It was a case of what might have been for Dublin as Tipperary made them pay for missed chances in the first half including a penalty
Dublin 1-06
Tipperary 2-13
The Dublin Senior Camogie side suffered their second straight league defeat this afternoon as Tipperary claimed a ten point win in Parnell Park.
The scoreline though doesn’t fully reflect the game with Dublin left to rue a number missed scoring opportunities in the first half including a penalty just before the break.
By the short whistle Dublin had racked up 1-05 in wides compared to just two from Tipperary. Dublin did find the net just before the break, scored by Muireann Kelleher to leave just a point between the teams as they headed to the dressing rooms.
Tipperary made four player changes at the break which turned the flow of the game in their favour and a goal from Caoimhe Maher nine minutes after the restart opened up a five point lead that Dublin never recovered from.
A second goal from midfielder Casey Hennessy six minutes from time secured the league points for Tipperary to leave Dublin rooted to the bottom of Division 1A of the Very Camogie League and facing the real prospect of relegation.
Dublin started the game brightly and raced into a two point lead in the opening exchanges with a point from play from Grace O’Shea and a converted free from Aisling Maher.
Tipperary hit back with four unanswered points all from play from Roisin Howard (2), Clare Hogan and Casey Hennessy.
Dublin were contesting well for the ball but three poor wides in a row were punished as Tipperary slotted over two more points from Grace O’Brien and Roisin Howard to stretch their lead to four.
Aisling Maher reduced the deficit to three with a fine point and in the 29th minute Dublin had the chance to draw level when they awarded a penalty with Maher taken down in the small square.
After some treatment Maher stepped up to take the penalty but hit her effort wide of the post to let Tipp off the hook.
A point from half-back Ciardha Maher extended the lead back to four. But seconds later Dublin worked the ball up the pitch and after a scramble in the goalmouth Muirean Kelleher flick the ball to the net to leave just a single point between the teams at half-time with the score 0-07 to 1-03.
It should have been so much better for the Dubs though as they squandered a number of score able chances and it was to come back to haunt them by the end of the game.
Dublin missed another chance to draw level seconds after the restart of the second half and Tipperary who had made four substitutions at the break made hay.
Caoimhe Maher grabbed a point in the 36th minute to push the lead out to two and three minutes later the corner forward was on the end of an incisive Tipperary move and finished emphatically to the net.
Aisling Maher and Casey Hennessy swapped points as the game headed into the final quarter. And nine minutes from the end Dublin’s Claire Gannon drove through the centre of the pitch from her centre back position to hit over a sweet point.
But Tipperary finished the game on the front foot a scored 1-03 without reply to seal the deal, the points coming from second half substitutes Teresa Ryan and Courtney Ryan and the other from Eimear McGrath and the goal scored by Casey Hennessy after a clever flick found her in acres of space and the midfielder buried the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the Dublin net.
Deep into injury time Dublin’s Aisling Maher finished off the scoring with a pointed free to end another disappointing afternoon for the Dubs.
Scorers – Dublin – Aisling Maher 0-04 (3f), Muireann Kelleher 1-00, Grace O’Shea 0-01, Claire Gannon 0-01. Tipperary – Casey Hennessy 1-02, Roisin Howard 0-04 (1f), Caoimhe Maher 1-01, Eimear McGrath 0-01 (1f), Clare Hogan 0-01, Grace O’Brien 0-01, Ciardha Maher 0-01, Teresa Ryan 0-01, Courtney Ryan 0-01.
Dublin: Mairi Moynihan, Abbey Ryan, Eve O’Brien, Hannah O’Dea, Kate Kilcommins, Claire Gannon, Leah Butler, Elyse Jamieson Murphy, Niamh Gannon, Kerri Finnegan, Gaby Couch, Grace O’Shea, Aisling O’Neill, Muireann Kelleher, Aisling Maher.
Dublin Substitutions: Aoife Whelan for Grace O’Shea (47), Zoe Couch for Hannah O’Dea (50), Aisling Gannon for Leah Butler (53), Aoife Heffernan for Elyse Jamieson Murphy (56), Ellen Baker for Muireann Kelleher (56).
Tipperary: Aine Slattery, Julieanne Bourke, Clodagh Quirke, Lorna Ryan, Ciardha Maher, Karen Kennedy, Mary Burke, Casey Hennessy, Grace O’Brien, Roisin Howard, Mairead Eviston, Eimear McGrath, Cait Devane, Caoimhe Maher, Clare Hogan.
Tipperary Substitutions: Teresa Ryan for Mairead Eviston (HT), Niamh Treacy for Clare Hogan (HT), Karin Blair for Clodagh Quirke (HT), Eimear Loughman for Mary Burke (HT), Courtney Ryan for Cait Devane (49), Grace Moloney for Grace O’Brien (53), Anna Fahie for Casey Hennessy (56), Lily Fahie for Lorna Ryan (59).