Tipperary ‘V’ Roscommon Under 16 ‘B’ All Ireland Semi Final.

Banagher, Co Offaly Wednesday 13^th July.

Tipperary 7:04 Roscommon 2:04

Older readers will be familiar with the term “You can’t bate Banagher”. Yesterday, Wednesday evening the Tipperary under 16 footballers travelled to Banagher in their attempt to beat Roscommon ladies team to earn a place in this year under 16 All Ireland final. This they achieved in with no little amount of skill and hard graft and football ability. Coming into the game we wondered how would the long layoff from competitive action impact on the team in general. Their last outing had been back in May in the Munster final after which followed a lengthy lay off for exams.

We need not have worried as once the game began it was evident that this Tipperary team were determined to follow in their younger, under 14 county teams path and make the final. Tipperary won the toss and elected to play with a fresh breeze. Tipperary had the first attack forcing a Roscommon save which went out for a 45m kick. From this Tipperary earned a free and the accurate boot of Angela McGuigan put Tipp ahead in the 2^nd minute. Roscommon were enjoying plenty possession but once they hit the Tipp half back line quickly found their options limited. Such was the Tipp ladies determination that Roscommon were forced into hurried kicking or misplaced passing. Tipp's first goal arrived in the 4^th minute when lovely interplay between Aine O’Dwyer, Anna Carey ended with the impressive Sarah Delaney at full forward finishing to the net. Less than three minutes later Anna Carey herself got through on goal and made no mistake. Both sides then had a number of missed chances but Tipp were on top in all areas of the field. Captain and midfielder Roisin Daly led by example and her work rate was outstanding. In defence or attack she carried ball effortlessly and was an inspiration to all around her. Roscommon had their first score from play in the twelfth minute but even at this early stage the writing was on the wall. This point was immediately cancelled out by a Daly point for Tipp. In fairness to the Roscommon ladies they continued to probe for openings and enjoyed their best spell in the next few minutes scoring another point and forcing Tipp keeper Nicola O’Dwyer into a smart save at the expense of a 45m kick. Tipp’s Ava Fennessy, fresh from her under 14 All Ireland success cracked a powerful shot off the Roscommon cross bar but made amends with a fine point from the kick out. Roscommon supporters got a lift in the twentieth minute when a long dropping ball aided by the artificial goalmouth surface took a mighty bounce and ended up in the Tipp goals. Roscommon 1:02 Tipperary 2:03. The Roscommon hearts were shattered almost immediately however when in the space of the next four minutes Tipperary scored two unanswered goals from center forward Angela McGuigan & full forward Sarah Delaney. Captain Roisin Daly added to the Tipp tally just before half time with another well taken point. A feature of this half had been the Tipperary ladies quality use of the ball when in possession. Passes found their targets and scores were well taken with players supporting throughout.

Half time score Tipperary 4:04 Roscommon 1:02

Roscommon opened the scoring in the second half with a point but once again Tipperary set them back with a lovely goal when Katie Cunningham and Sarah Delaney found ace goal scorer Ava Fennessy who makes no mistakes when in front of goals. The next two minutes saw yellow cards and sin bins for Roscommon’s number 12 Kelley Colgan and almost immediately Tipp’s Ava Fennessy also saw yellow for another personal foul. The sin bins did not affect the teams play however as Tipp continued to press forward. Roscommon hit three wides in their search for goals in the next few minutes. Tipp had introduced Muireann O Connell for Aine O’Dwyer in the tenth minute and Caoimhe Ryan for Marie Creedon in the twentieth minute and the girls blended in seamlessly with the Tipperary play. For Roscommon it was now damage limitation and they continued to try hard for the elusive goals but the sight of Tipp full back Caitlin Kennedy soloing forward and joining the attack simply indicated the Tipp ladies strength. Angela McGuigan had another Tipp goal before she was substituted by Linda Murphy who also goaled some minutes later. Roscommon eventually got some reward when their center forward Heather Payne scored a super goal from distance. Roscommon finished the scoring with a point from play to leave Tipperary deserving winners and looking forward to an All Ireland final on the 27^th July against Louth who defeated Tyrone in the other semi final. . Final score Tipperary 7:04 Roscommon 2:05

Congratulations to manager Ed Burke and his backroom team of Peter Creedon, Tony Smith, Biddy Ryan, Trish McElwee and Physio Ollie Griffin.

Tipperary : Nicola O’Dwyer, Lucy Spillane, Caitlin Kennedy, Emma Cronin, Niamh Martin, Rachel O’Donnell, Anna Carey (1:0), Roisin Daly (Capt:(02), Marie Creedon, Aine O’Dwyer, Ava Fennessy (1:01), Anna Rose Kennedy, Angela McGuigan (2:01), Sarah Delaney (2:0), Katie Cunningham ; Subs Used Muireann O’Connell, Caoimhe Ryan, Linda Murphy (1:0), Saoirse O’Meara. Panel : Saoirse Fanning, Lauren Dowling, Ciara Halpin, Laura Stocksborough, Caoimhe Comerford, Christina Delaney, Niamh Keane, Sadhbh Leahy, Niamh Ryan, Emma Ryan, Aine Hahessy.

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Tipperary LGFA PRO

Declan O’Shea