Devane return vital as Tipperary come from behind to beat Waterford in All-Ireland opener

All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship - Round 1

Tipperary 1-19

Waterford 2-13

Ronan Loughnane at the Ragg

A powerful last-quarter surge got Tipperary’s championship campaign off to the ideal start when they edged out Waterford at a wet and windy Ragg on Saturday afternoon. Having suffered defeat to the Deise in their last two meetings Tipp were keen to avoid an unwanted hat-trick. 

The strong wind blew North favouring Waterford in the opening half but it was Tipp who were fastest out of the blocks with Grace O’Brien pointing in the second minute. 

2023 Player of the Year Beth Carton opened Waterford’s account from a 45 in the fourth minute and another in the sixth. 

In between Tipp suffered a big blow when Tess Ryan was forced off with a hamstring problem and she was replaced by Eimear Heffernan who went on to play a significant role in victory. A lightning run through the centre of Tipp’s defence saw Lorraine Bray extend the Deise lead in the seventh minute. 

Tipp were working very hard against the elements but came under further pressure after 13 minutes when Mairead O’Brien grabbed the opening goal of the game. Eimear McGrath and Carton traded frees to leave Waterford 1-4 to 0-2 ahead at the end of the first quarter. 

Tipp got a massive boost in the 18th minute when Clodagh McIntyre’s shot squeezed past Brianna O’Regan in the Waterford goal and when McGrath pointed another free in the 23rd minute the lead was down to one. 

Carton replied in kind for Waterford on 27 minutes before McIntyre and O’Brien landed two lovely points from play to tie it up. Sarah Lacey replaced Rachel Walsh in the Waterford defence and she immediately landed a beauty from distance before Carton closed the first half scoring with her second 45 to leave Waterford 1-7 to 1-5 ahead at the short whistle.                    

The smart money was now on Tipp as they turned to play with the elements but Waterford were in no mood to roll over. 

The impressive Niamh Rockett, Alannah McNulty and Carton all scored from play in the opening four minutes of the second half while Tipp replied through Grace O’Brien’s third and another from the hard-working Heffernan. but Tipp were rocked right back on their heels two minutes later. 

A long ball held up in the wind and when the Tipp defence failed to deal with it O’Brien swept in for her second major to give Waterford a 2-10 to 1-8 advantage. This proved to be their final score from play however as Tipp upped the ante from here on. Eimear Heffernan, Mary Burke, Caoimhe Maher and Eimear McGrath (f) all pointed in reply to two Carton frees to reduce the lead to a single score (2-12 to 1-12) with 15 to go. 

Tipp were motoring by now, the decent crowd were finding their voice and Karen Kennedy raised the roof on 47 minutes with a cracker from play. The introduction of Cait Devane in the 50th minute was to prove the difference. 

She won two frees within four minutes, both converted by McGrath before firing over a lovely point in the 55th minute to put the Premier two up. 

Waterford were reduced to 14 when Keeley Corbett-Barry received her second yellow. Another Carton free on 57 minutes reduced it to one before the outstanding McIntyre and McGrath (f) pointed to leave Tipp three clear at full time.

Denis Kelly and his team will be delighted to have snatched these two points and it sets them up nicely for the remainder of the campaign. Waterford are a tough proposition with plenty of quality players on their side but Karen Kennedy and Karin Blair can be very happy with their displays as they nullified the threat of Beth Carton and Lorraine Bray who both only managed a single point from play. 

The backline was solid throughout while the work-rate up front was impressive. Clodagh McIntyre and Roisin Howard epitomized this throughout while Devane’s contribution was worth its weight in gold. Grace O’Brien was sharp too, Caoimhe Maher covered acres of ground while the bench contributed 0-4 from play. 

Waterford brought a lot to this game but couldn’t stem the late Tipp surge. Carton was impeccable from placed balls while Mairead O’Brien, Niamh Rockett, Laoise Forrest and Clodagh Carroll were also to the fore. Credit must go to referee Liz Dempsey from Kilkenny who generally kept her whistle in her pocket which allowed the game to flow. 

Tipperary: Nicole Walsh; Julieanne Bourke, Mairead Eviston, Eimear Loughman; Caoimhe McCarthy, Karen Kennedy (0-1), Clodagh Quirke; Teresa Ryan, Karin Blair; Roisin Howard (0-1), Caoimhe Maher (0-1), Clodagh McIntyre (1-2); Grace O’Brien (0-3), Eimear McGrath (0-7f), Casey Hennessy. 

Subs used: Eimear Heffernan (0-2) for Ryan (4, inj); Mary Burke (0-1) for Hennessy (HT); Mary Ryan for McCarthy (47); Cait Devane (0-1) for O’Brien (50).

Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Keeley Corbett-Barry, Clodagh Carroll, Kate Lynch; Rachel Walsh, Laoise Forrest, Bevin Bowdren; Lorraine Bray (0-1), Orla Hickey; Roisin Kirwan (0-1), Tara Power, Beth Carton (0-9, 0-6f, 0-2 45s); Alannah McNulty, Mairead O’Brien (2-0), Niamh Rockett (0-1).

Subs used: Sarah Lacey (0-1) for Walsh (29); Annie Fitzgerald for Bowdren (53); Aine Power for Fitzgerald (55). 

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)