Déise go down fighting in Camogie semi-final defeat
Waterford's Ali Ferguson is challenged during the Munster Under 23 Camogie Championship semi-final.
For the second year in a row, Waterford’s under-23 Camogie team bowed out of the Munster Championship at the semi-final stage of the competition when they went under to Tipperary for the second year in a row at the Clashmore-Kinsalebeg Club grounds in Clashmore on Sunday afternoon last.
When the two sides clashed at Colligan at the same stage of the competition last year, Tipperary ran out easy winners, and while 11 points separated the sides at the end of this game, Waterford made the Premier Ladies work that bit harder for their win this time around.
Tipperary did much of the spade work for this win late in the first half when playing with the wind at their backs.
Much of the opening half was a close battle, but the winners enjoyed a period of dominance in the closing minutes. Up to this point, a goal from Niamh Cunneen midway through the half proved to be the difference between the sides.
The impressive Niamh Cunneen opened the scoring on four minutes with a point. Both sets of attackers found it difficult to get the better of their markers; it was not until the 15-minute mark that the winners scored again from an Ava O’Dwyer free.
The opening goal came on 16 minutes. Grace Maloney played the ball to Niamh Cunneen, who fired past Katelyn Gardiner in the Waterford goal.
Katelyn Lyons opened Waterford’s account on 18 minutes when she pointed from played and followed up with one from a free.
Eimear Fogarty and Katelyn Lyons swapped scores before Tipperary had a very strong last five minutes to the half when Lucy Heffernan and Maeve Cunneen pointed, the later unlucky not to have hit a three pointer, as her effort rose just above the crossbar and Eva O’Dwyer hit a late brace of frees which gave Tipperary a 1-7 to 0-3 lead at the break.
Waterford were first on the board in the second half with Katelyn Lyons firing over from the 45-metre line. Eva O’Dwyer responded at the other end with a point from play and just as the game had entered its final quarter the same player netted a second goal for Tipperary when she collected a long free from Miriam Murphy and gave Katelyn Gardiner no chance.
Niamh Cunneen pointed as Waterford began to empty their bench and she pointed again with 10 minutes remaining.
Evan O’Dywer and Maeve Cunneen both struck for scores for the winners on 60 minutes, with Katelyn Lyons hitting her seventh of the game for Waterford deep in stoppage time.
The two sides are set to meet again on April 5 in the All-Ireland Championship, where Tipperary this time around will have home advantage, having travelled to Portlaw last year to play Waterford.
Galway, Cork, Dublin and Kilkenny will also be competing in the All-Ireland Championship, which begins on March 29 where Waterford are at home to Kilkenny.
Eva O’Dwyer 1-5 (0-3f, 0-1 ’45), Niamh Cunneen 1-3, Maeve Cunneen 0-2, Eimear Fogarty, Lucy Heffernan 0-1 each.
Katelyn Lyons 0-7 (5f, 1 ’45).
Molly O’Dwyer; Aoife Mellerick, Katie Fitzgerald, Lillie Fahie; Paula Quirke, Miriam Murphy, Kate Dowling; Eimear Fogarty, Anna Fahie; Maeve Cunneen, Niamh Cunneen, Ava O’Dwyer; Lucy Heffernan, Grace Maloney, Kate Ferncombe.
Emma Darcy for Kate Ferncombe (52), Ava Bevans for Grace Maloney (63).
Katelyn Gardiner; Faye Murphy, Anna McGoldrick, Deirdre Roche; Ceire Ryan, Abbie Burrows, Emily Foran; Rebecca Farrell, Rebecca Mason; Áine Power, Ali Ferguson, Oneila Whelan; Emma Walsh, Kelsie Obanya, Katelyn Lyons.
Aoife Hartley for Rebecca Farrell (20-21 BS), Jane Landers for Emily Foran (HT), Eimear Griffen for Emma Walsh (36), Aoife Hartley for Deirdre Roche (39), Niamh Halley for Áine Power (49), Rhona Drohan for Rebecca Mason (56)
Colm Maher (Cork).
