Tipperary senior camogie side enjoy one of their biggest-ever wins over Kilkenny

Very Division 1A League

KILKENNY 1-6 TIPPERARY 2-12

Tipperary enjoyed one of their biggest-ever wins over Kilkenny in the fourth round of the Very Division 1A League on Saturday in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. The visitors put in a dominant second half display to run out 2-12 to 1-6 winners. This puts them on the brink of a first appearance in a senior national camogie decider since 2009, with Galway and Cork also in contention as Division 1A of the Very Camogie League enters its final round of group games next week.

Following victories over Galway and Cork, having lost their opener to Waterford, Tipperary are now big favourites to appear in a national showpiece for the first time since losing the league final to Wexford 15 years ago. Tipperary are actually in second place on the table after the penultimate round of action but their last game is against a Clare squad that has yet to register a win this season.

Tipperary were the first to score in Nowlan Park when Eimear McGrath pointed a free. With only three minutes on the clock Katie Power broke through the Tipperary rearguard to raise a green flag and put Kilkenny into the lead. This was followed in the ninth minute by an Aoife Prendergast point.

Tipperary didn’t panic and stuck to their game plan with superb play and support runs from their lively half back line of Clodagh McIntyre, Ellen Cunneen and Caoimhe McCarthy. One such run yielded a point for McCarthy to make it 1-1 to 0-2 in a low scoring but fast paced opening 20 minutes. Asha McHardy pointed for Kilkenny in between two Eimear McGrath frees before Tipperary had their opening goal in the 26th minute.

A beautifully-struck line ball by Eimear McGrath went all the way to the edge of the square where Karen Kennedy (who lined out in attack on her first start of the year) was on hand to snatch it, and despite being surrounded by a sea of black and amber she managed to unleash a shot that flew to the back of the net.

This gave Tipperary a huge boost heading to the dressing room, in front by 1-4 to 1-2 and the wind advantage to come for the second half.

Denis Kelly’s side cut loose after the restart, recording eight of the next nine scores to put this affair to bed.
A 46th minute goal from Casey Hennessy after a powerful run from midfield put the contest beyond doubt, as Kilkenny found themselves second to a more determined and hungrier Tipperary team.

Eimear McGrath was consistently accurate on frees, scoring six in total, with a lot of the frees she had won herself. Kikenny added four points in the second half to their first half tally from Sophie O’Dwyer and Steffi Fitzgerald.

No doubt Denis Kelly will be pleased with the manner of the win, while he also got to empty his bench with Aoife McGrath, Julieanne Bourke and Grace O’Brien all getting some game time as they return from injuries.

Tipperary: Nicole Walsh, Karin Blair, Mairead Eviston, Eimear Loughman, Clodagh McIntyre, Ellen Cuneen, Caoimhe McCarthy (0-1), Teresa Ryan, Casey Hennessy (0-1), Roisin Howard (1-1), Caoimhe Maher, Karen Kennedy (1-0), Niamh Treacy (0-1), Eimear McGrath (0-7, 6 frees), Eimear Heffernan.

Subs: Julieanne Bourke for Ellen Cunneen 44 mins, Grace O’Brien (0-1 free) for Niamh Treacy 46 mins, Clodagh Quirke for Teresa Ryan 49 mins, Jean Kelly for Eimear McGrath 50 mins, Mary Ryan for Clodagh McIntyre 52 mins, Celine Guinan for Karen Kennedy 56 mins, Aoife McGrath for Karin Blair 56 mins.