It was a disappointment in sporting terms. Kilkenny under-16 camogie girls suffered heartbreak as they saw their All-Ireland dreams come up short in agonising circumstances in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick last Saturday afternoon.
Kilkenny built up a 0-10 to 0-5 lead at the interval, as Miriam Walsh was giving an exhibition of point-taking, scoring 0-5 from play.
However, their lead should’ve been further, only for the fact they shot seven wides during the opening-half as their victorious opponents only registered a solitary wide during the first-half.
What also proved costly was Kilkenny’s squandering of free-taking chances in the last 10 minutes.
Free-taking can be the loneliest place in the world, especially for young players, and unfortunately two missed frees from Lydia Fitzpatrick in the 50th and 52nd minutes respectively proved costly.
Also, in the 57th minute, Julie-Anne Malone who pointed a free two minutes later stepped up to a ’45, and a chance to narrow the gap to just the minimum.
However, Malone opted to go short when going for the point would’ve been the correct option.
The resulting ’45 dropped, and Kilkenny crucially didn’t get a score out of it.
Miriam Walsh who was the games best performer by a landslide made a devastating solo run in injury-time as she cut loose through the Tipperary defence. With an open goal she elected to shoot for goal. However, her blazing low shot flew high over the crossbar. Play continued for another two and a half minutes, but Kilkenny were unable to manufacture a levelling score, and their All-Ireland dreams died a death. It was cruel. The worst thing about it was apart from Tipperary’s scoring blitz (2-3 ) in the opening ten minutes of the second-half, Kilkenny were easily the better team throughout, and they definitely would’ve deserved to win the game. However, what they suffered was the cruel side of sport.
Julie-Anne Malone, Michaela Kenneally, Aine Gannon and Lydia Fitzpatrick all pointed during the opening-half along with the brilliance of Miriam Walsh, as Kilkenny took a stranglehold on proceedings.
What was to come could never have been foreseen. Tara Kennedy and Caoimhe Maher (free ) pointed early in the second-half to cut the gap to three points, before the Premier youngsters drew level with a Jenny Grace goal in the 35th minute after she was set-up by Cliodhna Ryan and the long delivery by Caoimhe Maher 1-7 to 0-10.
Caoimhe Maher (full-back last year ) pointed an excellent free near the sideline, before Kilkenny suffered another suckerpunch in the 40th minute.
A long delivery by Mairead Teehan appeared to take an unfortunate deflection off the stick of Catriona Foley, and all of a sudden Kilkenny were four points in arrears 2-8 to 0-10.
Tipperary weren’t to score for the last 20 minutes, as Kilkenny began to dominate possession once again.
However, the Tipperary defence was much tighter during the second-half as they were inspired by team captain and St Brigid’s Callan student Jenny Logue along with centre-back Anne Eviston.
They fought courageously like tigers to the bitter end like they’ve had all year, and they have to be highly commended for their never say die attitude.
Defensively as they were all year were once again solid, with goalkeeper Noelle Murphy performing well under pressure.
Miriam Walsh as already mentioned was the star performer, and during the game she began at midfield, before been switched to full-forward, then centre-forward and she also had a spell on the wing.
Julie-Anne Malone was always a constant threat, but the remaining attacking players as a unit struggled to make their presence felt.
Meanwhile, Kilkenny despite their best efforts lost out to Wexford 2-7 to 1-7 in the Leinster Senior Semi-final in Glynn-Barntown last Sunday.
An Aine Fahey goal had given Kilkenny a 1-6 to 1-2 half-time lead, before only scoring a solitary point during the second-half.
Attention now switches to the start of the championship with their first game away to Offaly on Saturday, June 11.
Scorers: Tipperary: Jenny Grace & Mairead Teehan 1-0 each, Caoimhe Maher (frees ) & Tara Kennedy (0-2 frees ) 0-3 each, Leah McKeough 0-2.
Kilkenny: Miriam Walsh 0-6, Julie-Anne Malone 0-3 (0-1 free ), Lydia Fitzpatrick 0-2 (both frees ), Michaela Kenneally & Aine Gannon 0-1 each.
