Gallant effort by Tipperary ladies footballers falls short against Galway

Galway 4-10  Tipperary 3-4 

Galway secured top spot in Group 4 of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship and a home quarter-final as they overcame a spirited Tipperary outfit at Moyne/Templetuohy GAA Grounds. 

Tipperary face Cork next Saturday in Clonakilty, with that tie deciding who finishes second in the group and progresses to the quarter-final stage. 

There were hail showers and thunder before the start of the contest but it was Tipperary who made a lightning start as they found the net inside the opening 90 seconds. A patient move saw Niamh Martin’s long-range delivery acrobatically punched to the net by Aishling Moloney. 

Maghnus Breathnach and Fiona Wynne’s Galway charges refused to panic, though. The Leonard cousins – Tracey and Róisín – helped Galway draw level, with the former firing over two scores, while the latter curled over a neatly-taken effort. 

A superb long-range Leanne Coen effort pushed Galway in front for the first time but the Tipperary response was emphatic. A flowing team move ended with Angela McGuigan’s strike from distance flying to the roof of the net.

Galway hit back in style as a rapid attack saw Tracey Leonard finishing to the bottom corner of the net after being set up by her cousin Róisín. 

Shauna Brennan, Olivia Divilly and Róisín Leonard (free) slotted over before the break while Emma Morrissey grabbed Tipperary’s first point after 25 minutes, with Galway leading 1-7 to 2-1 at the interval. 

The third quarter saw Tipperary control possession, as Emma Morrissey showed her class to strike over two superb long-range scores. 

However, Galway possess the class to cut through any defence in the country, with Lynsey Noone finding the net after Kate Geraghty won a crucial turnover. 

Despite Tipperary trying valiantly to push forward and carve out the scores to cut the gap on Galway, the Tribeswomen countered for a huge score, as Louise Ward saw her effort from out the field fly to the net. 

Galway’s squad depth began to show, as the ever-dangerous Kate Slevin came off the bench to score their fourth goal after being set up by Olivia Divilly.  

Moloney continued to be a threat for Tipperary and she got her second goal in the closing stages when the fisted the ball to the net. 

Scorers: Galway: T Leonard 1-2, K Slevin 1-1 (0-1 free), L Ward and L Noone 1-0 each, R Leonard 0-2 (1 free), O Divilly 0-2, S Brennan, L Coen and E Noone 0-1 each. 

Tipperary: A Moloney 2-1, A McGuigan 1-0, E Morrisey 0-3 (1 free). 

GALWAY: K Connolly; K Geraghty, S Ní Loingsigh, A Ní Cheallaigh; A Molloy, N Ward, S Brennan; L Ward, L Coen; L Noone, H Noone, O Divilly; T Leonard, A Davoren, R Leonard.

Subs: K Slevin for R Leonard (39), S Divilly, for S Brennan (39), E Noone, for T Leonard (46), A Trill, for L Noone (55), E Gavin, for S Ní Loingsigh (55). 

TIPPERARY: L Fitzpatrick; E Kelly, L Spillane, E Cronin; M Curley, L Morrissey, C O’Dwyer; E Morrissey, N Towey; C English, M Murphy, S English; A McGuigan, N. Martin, A Moloney.

Subs: K. Downey for C. English (39), N Spillane, for M Murphy (39), R. Kiely for A. McGuigan (47), N Martin, for S English (52). 

Referee: Garryowen McMahon (Mayo).