, but when Hayes fired over a point in the 50th minute, the sides were tied once more.
McGrath pushed Tipperary ahead and a huge turning point arrived when Blair denied McCartan a goal opportunity with a timely block in front of the posts two minutes later.
The Tipperary bench played their part with Heffernan and Jean Kelly sharing four points between them.
McGrath’s major was a big score and it was sublimely set up by substitutes Caoimhe Maher and Niamh Treacy.
Meanwhile, Laura Leenane was superb between the posts for Tipperary with shots from Cahalane, substitute Cliona O’Callaghan and Hayes kept out.
Albeit, McCarthy did beat her at the death.
Tipperary are now through to a semi-final against Limerick next Sunday in another double-header in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
E McGrath (1-4, 0-3 frees), G O’Brien (0-3), K Blair, K Ralph, C Stakelum (0-1 free), E Heffernan and J Kelly (0-2 each), C McIntyre (0-1).
S McCarthy (0-5, 0-4 frees), O Cahalane (1-1), K McCarthy (1-0), L Hayes, N McNabola and S McCartan (0-1 each).
L Leenane; A Quinlisk, M Eviston, E Loughman; K Blair, C Guinan, C McCarthy (Capt); K Kennedy, K Ralph; A Dwyer, R Howard, C McIntyre; C Stakelum, E McGrath, G O’Brien.
C Maher for C Guinan (half-time), E Heffernan for A Dwyer (39), L Purcell for K Ralph (53), N Treacy for R Howard (56), J Kelly for E McGrath (61).
A Lee; M Murphy, L Coppinger, M Cahalane (Capt); I O’Regan, L Hayes, A Fitzgerald; M Condon, O Cremin; E Murphy, O Cahalane, S McCarthy; H Ryan, S McCartan, A McAuliffe.
N McNabola for E Murphy (23), K McCarthy for O Cremin (44), C O’Callaghan for A McAuliffe (52), R Harty for H Ryan (57).
Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick).
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