Cork and Tipperary both booked their place in this year’s Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Finals after edging passed Clare and Waterford, respectively.
Cork 3-15 Clare 0-8
It was an exciting occasion in Páirc Uí Chaoimh as we wondered if the underdogs Clare, in their first All-Ireland Quarter Final since 2014, would hold their own against the 2018 champions Cork at home. It wasn’t to be, as an excellent second half performance from Cork resulted in a comprehensive victory of 3-15 to 0-08.
Cork started well from the outset, with Linda Collins scoring their first point just 23 seconds in. It was point for point in the opening minutes. While Cork had the upper hand in the full forward line, the Banner county worked hard in defence.
After the water break, a point from Eimear Kelly put Cork ahead by 0-04 to 0-03, later equalised by Cork. Another Clare point from corner forward Chloe Morey put Clare in the lead again 0-05 to 0-04. Cork had a lot of possession and moved well to get a lovely point from Saoirse McCarthy, and two minutes later another score from Katrina Mackey put them two points up. Cork’s dominance and experience was starting to show, however a free from Clare’s Chloe Morey meant Cork were just a point up at half time.
The second half opened with a goal from Mackey, sure to settle any Cork nerves, and perhaps a marker of Cork’s second half performance. A score from Orla Cronin in the 36th minute put 5 points between the sides, and soon after we witnessed Clare’s first real goal chance, dealt with well by Cork keeper Amy Lee. Morey got a much needed score for Clare a minute after. A point each in the next two minutes as Cork tried to push on and Clare tried not to let the game slip away.
A 45th minute free from Cronin meant Cork were leading 1-10 to 0-08 at the water break. With less than 7 minutes to go, Cork were up by 7 points (1-13 to 0-08) and were confident going forward, getting through the Clare defence who had fared well earlier in the match, helped greatly by a strong performance from Claire Hehir.
Unfortunately for Clare, all was lost in the 55th minute after a goal from Amy O’Connor following a poor puck out. Clare half back Niamh O’Dea was sent off following a second yellow card, shortly followed by a second goal from O’Connor in the 60th minute.
Cork have earned their place in an All Ireland Semi Final in two weeks time, and they’ll certainly be a threat to any team they draw. Clare manager Ger O’Connell should be happy with his team’s performance as for about 60% of the match they were competitive against Cork and can build on from this in the future.
Cork: Amy Lee, Libby Coppinger, Laura Treacy, Meabh Cahalane, Hannah Looney (0-1), Pamela Mackey, Laura Hayes, Chloe Sigerson (0-1f), Ashling Thompson, Amy O’Connor (2-1), Orla Cronin (0-6, 4f), Katrina Mackey (1-3), Niamh O’Callaghan, Linda Collins (0-1), Saoirse McCarthy (0-1)
Subs used: Cliona Healy for Saoirse McCarthy (43), Lauren Homan for Niamh O’Callaghan (44), Izzy O’Regan for Katrina Mackey (53), Ellen Murphy for Libby Coppinger (54), Fiona Keating for Hannah Looney (60).
Clare: Aisling Corbett, Ciara Grogan, Claire Hehir, Ciara Doyle, Roisin McMahon, Niamh O’Dea, Alannah Ryan, Susan Vaughan, Orlaith Duggan, Laura McMahon, Eimear Kelly (0-2), Máire McGrath, Chloe Morey (0-4f), Áine O’Loughlin (0-2), Mairead Scanlon
Subs used: Robyn Conway for Mairead Scanlon (36), Sinéad Conlon for Susan Vaughan (43), Gretta Hickey for Laura McMahon (49), Aoife Power for Máire McGrath (56), Michelle Caulfield for Orlaith Duggan (57).
? And here's the draw for the @LibertyIRL All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Finals:
Galway v Tipperary
Kilkenny v Cork
Ties to be played on Saturday November 28th in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Throw-in times for both matches will be confirmed in the coming days. pic.twitter.com/VPMHHyBcoW
— Camogie Association (@OfficialCamogie) November 14, 2020
Tipperary 1-12 Waterford 0-10
A 42nd minute goal by Karen Kennedy gave Tipperary the vital breathing place and ensured a place in the last four of the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championships for the third consecutive season, with champions Galway lying in wait.
It was the third year in a row too that Waterford failed to get beyond this hurdle but they will have little cause for complaint having not been able to go through the gears in the second half.
It was a far cagier affair than the opening quarter-final, with both teams withdrawing players even when playing with the gale into the Blackrock End.
That was undoubtedly a nod of respect to the attacking threats of both sides, though the irony of the situation was that they each carried more threat into the elements.
Fergal O’Brien and Dan Shanahan moved Beth Carton to the edge of the square just as the minimum of five minutes of injury time was announced and the De La Salle scoring machine had a rasping shot brilliantly saved by Minor goalkeeper Áine Slattery.
A goal wouldn’t have been enough anyway as Tipp showed all their experience in the second half to impose their will.
It was a huge win for Bill Mullaney’s crew, particularly as they were without the considerable services of suspended Aisling Moloney and former skipper Orla O’Dwyer, who departed for Australia to take up AFLW duties.
But with Waterford having excelled in the first half in terms of workrate and craft and gone in at the break trailing by just 0-8 to 0-6, it was their Munster neighbours who found the necessary improvement, upping their intensity considerably to maintain and then increase their advantage.
Tipp got off to a fantastic start with a point after 10 seconds from Niamh Treacy, followed by a point from Cáit Devane, who provided seven points of her side’s tally.
But Waterford were showing plenty and it was notable that four of their forwards scored from play, Abby Flynn in particular looking very dangerous, well supported by Sarah Lacey, Carton and Niamh Rockett.
But they could not get into the game after the resumption, Tipp instead finding another level.
Devane launched a prodigious score from nearly 65m into the wind before Nicole Walsh and Rockett exchanged scores.
That had three between the sides when Kennedy, marking Carton throughout, somehow found herself in the opposition danger zone, and winning the race with Waterford goalkeeper Brianna O’Regan to force the sliotar home for a critical score.
Carton led the resistance but Walsh and Devane kept the scoreboard ticking over at the other end, and Aoife McGrath, Kennedy and Mary Ryan were in among those in no mood to yield.
SCORERS FOR TIPPERARY: C Devane 0-7(5fs); K Kennedy 1-0; N Walsh 0-2; N Treacy, M Campion, G O’Brien 0-1 each
SCORERS FOR WATERFORD: B Carton 0-5(2fs, 1 45); N Rockett, A Flynn 0-2 each; S Lacey 0-1
TIPPERARY: Á Slattery, C Quirke, M Ryan, E Loughman, M Eviston, K Kennedy, A McGrath, N Treacy, S Quirke, N Walsh, R Howard, C Devane, G O’Brien, M Campion, C McIntyre. Subs: E Fryday for S Quirke (ht), J Kelly for O’Brien (41), K Blair for Fryday inj (55), JA Burke for Ryan (60+6)
WATERFORD: B O’Regan, S Harney, I Heffernan, C White, L Bray, C Carroll, C McGrath, O Hickey, S Curran, A Flynn, B Carton, A Fitzgerald, K Lynch, S Lacey, N Rockett. Subs: A Landers for Fitzgerald (45), A Corcoran for Lacey (50), K Corbett Barry for Hickey (55), S Fitzgerald for Curran (55)
Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Finals
Saturday November 28th
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Galway v Tipperary
Kilkenny v Cork
