Tipperary's All-Ireland dream ends as Cork power into fourth consecutive final

The Premier battled back, but a nine-point interval deficit proved too much to overcome as Cork secured their place in the final

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship semi-final

Tipperary 0-17

Cork 2-16

It was more semi-final heartbreak for Tipperary in FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday evening despite a stirring second-half performance, but the damage was done in the first half, at the end of which they trailed by nine points.

Cork have now qualified for their fourth All-Ireland final in a row as they look to make up for last year's heartbreak. The game was effectively over as a contest by the 18th minute as Cork scored their second goal, with the Tipperary defence really struggling to cope with the movement and off-the-ball running of the Cork attack.

It was a bad day all round for the Premier ladies, who just couldn't get any kind of momentum going as Cork snuffed them out. Despite a much better showing in the second half, Tipp had simply left themselves with too much to do as another year came to an end for the Blue and Gold.

Tipp got off to a flying start with points from an Eimear McGrath free and Clodagh McIntyre from play. Cork reacted with scores from Emma Murphy and Sorcha McCartan before Amy O'Connor received the ball out wide, turned her marker and buried it to the back of the net in the seventh minute.

Eimear McGrath responded for the Premier with a free before the brilliant Emma Murphy added her second. A brilliant finish on the volley from Casey Hennessy reduced the gap to two in the 12th minute.

Sorcha McCartan soon after found herself in acres of space and pointed with ease before a ball into Amy O'Connor, who then laid it off to the onrushing Laura Hayes, who found the target.

Eimear McGrath added another free in the 18th minute before Cork put the foot down with 1-2 in the space of two minutes, the points coming from an O'Connor free and Emma Murphy before the Tipp defence went MIA as Millie Condon found herself through and finished to the net via the crossbar.

Orlaith Cahalane added her side's eighth point in the 22nd minute. Grace O'Brien and Amy O'Connor then exchanged points before Saoirse McCarthy put Cork into double figures in points.

Eimear McGrath added a free before Emma Murphy found the target yet again in added time. The final score of the half came from the stick of Eimear McGrath via another dead ball as the Rebelettes went in at the break 2-11 to 0-8 ahead.

Tipp came flying out of the blocks in the second half and had the lead back to six by the 40th minute through an Eimear McGrath 45. Then, in the 38th minute, after Grace O'Brien saw her shot saved brilliantly by Amy Lee in the Cork goal, McGrath pointed another 45 and, from the resultant puck-out, quick thinking from Roisin Howard saw her sneak in to win the ball from the Cork defender.

Eventually, the ball fell to Grace O'Brien, who pointed. An Amy O'Connor free in the 43rd minute got Cork off the mark in the second half before Sorcha McCartan added another after a strong run by Saoirse McCarthy.

Eimear Heffernan and Caoimhe Stakelum, both from play, had the gap back to six, but once again Cork responded through Orlaith Cahalane. Karin Blair then set up Heffernan, and it was Blair herself shortly after on the mark to leave five in it with ten minutes to play.

But once again Cork responded through substitute Orlaith Mullins. Caoimhe Stakelum then had a close-in free, which she blasted over, before Amy O'Connor hit Cork's 16th and final score of the game.

Tipp pushed for a goal late on but could only find a solitary point off the stick of Grace O'Brien in the 64th and final minute as Cork booked their trip to Croke Park in two weeks' time.

Scorers: Tipperary: Eimear McGrath (0-7, 0-5f, 0-2 45s), Grace O’Brien 0-3; Caoimhe McIntyre (0-2, 0-1f), Emear Heffernan 0-2, Clodagh McIntyre, Casey Hennessy, Karin Blair 0-1 each.

Cork: Amy O’Connor (1-3, 0-2f), Eimear Murphy 0-4; Sorcha McCartan 0-3; Millie Condon 1-0; Orlaith Cahalane, Orlaith Mullins 0-2 each; Laura Hayes, Saoirse McCarthy 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Laura Leenane; Amy Quinlisk, Mairead Eviston, Eimear Loughman; Caoimhe McCarthy, Karin Blair, Celine Guinan; Karen Kennedy, Casey Hennessy; Eimear Heffernan, Roisin Howard, Clodagh McIntyre; Caoimhe Stakelum, Eimear McGrath, Grace O’Brien.

Subs used: Lucy Purcell for C Hennessy (47); Kate Ralph for C McIntyre (50); Clodagh Quirke for E Loughman (50); Niamh Treacy for E McGrath (59).

Cork: Amy Lee; Izzy O’Regan, Libby Coppinger, Meabh Cahalane; Ava Fitzgerald, Meabh Murphy, Isobel Sheehan; Ashling Thompsons, Laura Hayes; Emma Murphy, Saoirse McCarthy, Milie Condon; Amy O’Connor, Sorcha McCartan, Orlaith Cahalane.

Subs used: Orlaith Mullins for E Murphy (51); Hayley Ryan for A Thompson (54).

Referee: Barry Nea (Westmeath)