All-Ireland glory for hungrier and more determined Tipperary Under 14 football team

Tipperary 3-8   Cavan 1-5

Tipperary are the All-Ireland Under 14 Silver Ladies Football champions after defeating Cavan at the Kinnegad GAA Grounds.

The Premier County took the game to Cavan right from the start and were the hungrier side throughout.

Tipperary dominated early proceedings and raced into a five-point lead after 18 minutes, with Faye O’Dwyer (one free) and Roisin Browne getting two points each. Browne also forced Cavan keeper Caitlin Nolan into making a point-blank save in the 18th minute.

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Cavan got their opening score in the 21st minute, Pearl Gilmartin with a point.

In the 25th minute Tipp’s Farrah Madigan took a shot from distance that ended up in the back of the net. Minutes later Madigan hit the crossbar with a powerful effort.

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The Breffni County were back in the game just before half-time; Gilmartin pointed a free before Laila Cooney was fouled and a penalty was awarded.

Cooney took the resulting kick and made no mistake to cut the deficit to three points, 1-5 to 1-2.

Tipp made the perfect start to the second half, and with two minutes gone on the clock they got their second goal.


Substitutes Anna Leahy and Klaudia Compa combined, with Compa finishing to the net, and she followed up with a point. In the 34th minute Tipp raised the green flag again through O’Dwyer.

In the 37th minute Riona Crowe’s effort was just inches away from getting a second goal for Cavan. They got their first point of the half in the 42nd minute through substitute Elsie McEvoy.

Gilmartin (free) and another sub, Katie Hughes, followed up with much-needed points for the Ulster county.

Above: There was great excitement among the Tipperary players at the final whistle in Kinnegad

They had chances after that but kicked wides after being put under pressure by the Tipp defence.

After 22 minutes without a point Compa kicked over a neat point in the 56th minute. Leahy sealed the win with a point near the end.

Scorers: Tipperary: K Compa 1-2, F O’Dywer 1-2 (1f), F Madigan 1-1, R Browne 0-2, A Leahy 0-1.
Cavan: L Cooney (1-0 penalty), P Gilmartin 0-3 (2fs), E McEvoy, K Hughes 0-1 each.

Tipperary: M Cummins; A Mason, M Grey, N Dunphy; L O’Connell, M Lonergan, P Marcinek; G-Mai Barrett, H Murphy; F O’Dwyer, F Madigan, R Browne; C Dennehy, S O’Sullivan, S Nugent.

Subs used: K Compa, A Leahy, N Hyland, K Browne-Souza, E O’Shea, M Cody.

Cavan: C Nolan; E Gilsenan, N McKenna, A Leddy; I Wynne, A Ford Peat, C Rudden; S Lyons, R Crowe; A O’Reilly, F Caffrey, L Cooney; P Gilmartin, A Harney, S McNulty.

Subs used: E McEvoy, L Cosgrove, K Hughes, I Murphy, K McEnroe, L McDaid, L Ferguson.

Referee: Conor McCarthy (Cork).