Tipperary hosted their last home game in a sun bleached Ardfinnan with Leitrim as their opponents. Tipperary won the toss and opted to play with the wind.

From the throw in Tipperary’s Orla O’Dwyer kicked the ball straight into the back of the net after a pass from Aishling Moloney which Caoimhe Condon had collected from the throw in. Tipperary had the start they needed and added to it when Aisling McCarthy pointed a free in the fourth minute. Carla LeGuen replied in the seventh minute with a green flag for Leitrim and Michelle Heslin equalised the game with a point in the ninth minute. Aishling Moloney would not leave Tipperary waiting long for a score and in the tenth minute she scored a goal. Michelle Heslin, Roisín McHugh and Bronagh O’Rourke added three further points to Leitrim’s score line, equalising the game again. Not having scored for ten minutes Tipperary found their kicking boots again starting with an Aisling McCarthy pointed free on the twentieth minute which she quickly followed with another point. Tipperary added three further points from Aishling Moloney, Gillian O’Brien and Aisling McCarthy (free). On the twenty eighth minute Mairead Morrissey, Tipperary traded points with Roisín Fowley, Leitrim. The final scores of the first half were two pointed frees from Aisling McCarthy leaving the half time score Tipperary 2-9 Leitrim 1-5.

The opening point of the second half was from Mairead Morrissey in the first minute. Having been denied a goal in the thirty third minute, when it was caught by Michelle Guickian, Aishling Moloney made no mistake in the thirty sixth minute and raised the green flag for Tipperary. Michelle Heslin reduced the deficit somewhat when she scored a point and a goal. On the fortieth minute Orla O’Dwyer returned the margin to ten points when she netted the ball for Tipperary. For the following eight minutes neither team scored as the ball ebbed and flowed from end to end. The next two points were for Leitrim’s Roisín Fowley. On the fifty second minute Niamh Lonergan and Bronagh O’Rourke traded points. Two more points from Ailbhe Clancy and Carla LeGuen reduced the margin to six points. Aishling Moloney added a point to Tipperary’s score line before Carla LeGuen pointed for Leitrim. The final score of the second half was as it was in the first half, a pointed free from Aisling McCarthy. Tipperary kept their unbeaten record in the Lidl National Football League finishing Tipperary 4-13 Leitrim 2-12.

Thanks to Ardfinnan for the use of their excellent facilities for this game and our other game against Down and to Arravale Rovers who hosted the game against Meath. 

Tipperary team - Patricia Hickey; Bríd Condon, Siobhan Condon, Emma Buckley; Elaine Fitzpatrick, Samantha Lambert (C), Maria Curley; Jennifer Grant, Gillian O'Brien; Caoimhe Condon, Aisling McCarthy, Orla O'Dwyer; Catherina Walsh, Mairead Morrissey, Aishling Moloney

Tipperary scorers - Aishling Moloney (2-2), Aisling McCarthy (0-7, 6 frees), Orla O'Dwyer (2-0), Mairead Morrissey (0-2), Gillian O'Brien (0-1), Niamh Lonergan (0-1).

Subs used - Niamh Lonergan for Catherina Walsh (44th), Eimear Myles for Caoimhe Condon (44th).

Panel - Lauren Fitzpatrick, Roisin McGrath, Rachel O'Donnell, Laura Dillon, Maire Condon, Alison Lonergan, Nicola Loughnane, Elaine Kelly.

Leitrim team - Michelle Guckian (C); Melissa Hewitt, Clare Owens, Claire Beirne; Roisín McHugh, Éimhín Quinn, Emma Guckian; Eilish O’Dowd, Aoife Fox; Laura O’Dowd, Roisín Fowley, Michelle Heslin; Aine Heslin, Bronagh O’Rourke, Carla LeGuen.

Leitrim scorers - Michelle Heslin (1-4), Carla LeGuen (1-1), Roisín Fowley (0-3), Bronagh O’Rourke (0-2), Roisín McHugh (0-1), Ailbhe Clancy (0-1, 1 free).

Panel - Michelle Monaghan, Kirby Kilgunn, Dearbhaile Beirne, Kiara Keegan, Lorraine Moran, Aoife McWeeney, Sinead Tighe, Bridget Gallagher, Ailbhe Clancy, Patricia Forde, Edel Kelly, Aisling Quinn, Áine Tighe, Stephaine Reynolds.

Referee – Kevin Phelan