Munster Senior Championship Quarter Final

Tipperary 1-17

Limerick 0-08

Tipperary were comprehensive winners of the opening round of the Munster senior championship and will now face Clare this Sunday in the Munster semi-final in Semple Stadium @12pm as part of a double header with Cork and Clare featuring afterwards in the Munster hurling championship. Tipperary played with the aid of a strong breeze and set the tone early on scoring freely to lead at the interval 0-11 to 0-02. Cait Devane had the first of her 4 frees within the first minute. A minute later Claire Hogan had Tipp’s second point before Limerick opened their scoring with a Orlaith Kelleher point. The Tipperary response to Kelleher’s point was excellent with 4 unanswered points in 4 minutes from 4 different players. Niamh Treacy who started brightly in midfield raised the first of 4 white flags before the lively trio of Roisin Howard, Claire Hogan and Clodagh McIntyre all split the posts. This gave the premier side a 6 point to 1 lead by the 10^th minute. The lead could have been greater but Claire Keating reacted brilliantly to a Claire Hogan goal chance to pull off a key save. Limerick went 15 minutes without a score partly through good defensive play by Tipperary where sisters Caoimhe Maher and Ciardha Maher were on top in the half backline and als0 due to poor wides by the Limerick attack. In the 18^th minute Caoimhe Costello pointed a 45m after her initial shot on goal was saved by Aine Slattery. Unfortunately for Limerick this was to be their final score of the opening half while Tipperary hit five-in-a-row thanks to impressive shooting by their attack. Casey Hennessey and Rosin Howard both had points from play before Cait Devane nailed her second free of the day. Jenny Grace ensured all 6 forwards had scored by the break with her point in the 24^th minute while another Roisin Howard point finished the scoring and gave Tipperary a 9 point lead at half time 11 points to 2.

A Caoimhe Costello free opened the scoring in the second half but Limerick failed to build on this and instead it was Tipperary who kicked on again with Casey Hennessey, Cait Devane and Claire Hogan adding to their personal tally to give Tipperary a commanding 14 point to 3 lead on 40 minutes. The lead could have been greater only for some excellent saves once again by Claire Keating. Caoimhe Lyons did find the range for Limerick and entering the final quarter it was 0-14 to 0-4. Costelloe had further scores from placed balls but there was no way back for Limerick and in injury time a sweet pass from Claire Hogan to Eimear McGrath resulted in a well-taken goal for Bill Mullaney’s side.

SCORERS: Limerick: Caoimhe Costelloe 0-5 (3frees, 1 '45), Orlaith Kelleher, Caoimhe Lyons and Sarah O'Brien 0-1 each. Tipperary: Cait Devane 0-4 (3frees, 1 '45), Eimear McGrath (1-0), Claire Hogan 0-4, Roisin Howard and Casey Hennessy 0-3 each, Niamh Treacy, Clodagh McIntyre and Jenny Grace 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Claire Keating, Emma Kennedy, Marian Quaid ,Stephanie Woulfe Mairead Ryan , Muireann Creamer, Neamh Curtin, Sophie O'Callaghan, Orlaith Kelleher,Michelle Curtin, Rebecca Delee, Lizzie Boylan, Ailbhe Larkin, Caoimhe Lyons, Caoimhe Costelloe. Subs: Niamh Ryan for Neamh Curtin (h-t), Ashling Scanlon for Lizzie Boylan Lorraine McCarthy for Emma Kennedy, Sarah O’Brien for Michelle Curtin,Teresa Dore for Stephaine Woulfe,Leah Riordan for Ailbhe Larkin.

TIPPERARY: Aine Slattery; Julieanne Bourke, Mary Ryan, Eimear Loughman; Ciardha Maher, Caoimhe Maher, Aoife McGrath; Grace O'Brien, Niamh Treacy; Jenny Grace, Roisin Howard, Casey Hennessy; Claire Hogan, Cait Devane, Clodagh McIntyrne. Subs: Caoimhe McCarthy for Niamh Treacy (43mins), Eimear Heffernan for Aoife McGrath (47mins), Nicole Walsh for Jenny Grace (51mins), Eimear McGrath for Clodagh McIntyre (53mins), Courtney Ryan for Caoimhe Maher, inj (57mins),

REFEREE: Aaron Hogg (Clare).