Tipperary ladies football team maintain 100% record thanks to 24-point win over Sligo

Lidl National Ladies Football
League Division Two
Tipperary 4-19 Sligo 0-7

Following five successive victories over Armagh (2-12 to 2-10), Laois (5-14 to 1-5), Tyrone (0-12 to 0-9), Cavan (1-13 to 3-4) and now Sligo (4-19 to 0-7) Tipperary face into the concluding rounds of the group phase in rude good health.

This week Tipperary prepare to take on Clare (away) on Saturday, March 31st at a venue which remains to be confirmed before hosting Waterford on the week-ending Sunday, April 8th. Meanwhile the semi-finals of the league are scheduled to take place on the week-ending Sunday, April 22nd. Shane Ronayne’s outstanding team will, of course, also have an eye on their Munster senior championship semi-final clash with the mighty Cork on June 2nd - Waterford take on Kerry on the opposite side of the draw.

Tipperary were utterly dominant from start to finish against Sligo on Sunday with full-back Siobhán Condon, midfielder Orla O’Dwyer, full-forward Gillian O’Brien, wing-forward Kate Davey and corner-forward Róisín Howard in terrific form.

Thanks to goals from Róisín Howard and Gillian O’Brien Tipperary led by ten points at the break (2-9 to 0-5) despite fielding without the influential Maria Curley, Jennifer Grant, Aishling McCarthy and Aishling Moloney. Indeed, the home side added two more three-pointers after the break thanks to Sarah Everard and Róisín Howard.

Once more the overall performance of this Tipperary team was more than encouraging. Again, the work rate, spirit of the side and the commitment of each player to the team ethic was outstanding.

FIRST HALF

Ironically enough Sligo actually out-scored Tipperary by two points to one inside the opening seven minutes before Gillian O’Brien tied the game and then set-up Caoimhe Condon for the lead score in the ninth.

Sligo ‘keeper Leah Kelly managed to smother a Róisín Howard effort in the 12th minute, but this terrific inside forward would not be denied a minute later when the Cahir player sold two dummies before rifling an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net (1-3 to 0-2).

Kate Davey (free) and Orla O’Dwyer soon added points before Sligo responded with one of their own through the impressive Katie Walsh (free).

In the 18th minute Gillian O’Brien notched the second goal for the home side and following points from Róisín Howard (two) and Orla O’Dwyer the Premier County led by eleven (2-8 to 0-3).

Late points from Katie Walsh (free) and Lauren Boles brought the Sligo first tally to five while Tipperary ‘keeper Lauren Fitzpatrick did especially well to deflect a stinging Lauren Boles effort onto her left-hand post and away to safety in the 32nd minute.

Tipperary led 2-9 to 0-5 at the interval.

SECOND HALF

Kate Davey was in flying form immediately after the break when scoring four consecutive points (one free) before Tipperary plundered a third goal. Sligo ‘keeper Leah Kelly had done especially well to deny Anna Carey and Orla O’Dwyer during the opening seven minutes of the half, but was beaten in the 38th minute when Sarah Everard’s looping effort deceived the misfortunate goalkeeper (3-13 to 0-5).

Róisín Howard, Kate Davey and Mairéad Morrissey added to the Tipperary tally - the build-up to the Morrissey strike in the 42nd minute was especially noteworthy given the quality of Niamh Lonergan’s assist; the Moyle Rovers midfielder curled an absolute beauty of a ball with the outside of her booth to find Morrissey’s blind side run (3-16 to 0-5).

Lauren Fitzpatrick deflected Katie Walsh’s free over in the 45th minute and Sinéad Naughton brought the scoring to a conclusion from a Sligo point of view in the 48th.

Tipperary notched their fourth goal in the 46th minute when Mairéad Morrissey set up Róisín Howard for a cracker before Jenny Everard and Róisín McGrath added points. And, one of the cheers of the day went up when full-back Siobhán Condon joined the attack and booted over a terrific long-range point to bring this one-sided contest to a close.

MATCH DETAILS

Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry, Waterford), Gráinne Condon (Aherlow), Siobhán Condon (Aherlow, 0-1), Emma Buckley (Cahir), Sarah Everard (Moyle Rovers, 1-0), Samantha Lambert (Ardfinnan), Caoimhe Condon (Brian Ború’s, 0-1), Orla O'Dwyer (Boherlahan, 0-2), Niamh Lonergan (Moyle Rovers), Kate Davey (Fethard, 0-6, 0-2 frees), Róisín Howard (Cahir, 2-3), Laura Dillon (Ardfinnan), Aoibhe O'Shea (Mullinahone), Gillian O'Brien (Moyle Rovers, 1-2), Shauna Quirke (Cappawhite, 0-1). Subs: (HT) Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials) for Aoibhe O’Shea, (HT) Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow) for Shauna Quirke, (39th) Mairéad Morrissey (Brian Ború’s, 0-1) for Gillian O’Brien, (46th) Jennifer Everard (Moyle Rovers, 0-1) for Niamh Lonergan, (50th) Róisín McGrath (Moyle Rovers, 0-1) for Sarah Everard, (50th) Laura Morrissey (Brian Ború’s) for Laura Dillon, (50th) Lucy Spillane (Fethard) for Gráinne Condon, (50th) Muireann Lloyd (Moyne Templetuohy) for Lauren Fitzpatrick, (54th) Sarah Ryan (Clonmel Commercials) for Orla O’Dwyer.

Sligo: Leah Kelly, Lisa Casey, Rachel Monaghan, Nicola Brennan, Michelle McNamara, Lauren Boles (0-1), Denis McGrath, Laurann Laffey, Emma Keavney, Elaine O’Reilly, Katie Walsh (0-5, 0-4 frees), Cliona McGowan, Ciara Gorman, Amie Cawley-Fox, Sinéad Naughton (0-1). Subs: (HT) Zara Stafford for Cliona McGowan, (HT) Louise Merrick for Amie Cawley-Fox, (55th) Cliona McGowan for Denise McGrath, (56th) Amie Cawley-Fox for Ciara Gorman.

Referee: Eamonn Moran.

TIPPERARY MANAGEMENT TEAM

This season Tipperary senior ladies football manager Shane Ronayne has added Cork’s Anne-Marie Ruby to his management team - Anne-Marie works alongside Elaine Harte and Tony Smith as a selector. Ronan Crosse operates as a physio with the team this season while Cahir’s Alan O’Connor is a key man in the set-up both in terms of skill development and strength and conditioning.

TIPPERARY LADIES FOOTBALL PANEL

The 2018 Tipperary senior ladies football reads as follows: Siobhán Condon (Aherlow), Bríd Condon (Aherlow), Gráinne Condon (Aherlow), Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow), Laura Dillon (Ardfinnan), Samantha Lambert (Ardfinnan, captain), Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry, Waterford), Orla O’Dwyer (Boherlahan), Caoimhe Condon (Brian Ború’s), Jennifer Grant (Brian Ború’s, vice-captain), Laura Morrissey (Brian Ború’s), Mairéad Morrissey (Brian Ború’s), Emma Buckley (Cahir), Aishling Moloney (Cahir), Aisling McCarthy (Cahir), Róisín Howard (Cahir), Rachel O’Donnell (Cahir), Shauna Quirke (Cappawhite), Sarah Ryan (Clonmel Commercials), Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials), Courtney Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials), Lucy Spillane (Fethard), Kate Davey (Fethard), Sarah Everard (Moyle Rovers), Róisín McGrath (Moyle Rovers), Áine Fitzgerald (Moyle Rovers), Gillian O’Brien (Moyle Rovers), Niamh Lonergan (Moyle Rovers), Jenny Everard (Moyle Rovers), Muireann Lloyd (Moyne-Templetuohy), Róisín Daly (Moyne-Templetuohy), Lorraine O’Shea (Mullinahone), Aoibhe O’Shea (Mullinahone), Maria Curley (Templemore), Nicola Loughnane (Thurles Sarsfields) & Marie Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields).

FURTHER READING

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