Tipperary U23s fall short in All-Ireland semi-final to strong Cork outfit

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland U23 Championship Semi-Final

Cork 3-13 

Tipperary 0-15

Tipperary’s U23 campaign came to a disappointing end on Saturday as they lost out to Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final. They go out, however, with their heads held high after a much improved performance from when the two sides met in the group stages.

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Tipp led at the break and notched up an impressive 15 points against a highly fancied Cork side, but as the saying goes, ‘goals win games’, and Cork’s ability to net three while Tipp failed to come close was the key difference between the sides. Cork could have even had a few more goals, only for some outstanding saves by Aine Slattery between the posts. 

Cork started well with a goal two minutes in after Aine Slattery had denied Rose Murphy’s effort Claudia Keane was perfectly positioned to finish to the net. However, Tipp responded brilliantly with points from Danielle Ryan, Anna Fahie, and Aoife Dwyer while Cork failed to score again until the 10th minute.

Cork did have a goal attempt hit the post and bounce back into play, but it was the excellence of Aine Slattery that kept them at bay as she made two superb saves before Rose Murphy edged Cork in front with a point. 

Danielle Ryan and Amy Sheppard swapped points as Tipperary, looking very lively, continued to attack the Cork defence.  Again, they hit three points without reply with Danielle Ryan, Hannah Butler, and Aoife Dwyer on target. Again, Aine Slattery denied Cork with a superb save, and with the sides swapping points, Tipperary led by two at the interval, 1-3 to 0-8. 

On the restart, Cork though were quickly back on level with the outstanding Amy Sheppard and Eimear Duigan raising white flags.

Aoife Dwyer, who continued her impressive form to date, had one back for Tipperary, but Cork were now playing with a lot more confidence and driving the ball fast into their forwards, who were beginning to get the upper hand on the Tipperary defences.  

Ava Fitzgerald and Niamh McNabola had Cork two in front and the game was about to turn in Cork favour, Amy Sheppard, won possession on the run and with lightning speed left her marker in her wake before finished superbly to the net, three minutes later Rose Murphy added Corks third goal to put nine points between the sides.

Cork were now in the driving seat, and with fifteen minutes to go Tipperary were playing catch-up.

Three points in a row narrowed the gap, but Cork responded with two after Aine Slattery had again denied them with a point-blank save. As the sides swapped points, Amy Sheppard and Ava Fitzgerald kept the scoreboard ticking over for Cork, with Aoife Dwyer adding two for Tipperary as

Cork had done enough with a superb second-half display to advance to the final. 

Tipperary: Aine Slattery (Shannon Rovers); Lorna Ryan (Clonoulty Rossmore), Maria Connolly (Drom & Inch), Lily Fahie (Cashel King Cormacs); Aoife Mellerick (Newport Ballinahinch), Miriam Murphy (Silvermines), Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers); Orla O’Brien (Éire Óg Annacarty), Grace Moloney (Cashel King Cormacs); Danielle Ryan (Éire Óg Annacarty, 0-4), Kate Ferncombe (Clonoulty Rossmore, 0-1), Anna Fahie (Cashel King Cormacs, 0-1); Aoife Fitzgerald (Borris-Ileigh), Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields, 0-8, 0-5f), Hannah Butler (Cashel King Cormacs, 0-1).

Subs used: Caoimhe McCormack (Knockavilla Kickhams) for A Mellerick (44); Ciara Gleeson (Gortnahoe Glengoole) for A Fahie (49); Paula Quirke (Boherlahan Dualla) for G Moloney (49); Ali O’Kelly (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for K Ferncombe (53).

Cork: Caoimhe Buckley; Sinéad Hurley, Claire Kingston, Maedhbh De Burca; Meadhbh Ring, Daire O’Brien, Avril Cashman; Ava Fitzgerald (0-3),  Eimear Duignan (0-1); Isobel Sheehan, Rose Murphy (1-1), Niamh McNabola (0-1); Amy Sheppard (1-7, 0-2F, 0-2 45s), Claudia Keane (1-0), Millie Condon. 

Subs used: Erinn Curtin for C Keane (53); Ella Wiggington Barrett for McNabola (53); Edel Sheehan for M Ring (55); Caoimhe O’Donoghue for R Murphy (56).

Referee: Brian Kearney (Kildare)

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