Tipperary senior camogie into Munster final spot after first half goal blitz dazzles Deise

Munster Senior Camogie Championship Semi-Final

Tipperary 4-11

Waterford 1-9

An incredible three goal salvo in the space of seven minutes in the middle of the first half gave Tipperary the foundation to defeat Waterford and claim a place in this year’s Munster Senior Camogie final after a facile semi-final win over the Deise in Pairc Ui Chaoimh last Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Cait Devane, Roisin Howard, and a rocket from Eimear Heffernan all within a six minute period between the 16th and 22nd minute gave Tipperary a lead that Waterford simply couldn’t reel in as the gap between the teams was more or less held throughout as Tipp can now look forward to a tilt for Munster honours next weekend and possibly a first Munster crown since 2010.

Waterford were the first team to get off the mark from the throw-in as their hallmark forward Beth Carton found the target from play within less than a minute to give the Deise a lead.

The game was incredibly scrappy for much of the opening quarter but Tipperary were grinding their way over the line in terms of the physical exchanges and drew frees as a result; three to be exact by the seventh minute with Eimear McGrath converting them all to put Tipp 0-3 to 0-1 in front.

Carton had that reduced to a point minutes later after converting a close range free, but the game hit it’s deciding period soon after with three goals in quick succession putting Tipp in a commanding position.

And it was yet another moment of class from Cait Devane which provided the first goal, the Clonoulty Rossmore ace gathering the ball on the 45 before breezing past a Wateford defender and with her catches used up descending on Brianna O’Regan, she brilliantly shovelled the ball over the Waterford goalie into the back of the net.

That was in the 16th minute and Tipp hadn’t long to wait for the second to arrive, this time through a piledriver from Eimear Heffernan who got on the ball on the 14 and despite an easy point probably the easier option, she planted her feet and blasted her effort high to the net.

And just one minute later, Eimear McGrath provided the class, breezing past her marker from the top right corner of the field and showed great finish to hand pass to Roisin Howard on the inside who finished first time to the net.

Beth Carton was the only shining light for Waterford during the entirety of the first half, scoring two brilliant solo efforts from play, but a Cait Devane free added to those Tipperary goals had the Premier women in control with a 3-5 to 0-4 haf time lead.

Waterford started the second half in very positive fashion with captain Lorraine Bray finishing off a powerful run to point and bring the game back to single digits at nine points after just two minutes of the second half, but it is safe to say that Tipperary finished the game a minute later when Teresa Ryan powered out of a ruck near the Waterford 45 and her run drew the defence which left a pass open to Cait Devane, and with the hand pass on the money, Devane controlled well to bare in on goal and lash home her second goal and Tipp’s fourth.

It was rather processionary from there on in, with Tipperary always at arms length and Denis Kelly will be a happy man considering the performance which was his side’s first competitive game since the league semi-final.

Cait Devane starred with 2-5 whie the defensive effort was also hugely solid with Karen Kennedy, Clodagh Quirke and Julieanne Bourke big parts of an overall lean performance.

They now have a huge chance to claim silverware and get the monkey off their back this weekend as they face Clare in the curtain raiser Munster final in FBD Semple Stadium next Saturday afternoon.

Scorers: Tipperary: Cait Devane (2-5, 0-2f, 0-1 45), Roisin Howard, Eimear Heffernan 1-0 each, Eimear McGrath 0-4f, Grace O’Brien, Niamh Treacy 0-1 each.

Waterford: Beth Carton (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-5f), Niamh Rockett and Lorraine Bray 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Caoimhe Bourke; Julieanne Bourke, Clodagh Quirke, Eimear Loughman; Karin Blair, Karen Kennedy, Aoife McGrath; Teresa Ryan, Casey Hennessy; Roisin Howard, Caoimhe Maher, Eimear McGrath; Grace O’Brien, Cait Devane, Eimear Heffernan.

Subs: Caoimhe McCarthy for C Maher (42), Niamh Treacy for Heffernan (48), Claire Hogan for O’Brien (50), Grace Moloney for Howard (54), Courtney Ryan for E McGrath (57).

Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Vikki Faulkner, Iona Heffernan, Niamh Curran; Keelie Corbett Barry, Clodagh Carroll, Mairead Power; Lorraine Bray (Capt), Kate Lynch; Mairead O’Brien, Orla Hickey, Beth Carton; Anne Corcoran, Abby Flynn, Niamh Rockett.

Subs: Rachael Walsh for Flynn (HT), Shauna Fitzgerald for Corcoran (HT), Aoife Landers for Power (38), Tara Power for Lynch (45), Roisin Kirwan for M O’Brien (52).

Referee: Aaron Hogg (Clare)