All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship semi-final
Galway 1-13
Tipperary 0-12
Kevin Galvin
Despite a second-half fightback, Tipperary have been defeated in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship semi-final for the fourth year in a row.
A 1-13 to 0-12 win for Galway over the Premier was certainly not of the vintage variety, but provided a pulsating end, with Bill Mullaney's side putting in a performance in the second period they could be proud of.
However it was a opening period which yielded just four points that was their undoing, while a shock late goal from the Tribeswomen put a disappointing note on a game that looked like it was going right to the wire.
Eight points to four the Westerners led at the break, but Tipperary came out of the blocks like a shot, reducing the deficit to just one, and providing their forward much better ball, as the game opened up more and more as it edged closer to its climax.
Both sides had great goal chances, with Caoimhe Bourke bravely preventing Orlaith McGrath from netting for the Tribeswomen, while at the other end Clodagh McIntyre almost punished Galway netminder Sarah Healy for batting down a high ball, but couldn't get there ahead of the St Thomas' custodian.
McGrath had another good chance to raise the green flag after sidestepping Bourke, but could only tap over when a goal was the target. However, after all those chances, the Sarsfields forward did get her name in the goal column, in the most fortunate of circumstances.
Her attempted point fell short, but Bourke on her line couldn't get a clean hand on the sliotar, spilling it into the back of her own net, and putting the deficit back at six with the clock ticking away.
That was after Dervla Higgins saw red for an off-the-ball incident with Cloda McIntyre that saw the Lorrha Dorrha clubwoman on the ground, in a second-half packed with action.
Ultimately more frustration for Tipperary's women, whose 15 year search for an All-Ireland final appearance continues.
Scorers For Galway: O McGrath 1-2; A O’Reilly 0-4(3fs, 1 45); A Donohue 0-3; N Kilkenny 0-2; S Spellman, S McGrath 0-1 each
Scorers For Tipperary: C Devane 0-6(5fs); O O’Dwyer 0-2; N Walsh, E Fryday, G O’Brien, M Campion 0-1 each
Galway: Sarah Healy, Shauna Healy, S Dervan, D Higgins, S Gardiner, E Helebert, C Cormican, N Hanniffy (R Hennelly 49), N Kilkenny, C Finnerty (N McGrath 39), S Spellman (N Coen 56), A Donohue, S McGrath (AM Starr 59), O McGrath, A O’Reilly (M Cooney 60+1)
Tipperary: C Bourke, M Ryan, M Eviston (S Delaney 59), J Bourke, E Loughman, K Kennedy, A McGrath, E Fryday (K Blair 51), C Devane, E McGrath (M Campion 42), N Walsh, O O’Dwyer, C McIntyre, R Howard, G O’Brien.
Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare).
