Tipperary 2:16 Clare 3:14

Tipperary Intermediate Ladies Footballers have bowed out of this year’s TG4 All Ireland Championship following a thrilling encounter with a one point defeat to Clare in a classic game played at the Gaelic Grounds Limerick on Saturday 3^rd September. Tipperary, the reigning Munster Intermediate champions were favourites for this tie but a fine Clare team were out to prove that their Munster final three point defeat to Tipperary on the 17^th July was a once off.  

Before the game commenced Tipperary were forced to replace Cahir’s Aishling Moloney who failed a late fitness test following an injury received in a club game two weeks earlier. Clare made one switch  changing their goalkeepers before the throw in.

Tipperary were first to attack from the throw in but registered the games first wide from mid fielder Lorraine O’Shea with less than 20 seconds played. Tipp’s opening score came from a placed ball by full forward Aisling McCarthy. Another Tipp wide from Tipp’s Edith Carrol was then followed by Clare’s opening score from a free by Clares’ top scorer Niamh O’Dea in the tenth minute. A Mairead Morrissey point from play cancelled this out and Tipp now enjoyed a small patch of dominance scoring three unanswered points from play, Orla O’Dwyer, Catriona Walsh & Aisling McCarthy in the 21^st minute. Tipp now lead by four points but Clare were beginning to settle more and began causing problems at the back with their ability to break fast unsettling the Tipp defence. They now narrowed the gap scoring two points to leave only two between the sides. Tipp once more surged ahead with some nice play resulting in two more points from Morrissey & Myles in the 23^rd & 24^th minutes. As the first half drew to a close it was Clare who finished the stronger forcing Tipp keeper Patricia Hickey into a point blank save in the 27^th minute. Clare corner forward Ciara Hickey struck a nice point for Clare and almost immediately from the kick out Clare were in for the games opening goal which full forward Niamh O’Dea took with some style. Clare midfielder Louise Henchy now added a Clare point and Tipp were in some disarray and on the back foot for the first time in the game. A second Niamh O’Dea goal was a hammer blow to Tipp in the 3^rdminute of injury time but to their credit Tipperary once more gained some momentum and replied with two points from a McCarthy free and a Myles point from play. Tipp now attacked in numbers and following some hectic goalmouth covering from the Clare defence the ball eventually broke to Tipp’s Catriona Walsh who stroked home a very welcome Tipp goal in the 37^th minute. Half time score Tipperary 1:09 Clare 2:07 and all to play for in the second half. This game was proving every bit as close an encounter as the Munster final between these two sides.

The second half began with a Clare whirlwind and before Tipp had time to settle into any shape following the throw in Clare laid siege to the Tipp goals. Three Clare scores followed in quick succession and all Tipp's earlier good work towards the end of the first half was undone. A goal and two points were added to the Clare scoreboard courtesy of Hickey and Considine and Tipp suddenly found themselves six points in arrears. Tipp’s Jennifer Grant now appeared to be carrying an injury which was limiting her attacking game from defence. Tipp now made a change with Cahir’s Emma Buckley and Roisin Howard replacing Brian Borus Laura Morrissey and Galtee Rovers Edith Carroll in the 6^th minute. Tipperary clawed back three points from McCarthy, O’Shea & Grant in the next four minutes and this game was anyone’s for the taking it seemed. Niamh O’Dea restored Clare’s four point advantage but Tipp’s McCarthy replied with a fine Tipp point. There was now some noticeable urgency in the Tipp play and they were rewarded when Roisin Howard had Tipp's second goal following good work by Catriona Walsh. The sides were now level half way through the second half and it was Tipp asking the questions. Clare’s O’Dea now restored the Clare lead but two pointed frees from McCarthy put Tipp one up with the clock counting down. Tipp introduced Kate Davey for Catriona Walsh in the 27^th minute but immediately Clare drew level once more with another O’Dea point and almost immediately Clare took the lead with a free from the same player. With two minutes remaining Tipp needed a big finish but were now guilty of three wides, two from play and a difficult free. Tipp forced a 45m ball with less than 13 seconds remaining but as Tipp's Emma Buckley attempted a quick pass a Clare player kicked the ball away. Controversially Mayo referee Gerry McMahon did not award a 21m free as a result or reset the clock which now saw less than three seconds remaining as Tipp attempted an equaliser from a retaken 45m ball.

The final hooter sounded as Tipp attempted to find an angle to shoot and their year was over. Clare deserved their win on the day and now go on to meet Kildare in this year’s TG4 LGFA All Ireland Intermediate final on the 25^th September.

Final score : Tipperary 2:16 Clare 3:14.

Tipperary : Patricia Hickey, Laura Morrissey, Samantha Lambert (Capt), Brid Condon, Anne O Dwyer, Cliona O Dwyer, Jennifer Grant (01), Lorraine O Shea (01), Sheelagh Carew, Edith Carroll, Mairead Morrissey (02), Eimear Myles (02), Orla O Dwyer (01), Aisling McCarthy (08, 4f), Catriona Walsh (1:01)

Subs Used : Emma Buckley for Laura Morrissey, Roisin Howard for Edith Carroll, Clare Mullins for Eimear Myles,  Kate Davey for Catriona Walsh.

Panel :Lauren Fitzpatrick,  Sinead Delahunty, Barbara Ryan, Bernie Ryan, Aoife Ryan, Maria Curley,  Aoibhe O Shea, Siobhain Condon, Elaine Fitzpatrick, Louise  Cadell, Grainne Condon

Management : Gerry McGill, Peter O Leary, Una O Brien, Jim Kilty, Michael Nash, Richard O Brien. Physio: Marie Aherne.