Tipperary U16s safely through to All Ireland semi-finals with easy win over Limerick

All-Ireland U16 Camogie Championship

Tipperary 2-14

Limerick 2-4

Tipperary have qualified for the All-Ireland U16 A semi-final with one game remaining in the round-robin after a fantastic performance against Limerick in Killmallock on Sunday afternoon.

Having lost to Limerick earlier in the year in the Munster championship this was a very satisfying result for Bill Mullaney and his management team.

Playing against a strong wind in the opening half Tipperary put in a huge work rate to go in at the break two points up 1-5 to 1-3. The Tipperary midfield pairing of Mya Hickey and Anna O’Brien were excellent in the opening 30 minutes supplying brilliant ball into the forward line where Lucy O’Brien and Ava Gaynor were causing the Limerick defence all sorts of problems.

Caoimhe Stakelum pointed three first-half frees while Ava Gaynor hit two points from play to account for all of our five points. While the goal came from Eire Og Annacarty’s Danielle Butler. Limerick came out fiercely determined after the restart with clear instructions to run at the Tipperary defence.

Tipp looked somewhat flat as Limerick tapped over points from Leah Smith, Laura Flynn and Amber O’Sullivan. Tipperary needed a kickstart and Caoimhe Stakelum happily obliged with a superb solo run before firing her shot to the top corner.

It was the score Tipperary needed and with the wind in their favour, they never looked back and dominated the remaining 20 minutes. The half-back line of Ciara Cahill, Isobelle O'Donnell and in particular Clodagh Grimes were excellent throughout.

Limerick’s Leah Smith slipped in for a second-half goal but it was never going to be enough against a rampant Tipp forward line with Caoimhe Stakelum hitting four second-half points (three frees) while Lucy O’Brien, Ava Gaynor and Clodagh Grimes all hit the target.

Sinead O’Carroll had a great game when she was introduced for the injured Anna O’Brien while Eimhear Troy had two points off the bench. The win means Tipp along with Cork and Galway have secured a place in the All-Ireland semi-final with the final round of games still to be played.

This Sunday Tipperary welcome Cork to the County Camogie Grounds at 2 pm while the semi-finals are fixed for the weekend of the 15th/16th.

Tipperary: Sarah Quinlan (Holycross Ballycahill); Leanna Coppinger (Thurles Sarsfields), Molly Loughnane (St Cronan’s Roscrea), Sarah McLoughlin (Boherlahan Dualla); Ciara Cahill (Drom-Inch), Isobelle O’Donnell (Brian Borus), Clodagh Grimes (Newport Ballinhainch, 0-1); Mya Hickey (Boherlahan Dualla), Anna O’Brien (Cashel King Cormacs); Lucy O’Brien (St Patricks, 0-1), Ava Gaynor (Kilruane MacDonaghs, 0-3) Sophie Lee (Holycross Ballycahill); Lucy Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty), Danielle Butler (Eire Og Annacarty, 1-0), Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields, 1-7, 0-6f).

Subs used: Meabh Cunneen (Silvermines) for Lucy Heffernan; Eimhear Troy (Toomevara, 0-2) for Sophie Lee; Sinead Carroll (Ballybacon Grange) for Anna O’Brien (inj).

Referee: Karol Collins (Galway)