Sean Treacy Park, Tipp Town July 14th 2pm

Tipperary 7-22      Longford 2-4

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway)

Tipperary showed they are a class above when they out gunned Longford by a massive 33 points when the sides met in Sean Treacy Park, Tipperary on Sunday last July 21^st in the round 2 of the All Ireland Intermediate Championship. The home side who were hot favourites going into the tie didn’t disappoint. Tipp were keen to stamp their authority on this game from the outset and Aishling Moloney led the charge with the opening point of the game with less twenty seconds on the clock. 

Tipperary quickly added to this with points from Aishling Moloney (0-2), Brid Condon and Laura Dillon (0-1) to establish a 0-5 to 0-0 score. However Longford were battling hard and were to get their just rewards when Michelle Farrell breached the Tipp defence and goaling in the 14^th minute. Ava Fennessy responded at the opposite end with Aishling Moloney and Aisling McCarthy also adding another 0-1 each to cancel out that goal. 

However Longford again launched their attack and again Michelle Farrell found the net. This time Aisling McCarthy led the charge back up the field but her effort going wide in the end. It was from the resulting kick out which was intercepted by Anna Rose Kennedy and finished all the way to the net in the 22^nd minute that finally settled Tipperary into this game. 

Anna Rose’s goal was truly the beginning of the end for Longford as Tipperary launched a relentless attack which saw them register 3-4 without reply in a 9 minute period before the half time break with the scores coming from Aishling Moloney (1-3), Angela McGuigan (1-0) and Aisling McCarthy (1-1). The half time score read Tipperary 4-12 Longford 2-0.

On the resumption Tipperary continued where they left off with a points from Aisling Moloney (0-2), Aisling McCarthy (0-1) and Ava Fennessy (0-1). Longford’s Aoife Darcy registering Longford’s first point of the game in response. With just 10 minutes remaining in the game Tipperary were 4-19 to Longford’s 2-2, and again as they had done in the first half Tipperary kicked on registering 3-3 the goals one each from Emma Morrissey, Ava Fennessy and Aishling Moloney from her own converted penalty.  

The final score Tipperary 7-22 Longford 2-4.  Tipperary now face Wicklow in their final group game in Wicklow on Sunday next July 28^th. Time and venue to be confirmed.

Teams and Scorers

 Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry), Emma Buckley (Cahir), Lucy Spillane (Fethard), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers), Bríd Condon (Aherlow, 0-1), Caitlin Kennedy (Aherlow), Samantha Lambert (Ardfinnan), Aisling McCarthy (Cahir, 1-5), Mary Rose Kennedy (Aherlow, 1-0), Róisín Daly (Moyne-Templetuohy, 0-1), Aishling Moloney (Cahir 2-11), Laura Dillon (Ardfinnan, 0-1), Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials), Angela McGuigan (Sliabh na mBan, 1-1), Ava Fennessy (Clonmel Commercials, 1-2). Subs:  Emma Morrissey (Aherlow, 1-0) for Anna Carey, Niamh Martin (Sliabh na mBan) for Emma Cronin,  Orla Winston (Clonmel Commercials) for Samantha Lambert,  Katie Cunningham (Lattin-Cullen) for Angela McGuigan,  Elaine Fitzpatrick (Templemore) for Laura Dillon.

Longford: Emer Esler, Clare Farrell, Eimear O’Brien, Laura Gallagher, Aoife O’Brien, Orla Nevin, Emer Heaney, Mairéad Reynolds, Aisling McCormack, Ciara Healy, Michelle Farrell (2-0), Kara Shannon (0-1), Aoife Darcy (0-3), Aisling Greene, Anna McDonnell. Subs:  Niamh Darcy for Aoife O’Brien, Niamh Brady for Aisling McCormack,  Una Clarke for Clare Farrell, Aisling Cosgrove for Aisling Greene.