Tipperary hold on in tense finish to reach All-Ireland Junior Camogie final

Tipperary 0-15 Armagh 1-11

Tipperary's Junior camogie team secured a place against Laois in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland final at Croke Park on Sunday August 11 when they pipped Armagh by a point in Saturday's semi-final at Ashbourne.

Armagh made an excellent early start, replying to an early free from Tipp's Jenny Grace with four points on the spin. Former Cork star Jennifer Curry (née O’Leary), who won the first of her five senior All-Irelands 22 years ago and the first of her eight All-Stars two years later, opened the scoring for the Orchard County. Ciara Geoghegan scored two frees while Curry hit over a neat point from play.

Anna Fahie and Sophie Pembroke replied for Tipperary, as the contest quickly settled into a nip and tuck affair with neither side able to get any separation. Geoghegan hit over her third free to put two between the sides in the 14th minute. Points from Orla O’Brien (two) and Ciara Brennan edged Tipp ahead in the 21st minute.

The quality of camogie was very good, with some terrific catches from both sides and good blocks. The sides were level for the second time in the 23rd minute when Geoghegan fired over another free. Two pointed free from Grace gave Tipp a two-point lead going in at the break, and the score-for-score nature of the contest continued after half-time, with the dead-ball experts on both sides prominent.   

Armagh 'keeper, Laura Leenane pulled off a fine save in the 47th minute to deny Tipp sub Laura Shinners and keep the game close, but once again Grace made no mistake with three consecutive 65s to extend her side’s lead to four points. 

That gave them enough of a cushion to be able to afford to concede a goal to Curry deep in stoppage time and still hold firm, putting themselves 60 minutes away from winning this championship for the first time in 32 years.