Match Report - All Ireland Under 14 ‘B’ Semi Final - Tipperary ‘V’ Roscommon

Tipperary 2:10 Roscommon 1:06

Tipperary U/14 ladies football have qualified for successive Under 14’B’ All Ireland finals following their defeat of Roscommon in St Brendan’s Park, Birr on Sunday 12^th June. Tipperary had enjoyed a comfortable enough victory over Limerick in the Munster final and were favourites for this encounter.

Despite enjoying the better possession in the opening stages Tipp were largely contained by a packed Roscommon defence and scores came from frees in the early stages. With fifteen minutes played Tipperary were only three points up on the Roscommon girls, two pointed frees from the Tipp number 13 Aisling Ryan and a nice point from play by Leah Clancy. The Tipp defence were on top where Cathy Hogan, Carrie Davey & Ellen Moore wwere doing well. In the sixteenth minute Tipp's flying Ava Fennessy was hit with a harsh sin binning for what was deemed an over robust challenge. Despite being down a player Tipp continued to press forward and were rewarded with a fine Caitlin Kennedy point from play and a pointed free from Aisling Ryan in injury time. Roscommon’s only score of the half was a pointed free by Kayleigh Shine. Ava Fennessy rejoined the play on the stroke of half time.

Half time score Tipperary :05 Roscommon :01

 Roscommon opened the scoring in the second half with a pointed free but Tipp’s Caitlin Kennedy goaled some minutes later to put Tipp in the driving seat. The teams exchanged points in the fourteenth and sixteenth minutes with the Tipp score from Caoimhe Mulcahy who had looked lively since coming on at half time. In the twentieth minute Roscommon were thrown a lifeline with a goal from midfielder Michaela Keogh after the ball rebounded kindly to her off the Tipp crossbar. This goal gave the momentum to Roscommon who now seemed to grow in confidence putting increasing pressure on the Tipp defence for the next few minutes. Tipperary had being living dangerously for some time. Roscommon had another pointed free and when referee Kevin Phelan awarded Tipp a penalty in the twenty ninth minute the Tipp supporters breathed a sigh of relief. The Roscommon keeper made a fine save and again Roscommon attacked. When another Roscommon goal looked on up popped Tipp’s center forward Ava Fennesy in her own defence to make a wonderful interception. Tipp’s free taker Aisling Ryan and her Roscommon counterpart traded two pointed frees apiece. The final play saw Tipp’s Ava Fennessy score a fine individual goal on the stroke of full time.

Full time score Tipperary 2:10 Roscommon 1:06

Tipp had survived a spirited Roscommon fightback and will now meet Meath Ladies in this year’s All Ireland Under 14 ‘B’ final in a few weeks time.

Tipperary Team :Emma Shelly, Ellen Moore, Maria Connolly, Cathy Hogan, Alison Connolly, Carrey Davey, Orla Winston, Caitlin Kennedy (1:01), Dervla Heffernan, Niamh Hayes, Ava Fennessy (1:00), Ciara Morrissey, Aisling Ryan (07f), Ciara Dwan, Leah Clancy (01): Subs Used, Caoimhe Mulcahy (01), Roasnna Kiely, Emma Fitzpatrick : Panel: Saoirse Teer, Brona Bergin, Erin Bourke, Ellen Gantley, Queva O’Meara, Lauren O’Brien, Veerle Van Der Waal, Eimear Boland, Rachel Moore, Leah Clancy, Megan Tynan, Leah Maguire