Munster U16A Championship

Round 3

Cork v Tipperary

Mallow Sports Complex

Sunday 25/02/2024 2pm

Referee: Paddy Smith (Waterford)

It took a 5-minute settling in period until the first score was registered in this highly anticipated contest. The pleasure fell to Corks Caoimhe Foley but not before a very determined start from both sides. Such was the ferocity of this game that only moments later the Cork keeper was called upon to deflect a sure fire shot that startled all in its path. The Tipp Side exuded dominance for an 8 minute spell where a wide ball off Amy O’Connor’s boot eventually led to a cracker of a goal from a Kate Nevin shot to register Tipps first score in the eighth minute followed only moments later by an exquisite Evanne Duffy attempt that split the posts.

The pace of this game was incredible with formidable performances in every area of the pitch. Tipperary were unlucky in the 9^th minute when a Julie Grey turned over ball was guided to Kate Nevin only to brush past the outside of the upright. Cork, on the rebound, pointed through Carla O’Regan and on a second attempt from Nevin in the 13^th minute, no mistake was made – straight and true to split the posts.

Tipperary were defending with outstanding resilience, Nevin adding her weight from the forwards into the back line effortlessly, coupled with an outstanding display of blocking from Louise McGrath they had managed to this point to keep Corks centre forward, Laura Walsh, at bay. Walsh got her first sniff of success in the 18^th minute with a pointed free from a placed ball and her eye was now firmly on the target as she pointed again from play within the minute.

The ball, like a meteor on the field at this point, was carried with fierce intensity back up through the Tipperary lines to the forward pairing of Grace Hogan and Abbie Horgan who narrowly skinned the uprights from either side of the pitch. Indeed, Heather Kiely found herself unfortunate also to lodge a miskicked goal shot into the arms of the waiting Cork keeper but Tipperary managed to keep the pressure on the Cork defence and the hard work paid off in the 22^nd and 24^th minutes with a placed ball point from Grace Hogan followed by an Abbie Horgan point from play.

Neasa Dwan had to be sprung from the bench to act as blood sub cover for Julie Grey, who, like many of her hard-working mid field partners were getting battle bruised in this enthralling encounter. Grey was returned to the field in a matter of minutes and Cork needed to keep the bulk of their players in a defensive set up to quell the Tipp attack but still they failed to stop a superbly taken Kate Nevin strike, off the left, from sailing over the bar for what was the final score of this energy sapping contest, half time a welcome reprieve for both camps.

HALF TIME                    CORK 0 – 4                   TIPPERARY 1 – 5

SECOND HALF

With Cork looking to assert a greater dominance to make up the difference on the score board they returned to the field in full attack mode and within 3 minutes the indominable Laura Walsh lessened the differential by a point to be followed by the killer blow goal from Corks O’Connor to tie the sides in the 5^th minute. Tipp knew it was now game on and the work rate that preceded Corks dominant spell paid off in under 2 minutes with a well take Grace Hogan point from play to give Tipp the minimum lead.

Tipp introduced fresh legs, in the form of Neasa Dwan, from the bench to relieve Abi Ryan who had covered every blade of grass in the mid field. Such was the intensity of the play that the silence that loomed on the 15^th minute, when Tipperary’s Grace Hogan suffered a painful dislocation, was deafening. Emma Kiely was brought into the breach to allow treatment on Grace Hogan to continue off the field and Kate Nevin converted the resultant free to put Tipp 2 points ahead of their opposition.

At this mid point in the half the ever threatening Laura Walsh started to assert her dominance and began to find space amongst the Tipperary defence and slotted over 2 points in as many minutes to achieve parity on the score board yet again but the Premier county were not going to back down, up pops a determined corner back Ava Gleeson to give a little daylight to her Tipp side in the 20^th minute. Tipps attack did not stop short there with Neasa Dwan forcing a spectacular save from the Cork net minder before a Nevin converted free brought it back to a 2 point margin.

Tipperary called to their bench again in the 24^th minute and Emer Brennan was handed the gauntlet from Heather Kiely. With legs and minds running solely on adrenaline at this point Corks hero of the hour, Walsh, brought equality to the scoreboard yet again with 2 well taken placed balls converted with ease. Evanne Duffy relieved Nicole Buckley for Tipp in the 29^th minute and it was a nail biting passage of play that saw Tipperary hearts break when Laura Walsh was awarded a free in the 31^st minute to seal the deal in a 1 point victory for Cork.

Without doubt, a game that will be talked about for a long time where both teams left their worth on the field – a fascinating encounter with everything needed to create the spectacular display of skill and determination that was required to see it out.

FULL TIME                    CORK 1 – 10                   TIPPERARY 1 – 9

TIPPERARY:

Kate Hennessey, Ava Gleeson (0-1), Tara Bourke, Nicole Buckley, Sienna Ferris, Louise McGrath, Julie Grey, Rosie O’Brien, Abi Ryan, Amy O’Connor, Eavann Duffy (0-1), Heather Kiely, Abbie Horgan (0-1), Kate Nevin(1-4 (2F)), Grace Hogan (0-2 (1F))

SUBS USED:

Neasa Dwan for Abi Ryan (38’), Emma Kiely for Grace Hogan (inj)(46’), Emer Brennan for Heather Kiely (54’), Evanne Gleeson for Nicole Buckley (59’)