Waterford minor camogie team produce impressive comeback to confirm semi-final place

All Ireland Minor Camogie Championship

Tipperary 2-9

Waterford 1-14

Waterford camogie minors are through to the Electric Ireland Minor A All-Ireland Semi-Final after overcoming Tipperary last weekend.

The home side will rue a number of missed opportunities in the opening 20 minutes when they were in complete control of the game. Playing with the aid of the strong southerly breeze, Tipperary were quick out of the traps with a point in the second minute from Kilruane’s Ali O’Kelly before great work from Boherlahan’s Danielle Ryan set up Sarah Corcoran for Tipp’s second point in the sixth minute.

Tipp were winning every ball but some poor shooting also led to four wides in the opening seven minutes. Moycarkey’s Kate Ralph was as busy as a bee at midfield and she got Tipp back on track in the ninth minute with a nice point from play.

This was quickly followed by two more from Shannon Rovers’ Celine Guinan (one free) and Tipp were five up by the eleventh minute. 

The Deise finally got off the mark with a free from Maggie Gostl in the 13th minute. Tipp replied immediately with Corcoran’s second from play before the Premier received a great fillip in the 17th minute when Kelly fed Sarsfields’ Lucy Purcell, who was pulled to the ground when through on goal. Referee Andy Larkin gave a penalty, which Guinan buried to put Tipp 1-6 to 0-1 ahead.

Waterford replaced centre forward Niamh Ryan with 15-year-old Emma Fitzgerald, whose direct running had an immediate impact on the game. Eimear O’Neill too was coming more into the game and she landed an excellent point from play in the 19th minute, which was quickly followed by another from the impressive Maggie Gostl. Ferncombe opened her account with a point from play in the 21st minute following more good work from Kelly and Purcell.

The last ten minutes belonged to Waterford, with centre back Laoise Forrest getting to grips with the Tipp attack. Four bad wides let Tipp off the hook, however, with O’Neill’s second from play their only score to leave Tipp ahead 1-7 to 0-4 at the short whistle.

The third quarter was dour, with both sides only registering a point apiece in the opening twelve minutes, Kelly for Tipp, Gotsl for Waterford. Hazel Brennan replaced Eire Og’s Danielle Ryan in the Tipp attack, which was now struggling to contain a rampant Forrest, who remained free despite her dominance.

A Waterford free was snapped up by Gotsl, who finished to the net at the second attempt following an initial block from Molly Gilmartin. This was the boost they were looking for and pointed frees from Forrest and Gotsl closed the gap to the minimum by the 48th minute (1-8 to 1-7).

Ellen Browne and Emer Dwan were introduced for Kelly and Aoife Mellerick and it was a real tussle now, with some great battles for possession. Waterford levelled through Alannah McNulty following one such battle and when a Forrest free gave them the lead for the first time in the 52nd minute, they looked likely winners.

Tipp dug in and Purcell won a hard-earned free, which Guinan converted in the 57th minute to tie it up once more before the Deise hit a purple patch at the right time. Their ability to land scores from play ultimately proved the difference as they landed five in four minutes through Gotsl (2), Fitzgerald, Forrest and O’Neill. Celine Guinan’s late goal from a free proved too little too late for Tipp.

Waterford now face Kilkenny in the semi-final this Sunday, April 23 at 4pm in Nenagh. Tickets available HERE

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE for the Electric Ireland Minor A All Ireland Semi Final - Waterford V Kilkenny.

️Nenagh Éire Óg, Co Tipperary, E45 HY06
Sunday, 23 April 2023
⏲️4 pm

Link for tickets https://t.co/QtKhuZv8gX

The girls deserve your support #ThisIsMajor pic.twitter.com/C3jrnSOwKG

— Waterford Camogie (@deisecamogie) April 18, 2023

Teams and Scorers

Tipperary: Molly Gilmartin (Boherlahan/Dualla), Aoife Mellerick (Newport/Ballinahinch), Alison Fitzgerald (Holycross/Ballycahill), Paula Quirke (Boherlahan/Dualla), Aoife Bourke (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Shauna Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty), Niamh Franks (Shannon Rovers), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris, 0-2), Kate Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris, 0-1), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty), Kate Ferncombe (Clonoulty/Rossmore, 0-1), Danielle Ryan (Boherlahan/ Dualla), Ali O’Kelly (Kilruane McDonaghs, 0-2), Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers, 2-3, 1-2f, 1-0 pen), Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields).

Subs: Hazel Brennan for Danielle Ryan (Eire Og, 35 mins), Ellen Browne for Kelly, 49 mins), Emer Dwan for Mellerick, 53 mins).

Waterford: Katelyn Gardner, Alex Healy, Melanie Buck, Faye Murphy, Lia Harty, Laoise Forrest (0-3, 2f), Jane Kirwan, Ciara Sherlock, Bevin Bowdern, Katelyn Lyons, Niamh Ryan, Alannah McNulty (0-1), Maggie Gotsl (1-6, 2f), Eimear O’Neill (0-3), Kelsie Obanya.

Subs: Emma Fitzgerald (0-1) for Ryan (25 mins), Niamh Halley for Obanya (63 mins).

Referee: Andy Larkin (Cork).