Unbeaten Tipperary Qualify for Munster Final, Tipperary 3-7 Clare 0-8.

By Paudie Everard, Moyle Rovers 

Tipperary minors made the long arduous journey to Kilmihil in West Clare to take on Clare in the preliminary round of the Munster Championship. Both sides were already qualified to meet again in the Munster final by virtue of wins over Limerick. Playing with the strong breeze Tipperary got a tonic start after just one minute when Jenny Everard scored a goal. Clare replied with two points and then Tipperary had two Anna Carey points and an Aine Fitzgearld point to lead 1-3 to 0-2 with twelve minutes gone. However, the last quarter of this half belonged to Clare who hit five unanswered points to lead at half time 1-3 to 0-7.

The Tipperary girls had seven wides to Clare’s four and with the lively wind in the second half Clare must have fancied their chances at this stage.

However, two early goals knocked the wind out of Clare’s sails they would only score a single point during the second half, a testament to tenacious defending by our backs. The first goal came from an Anna Carey free that dipped into the net. Three minutes later the on form Aine Fitzgerald had another from play and Tipperary had overturned the half time deficit to lead by five. Clare were not ready to give up just yet and challenged hard and had a number of goal opportunities only to be denied by a string of fantastic saves from Sadhbh Morrissey and quick work by our backs denied them certain scores. Further points from Aine Fitzgerald (2), Anna Carey and substitute, Katie Cunningham ensured a very good victory for the Tipperary girls. Final score Tipperary 3-7 Clare 0-8.

Tipperary will meet Clare in the Munster Final scheduled for the May bank holiday Monday.

Team - Sadhbh Morrissey; Grainne Horan, Molly O’Meara, Sophie Ryan; Sadhbh Leahy, Laura Morrissey, Ciara Hayes; Kate Davey (C), Aine O’Dwyer; Clodagh Horgan, Anna Carey (1-3, 1 free), Lauren Noonan; Jenny Everard (1-0), Aine Fitzgerald (1-3), Megan Coen.

Subs used - Katie Cunningham (0-1) for Clodagh Horan, Orla Burke for Laura Morrissey, Sarah Duggan for Megan Coen, Emma Cronin for Grainne Horan, Muireann O’Connell for Jenny Everard, Christine Delaney for Anna Carey, Aoife Ryan for Sadhbh Morrissey.

Panel - Roisin Daly, Kirsty Crotty Ryan, Kate Barlow, Sarah Delaney, Anna Rose Kennedy, Cora Maher (inj).