TIPPERARY INTERMEDIATE TEAM
By Declan O'Shea, Assistant PRO
This clash involving Tipperary and Longford saw the two teams at the bottom of the league table battle for survival in division three of the National Ladies Football League. With six games each played neither team had enjoyed much success to date. Longford, having lost all their six league games so far came into this game knowing that a loss in today's match would see them relegated to division four for 2016. Tipperary, on the strength of one win against Wexford in the earlier rounds were hoping to retain division three league status for the coming year with a win. A loss for Tipperary today would see them contest an additional play off fixture with Longford again as the opposition. The Tipperary management team have used this league for some experimentation with one eye focused on a more sustained and successful championship campaign later in the year. An extended panel of players had been tried throughout the league but with championship football now looming a settled Tipperary team was fast becoming a priority for management.

Pearse Park Longford was the venue and conditions were bright but bitterly cold at times. Tipperary opted to play against the wind in the first half and right from the start took the game to Longford who appeared shell-shocked by the Tipperary blitz. Shauna Ryan opened Tipperary's account in the first minute and shortly afterwards added a goal to give Tipperary the opening they wanted. Another goal from the marauding Ryan at full forward saw them assume a seven point lead and a rout looked on the cards. Tipperary were dominant at midfield and the half forward line were well led by Gillian O'Brien who was getting on almost continuous ball.  Aoife Ryan and Sarah Everard for Tipperary added a further point apiece and Tipperary who were now coasting.  When Gillian O'Brien added Tipperary's fourth point in the eleventh minute Tipperary were 2-4 to 0-1 up. However Longford suddenly appeared to realise they were in a battle for survival and began to dominate midfield where their number 9 Claire Farrell started to win ball. With Tipperary now in some disarray Longford added two goals and three points of their own without reply from a shocked Tipperary. All the Longford forwards had now contributed from play with the inside forward line looking particularly threatening. With only two points between the teams entering the final five minutes up popped Tipperary's Shauna Ryan for her third goal on twenty six minutes and less than a minute later Gillian O'Brien for Tipperary also had the ball in the Longford net somewhat against the run of play. Longford's Aoife Darcy added her side's final two points of the half in reply to leave the half time score line Tipperary 4-4 Longford 2-6. Despite their bright opening Tipperary now found themselves with a game on their hands. A feature of Tipperary's first half display was once more their tendency to ease off when in control. Once more they were also guilty of some very poor finishing ending the half with a total of ten wides to Longford's four.

Tipperary's management team made four substitutions at half time introducing Barbara Ryan for Sinead Delahunty at right half back, Louise Cadell for Treasa McGrath at center back, and sisters Lorraine and Aoibhe O'Shea for Bernie Ryan and Sarah Ryan at midfield and corner forward respectively. Strong running from Lorraine O'Shea at midfield saw Tipperary add two points within minutes of the restart, one from Sarah Everard and another from Aoibhe O'Shea. Ryan's presence in defence helped too and she made some timely interceptions before coming away with the ball. Longford then replied with a point and Tipperary, following a well-executed move from midfield saw Shauna Ryan adding her fourth goal in the fifth minute. Tipperary now had an eight point lead but once again they failed to capitalise and Longford with some substitutions of their own grew more into the game. In the next fifteen minutes they held Tipperary scoreless and added a goal and four points of their own (two frees) to leave just a goal between the teams, 5-8 to 3-11. Three further substitutions for Tipperary saw Niamh Lonergan enter the game for Roisin McGrath following a lengthy injury lay off after knee surgery. Aimee Pollard replaced Sarah Everard at number 15 with Caoimhe Bowles replacing Maureen Murphy at number two. Tipperary's Lorraine O'Shea added a point on twenty two minutes to put Tipperary four up but once more Longford pressed forward. A point from a free and another from play saw them cut the lead to just two points with thirty minutes played. Lorraine O'Shea added her second point for Tipperary in injury time to again put Tipperary three up and in the final attack of the game Longford earned a free but were forced to go in search of a goal. The Tipperary backs made some telling tackles in this period and when Longford's final kick of the game went over the bar for a point Tipperary sensed victory. Winning their own kick out Tipperary played the ball safely out and with four minutes injury time played the referee called time. Tipperary 5-10 Longford 3-14

Tipperary made difficult work of defeating this young Longford team but had they converted half of their wide tally of twenty one from play and two from frees they would have won with some ease. Likewise their tendency to ease off for periods in games allowing the opposition to dominate is a reoccurring problem. Championship football awaits and Tipperary will now look to "steady the ship" for some big summer games ahead.

Tipperary team: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Brian Borus); Maureen Murphy (Brian Borus), Emma Buckley (Cahir), Anne O'Dwyer (Cappawhite); Sinead Delahunty (Foxrock/Cabinteely), Treasa McGrath (Ballymacarbry), Roisin McGrath (Moyle Rovers); Bernie Ryan (Cappawhite), Breda Feeney (Fermoy); Laura Dillon (Ardfinnan), Aoife Ryan (Cappawhite), Gillian O'Brien (Moyle Rovers); Sarah Ryan (Clonmel Commercials), Shauna Ryan (Ballymacarbry), Sarah Everard (Moyle Rovers).
Scorers: Shauna Ryan 4-1, Gillian O'Brien 1-3, Sarah Everard 0-2, Lorraine O'Shea 0-2, Aoife Ryan 0-1, Aoibhe O'Shea 0-1

TIPPERARY MINOR TEAM
Tipperary's Minor Team defeated Waterford on Wednesday, April 8th in Clonmel Sports field on a score line of Tipperary 4-13 Waterford 2-9. The match report is available on www.tipperaryladiesfootball.ie Tipperary team: Emer McCarthy (Aherlow); Louise Cadell (Templemore), Maria Curley (Templemore), Aine Dunne (Mullinahone); Grainne Condon (Aherlow), Aishlng Moloney (Cahir), Elaine Kelly (Cappawhite); Aoife Corcoran (Cahir), Elaine Fitzpatrick (Templemore); Everena Everard (Moyle Rovers), Roisin Howard (Cahir), Caoimhe Condon (Brian Borus); Orla O'Dwyer (Boherlahan), Niamh Treacy (Templemore), Aoibhe O'Shea (Mullinahone). 
Scorers: Aoibhe O'Shea 2-5, Aishlng Moloney 1-1, Megan Shanahan 1-0, Aoife Corcoran 0-2, Roisin Howard 0-2, Everena Everard 0-1, Orla O'Dwyer 0-1, Niamh Treacy 0-1 

TIPPERARY UNDER 16 TEAM
By Secretary, Siobhan Condon
The Tipperary Under 16 team began their Munster Championship campaign away to Clare in Coolmeen on Sunday, April 12th. When these two sides met at Under 14 level two years ago there was very little between them and Tipperary were expecting another tough encounter in the mid Clare venue this year. Conditions were cool and blustery and Clare elected to play with the wind in the first half. However, it was Tipperary who opened the scoring with a great goal from Kate Davey which was followed by a point from Lara O'Dwyer. Clare responded with a goal and a point to leave the scores level. Clare were then awarded a penalty which they duly scored. This penalty proved to be the start of a purple patch for Clare who scored 1-6 without reply in a seven minute spell to leave the score Clare 2-7 Tipperary 1-1. At this point, Clare were dominating but great leadership was shown by the full forward line trio of Kate Davey, Lara O'Dwyer and Jean Kelly who scored four points between them in the ten minutes before half time. This trio caused Clare endless problems all throughout the game and these scores came at a vital stage in the game as they kept Tipperary within touching distance of the Banner girls. At half time the score was Clare 2-7 Tipperary 1-5.
Tipperary regrouped during the interval and started strongly in the second half. The influential Kate Davey began the half by scoring a point. This score was followed by further points from both Aine O'Dwyer and Lara O'Dwyer and a brace of points from Jean Kelly. Clare replied with two points leaving the score Clare 2-9 Tipperary 1-10 with fifteen minutes remaining. At this stage the result seemed to be in the balance. However, Tipperary hit their own purple patch in the final quarter, scoring 2-2 without reply. Kate Davey hit the back of the net for the second time, Jean Kelly scored her fourth point of the game with substitute Kirsty Crotty Ryan also scoring a point and Orla Burke making her way up from wing back to score a goal with three minutes of normal time remaining. This goal seemed to have secured the result for Tipperary with six points now between the sides. Tipperary then had a player sin binned entering into injury time. This seemed to give Clare renewed hope and they scored a goal to leave one score between the sides with time running out. Clare had two further goal scoring attacks in additional time but the tireless work of mid-fielder Kate Barlow and the Tipperary defence and in particular the ever dependable Laura Morrissey at full back made sure that Clare would be unable to salvage a draw. Tipperary now look forward to the next round where they will play Limerick on Sunday, April 19th in Bruff.
Tipperary team - Saoirse Fanning (Galtee Rovers); Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers), Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus), Sarah Delaney (Boherlahan); Orla Burke (Moyle Rovers), Molly O'Meara (Fethard), Ciara Hayes (Fethard); Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials), Kate Barlow (Clonmel Commercials); Clodagh Irwin (Thurles Sarsfields), Aine O'Dwyer (Boherlahan), Kailee Burke (Cahir); Kate Davey (Fethard), Lara O'Dwyer (Lattin Cullen), Jean Kelly (Cappawhite)
Subs Used - Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow) for Anna Carey, Kirsty Crotty Ryan (Moyle Rovers) for Kailee Burke, Christina Brennan (Templemore) for Aine O'Dwyer, Sarah Corby (Arravale Rovers) for Clodagh Irwin.
Tipperary Scorers - Kate Davey 2-3 (one free), Jean Kelly 0-4, Lara O'Dwyer 0-3, Orla Burke 1-0, Aine O'Dwyer 0-1, Kirsty Crotty Ryan 0-1  
      
 

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