U16 B Sharon O’Keeffe Tournament.

Round 2

Tipperary v Kerry

Fethard Town Park, Tipperary.

Sunday 18/02/2024 at 11.30am.

Tipperary got the most promising of starts in this contest with a superb strike from Kate O’Shea’s right foot following an enthralling passage of play that left the crowd excited from the off, the goal on the second minute was a precursor to a Sadhbh Hannafin point only seconds later from a mis- directed goal kick. These opening scores motivated the Kerry unit into action and following tremendous work by both sides it was Tipperary who came away with the next score courtesy of Katie Ryan Corcoran in the seventh minute.

Kerry opened their account just before the 8^th minute with a well taken free from Louise O’Donoghue.

Tipperary worked tirelessly to insure they kept the score board ticking over with another Kate O’Shea point splitting the uprights in the 9^th minute. In the 12^th minute Tipperary were very unfortunate on the double with a fantastic point blank save from the Kerry keeper that involved an injury to Rea Hayes which consequently resulted in an early substitution. Tipperary settled back in to the game following this upset and worked the ball brilliantly to Elena Cody for a well executed point with 15 minutes on the clock.

Worthy to note that this Kerry side were a constant threat and only for the outstanding work rate and determination of the Tipperary back lines they would have had a stronger foothold on the contest at this point.

A breakthrough for Kerry in the 19^th minute off the ever challenging Louise O’Donoghue and again in the 20^thminute with Emma O’Connor lessened the dividend by 2 points and only for the bravery of Lucy Moloney in the Tipp goal Tipperary could have found themselves chasing at this juncture. That illusive Kerry goal found its way to the scoreboard in the 27^th minute though through a well taken Sadbh O’Sullivan strike that almost brough parity to the sides at the half time whistle.

HALF TIME SCORE              TIPPERARY 1 – 4           KERRY 1 – 3

Kerry brought the same dominance out of the dressing room and registered 3 consecutive points in the opening 9 minutes before Tipperary finally got the breakthrough ball to send their first point of the second half over the bar from Kate O’Shea on the 10^th minute.

With a constant barrage of pressure on the Tipp side throughout Kerrys dogged determination paid off and they went on to score a further 1-3 in the half with Tipps work rate more value than the Aoibhinn Casey goal registered in the 25^th minute.

This was a thrilling and enthralling encounter between 2 very well drilled teams. The scoreboard most certainly failed to reflect the work rate and impassioned play from this young Tipp side who will no doubt bring the disappointment generated today into their next battle.

FULL TIME                        TIPPERARY 2 – 05                KERRY 2 – 09

TIPPERARY

Lucy Moloney, Sophie McGowan, Erin O’Donnell, Lily O’Donoghue, Sarah Rose Meehan, Zara McCarthy, Casey Butler, Sadhbh Hannafin (0-1), Elena Cody (0-1), Chloe O’Neill, Aoibhinn Casey (1-0), Katie Ryan Corcoran (0-1), Gemma Hayes, Kate O’Shea(1-2), Rea Hayes.

SUBS USED

Torrie Doyle for Rea Hayes (12 mins), Aimee Fitzgerald for Katie Ryan Corcoran (H/T), Katie Fox for Kate O’Shea (45 mins), Eva Gunn for Chloe O’Neill (50 mins), Meabh Leahy for Torrie Doyle (51 mins)