Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Junior Championship

Tipperary 1-11

Cavan 2-09

A slow start in the first half was compounded by lapses in concentration at the start of the second cost Tipperary dearly in the opening round of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland championship against Cavan. Played in front of a great crowd in the County Camogie Grounds on Saturday Tipperary showed huge heart and determination in the last 20 minutes but their brilliant comeback fell short as a late Aoife Mcloughney free from very difficult angle was waved wide ensuring Cavan secured a single point victory. There were plenty of positives for Tipperary to take away who were down key personnel on the day including captain Clodagh Horgan and Toomevara’s Mags Quigley. In general it was a much improved performance than the defeat to Clare in the Munster championship but it still fell short of the standard needed to claim all 3 points. A scrappy nervy opening 15 minutes from the homeside meant they could only manage a single point, a well taken score by the impressive Grace Moloney. Cavan on the hand had 4 points on the board by the end of the opening quarter. Midfielder Emer Fitzpatrick with the first followed by 2 Eimear Brady frees and a Carmel Fay point from play. Cavan were the dominant of the two sides displaying huge physicality and plenty of runs from midfield. They constantly fed their full-forward Shanise Fitzsimons but Ashling Sheedy was equal to the task and won all of the opening exchanges. In the next 15 minutes Tipperary grew more and more into the game with Claire Stakelum and Amy Crosse winning more and more possession in midfield while Ciara McKeogh and Rachel Maher were on top in the half backline. This yielded scores at the opposite end with Aoife McLoughney leading the way from play and frees. With half time approaching Cavan led 6 points to 5 but on the 27^th minute a Aoife McLoughney shot for a point dropped short deceiving the Cavan keeper to find the back of the net. Cavan responded with a point but it was Tipp despite trailing for most of the half who went in at the break in front 1-05 to 7 points.

Tipperary were first to score at the start of the second half thanks to a long range free from Aoife Mcloughney. Again the Cavan response was impressive with corner forward Carmel Fay taking on and beating her marker before splitting the posts. Good work by Katie Fitzpatrick found Shanise Fitzsimons resulted in a pass to Aislinn Keenaghan who had ghosted into the edge of the square and she fired a ground shot past Ciara Holohan in the Tipperary goal. Shanise Fitzsimons now operating further out from her no 14 spot was starting to get on more ball and she pointed to make it 1-09 to 1-06 in Cavan’s favour. Disaster struck for Tipperary on the 42^nd minute when a storming run by Shanise Fitsimons who offloaded to Carmel Fay and she fired her shot to the roof of the net to give Cavan a 6 point lead 2-09 to 1-06. Amazingly this was to be Cavan’s final score of the game while Tipperary managed to find another gear and began to attack the Cavan goal with real ferocity. Points from the industrious Ciara Cummins and Grace Moloney plus pointed frees from McLoughney reduced the deficit to a single point. The Cavan defence fought to the end with Rosie Crowe McKeever and Aideen Coyle superb. In the dying moments a draw looked to be on the cards when Tipperary were awarded a late free. The angle proved to be too difficult and in the end time ran out for Tipperary with Cavan running out winners by a single point. Next up for Tipperary is a trip to Mayo where a win is a must in a bid to get their championship ambitions back on track.

Tipperary

Ciara Holohan, Meadbh Ellie Ryan, Ashling Sheedy, Niamh McCormack, Aoife Butler, Ciara McKeogh, Rachel Maher, Claire Stakelum, Amy Crosse, ,Ciara Cummins, Grace Moloney, Aoife McLoughney, Sinead Meagher, Saoirse McGrath.

Subs: Lorna Ryan for McGrath (44 mins); Alison O’Mahoney for Butler (45 mins);

Scorers: Aoife McLoughney (1-07, 0-05 frees), Grace Moloney (0-02), Ciara Cummins, Claire Stakelum (0-01 each).

Cavan

Jenny O’Rourke, Aine Finnegan, Errin Galligan, Nomonde Majola, Aideen Coyle, Rosie Crowe McKeever (7), Lorraine O’Rourke (7), Hannah Fitzsimons (8), Emer Fitzpatrick (7), Aoife Crowe (6), Aislinn Keenaghan (7), Clodagh Keenaghan (6), Carmel Fay (8), Shanise Fitzsimons (8), Eimear Brady (9).

Subs: Emer Fogarty (6) for Emer Fitzpatrick (37 mins); Eimear Cahill (7) for Coyle (57 mins).

Scorers: Eimear Brady (0-06, 0-03 frees), Carmel Fay (1-01), Aislinn Keenaghan (1-0) Emer Fitzpatrick, Shanise Fitzsimons (0-01 each).