LADIES FOOTBALL: Tipperary boss Tyrone at Fethard to keep their league dreams alive

Tipperary 2-15 Tyrone 1-7

An Aishling Moloney wonder goal left no way back for Tyrone against a dominant Tipperary side led by the Cahir sharpshooter at Fethard this afternoon.

Tipperary were off the mark early as the travelling team took time to settle so a flurry of early points from the Peter Creedon coached side allowed a cushion on the scoreboard for the home side. Tipp played with the aid of a strong first half breeze as Emma Morrissey and Aishling Moloney set the tone ably assisted by Clara English and Rosanna Kiely in the forwards. Local star Lucy Spillane was a tower of strength at centre back and kept the ball going quickly into the forwards.

The opening goal arrived before half time when Tyrone were threatening to come back at Tipperary. A long delivery to Aishling Moloney was calmly flicked on to Neassa Towey and the Templemore woman made no mistake firing past Sinead McVey to put Tipp 1-8 to 0-2 up in the game. By half time it was 1-12 to 0-4 and Tipp looked home and hosed but Tyrone, to their credit, stayed in the game. 

Starting sharpish in the second half, the northerners worked the ball to scoring positions but only Grainne Rafferty kept the scoreboard ticking over for them. Midway through the half Tipp sealed the deal with a long ball from Anna Rose Kennedy was sent towards the full forward line and Aishling Moloney, without looking, flicked the ball beautifully with her hand into the net with a fantastic finish that raised the roars of the sizable crowd.

From there there was no doubt about the winner and Tipp saw it out with the only worry now an injury to the influential midfielder Anna Rose Kennedy who picked up a nasty hand knock late on.

Overall though Tipp are cruising and their league now comes down to the Armagh game next weekend where a win is vital if they are to make the league final. The excellent Fethard Town Park venue is the place to be next Sunday for the huge league match that is in store and if Tipp find their form like today they will be difficult to stop.