Returning Moloney inspires Tipp past Lakesiders

LADIES FOOTBALL: Lidl National League Division 2 Round 5

Tipperary 3-14

Westmeath 2-6

Report: Michael Heverin at Fethard Town Park

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Aisling Moloney (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Emma Morrissey 0-6 (4 frees); Aisling Moloney 1-3; Kirsty Crotty Ryan 1-1; Maria Curley 1-0; Sarah English, Anna Rose Kennedy, Aoibhe O’Shea, Clara English 0-1 each.

Westmeath: Anna Jones 2-4 (0-3 frees); Ashley Ruane, Sarah Dillon 0-1 each.

A blistering first half, in which returning star Aisling Moloney was in outstanding form, was enough to see Tipperary cruise to victory over Westmeath in round 5 of the Ladies National Football League Division 2 on Sunday.

Giving their best performance of the campaign to date, Tipperary hit 3-11 in the first thirty minutes, with Moloney – in her first start of the league – scoring 1-3 and providing the assist for another goal.

Manager Ed Burke only risked Moloney for the first half as she eases her way back to full fitness following a long lay-off after a leg injury picked up playing AFLW in Australia. Her departure at half time, along with corner back Elaine Kelly, and another seven substitutions in the second half, totally altered the flow of the game.

Much of Tipperary’s composure and cohesion from the first half evaporated as Westmeath emerged from the dressing rooms a different side. They outscored the home side 1-5 to 0-3 in that second half and left manager Burke with very mixed emotions at the end.

The win pushes Tipp up the table on six points, following the previous week’s win over Clare, and eases the relegation worries, as Westmeath look destined for the drop as they remain pointless after five games.

In a game of two distinct halves, it will be the first that will be most remembered by Tipperary fans. Aisling Moloney was involved from the start, kicking the opening point in the third minute following great work up the wing from Sarah English. Emma Morrissey followed with the first of her six points and Kirsty Crotty Ryan made it 0-3 to no score after seven minutes.

Moloney was at the heart of every Tipp attack and her pin-point pass to Crotty Ryan allowed the Moyle Rovers player to palm to the net for the first goal in the eighth minute.

However, the home side’s dominance was briefly halted when the defense was opened up with a great pass from Caoimhe Kilmurray to Anna Jones, and she beat Tipp goalkeeper Lauren Fitzpatrick from close range.

But Tipperary quickly regained control, Emma Morrissey pointing a free before the Aherlow player then set up Maria Curley for a superb goal. Moloney, Morrissey (free), and Aoibhe O’Shea followed up with points before Moloney struck for the side’s third goal, reacting quickest to a poor Westmeath kick-out and hitting an unstoppable shot past Amy Donlon, for a 3-7 to 1-0 lead, five minutes from the break.

Tipp didn’t ease up as they hit the next four points in a row – from Sarah English, Moloney after a great pass from keeper Fitzpatrick who had the time and space to venture outfield; Clara English and Anna Rose Kennedy with a great solo effort.

The final action of the half resulted in a Westmeath point from Ashley Ruane, only their second score and first in 22 minutes.

With a sixteen-point lead, Tipp manager Ed Burke figured he had the luxury to take off his star forward Moloney, to be replaced by another long-term injury absentee, Aherlow’s Caitlin Kennedy who was out of action for eighteen months with a cruciate injury until she also came on as a sub in the previous week’s win over Clare.

But neither Burke not the Tipperary fans watching on at the grass pitch in Fethard could have anticipated what would unfold in the second half. After hitting fourteen scores in the first half, they managed just three in the second, just one from play in injury time, and a gap of eighteen minutes between the first and second scores.

Westmeath needed an improved second half display to avoid embarrassment, and they got it. Within twenty seconds of the restart, Sarah Dillon hit a fine point, and six minutes later Tipp were stunned when Vicky Carr put Anna Jones through for her second goal, to make it 3-11 to 2-2.

A Morrissey free four minutes later settled Tipperary but they never reproduced the fluent football of the first half, and never offering any real threat to a vastly improved Westmeath. The Leinster side now enjoyed the cohesion that Tipp had lost with their nine changes.

Vicky Carr was in superb form at midfield, but it was Anna Jones who provided the scoring power – she followed up a lovely point from play with three from frees to bring the score back to 3-12 to 2-6 with six minutes to go.

But they didn’t have time to rein in a nine points deficit, and it was Tipp who finished stronger with Morrissey’s second pointed free of the half, followed by another from play from the Aherlow player in added time.

Job done for Tipperary, but only thanks to their first half dominance. That second half display leaves plenty to ponder.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry, Capt), Elaine Kelly (Cappawhite), Lucy Spillane (Fethard), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers); Sarah English (Ardfinnan), Maria Curley (Templemore), Brid Condon (Aherlow); Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow), Neassa Towey (Templemore); Kirsty Crotty Ryan (Moyle Rovers), Ava Ryan (Moyne-Templetuohy), Aoibhe O’Shea (CJ KickhamsMullinahone); Clara English (Ardfinnan), Emma Morrissey (Aherlow), Aisling Moloney (Cahir).

Subs: Caitlin Kennedy (Aherlow) for Moloney (HT), Nora Martin (Sliabh namBan) for Kelly (HT), Hazel Brennan (Moyle Rovers) for Ryan (42), Kate Cashman (Templemore) for Condon (42), Ava Fennessy (Clonmel Commercials) for O’Shea (47), Michelle Cronin (Moyle Rovers) for S English (47), Nicole Shelly (CJ KickhamsMullinahone) for C English (47), Eva Cremins (Arravale Rovers) for Crotty Ryan (50), Heather Spillane (Fethard) for Towey (52).

Westmeath: Amy Donlon; Lara McCartan, Sarah Murphy, Megan Ennis; Chloe Kelly, Lucy Power, Fiona Coyle; Tracey Dillon, Vicky Carr; Ashley Ruane, Anna Jones, Ayesha Roche; Grainne Byrne, Caoimhe Kilmurray, Sarah Dillon.

Sub: Caitriona Dunne for Ennis (21).

Referee: David Hurson (Monaghan).