Tipperary 1-13  Dublin 2-9  

Five minutes from the end of normal time, a long distance delivery from Alison Maguire was superbly fielded by full-forward Sarah O’Donovan.  She fed Siobhan Kehoe and the resultant equalising point was met with a huge roar from the large Dublin camogie/hurling contingent in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.  Tipperary were teethering on the brink – a number of their players were engaged in sideshows with the referee – it wouldn’t take much to apply the coup de grace. 

But instead it was wind assisted Dublin who panicked.   In the remaining 11 minutes of play they failed to score whereas Tipperary’s ace attacked Cáit Devane pointed superbly in the 57 ^th minute.     Dublin still had time and possession to snatch a draw and indeed win the game but in that spell Tipperary showed the greater composure as Dublin could not get the ball into the scoring zone.   Tipperary’s defence was outstanding in that period and didn’t even concede a wide - such was their dominance.

Victory would have been sweet and a huge confidence booster facing into the final two games against Clare and Derry away from home.  

The team played some outstanding camogie and when it looked like a heavy defeat beckoned when Tipperary went 8 points clear after a goal in the 43 ^rd , they rolled up their sleeves to draw level.

A mistake by ‘keeper Síle nic Coitir in the 43 ^rd minute when she batted a ball down that she would normally catch led to Mary Ryan poking the ball home.   But immediately from the puck-out Dublin rallied.   A long effort from Louise O’Hara hit the post but Dublin had better luck four minutes later when Siobhan Kehoe knocked over a free.

Dublin were rising to the task and with Alison Maguire outstanding at centre back, they came back in search of more.   When Siobhan Kehoe was upended in the box, Louise O’Hara immediately stepped forward to take the penalty which was dispatched in style to the back of the net.   

Ali Twomey made her first appearance since breaking her ankle as Dublin now had to defend a Tipperary attack.   Síle nic Coitir did superbly to save the danger and when Alison Maguire’s free fell to Sarah O’Donovan – she sent a rocket to the back of the net in the 54 ^th minute.    Alison Maguire was also at the heart of Dublin’s  attack when her dropping ball was caught with purpose by Sarah O’Donovan and Siobhan Kehoe dispatched the pass between the posts.

Dublin had the breeze and momentum but balls were fumbled, passes went astray and when a direct ball to the full-forward line was needed, Dublin opted to try and work the ball up the field.   Tipperary defended in style and that little lack of composure that Dublin so badly needed – to win a free, launch an attack – even drive the ball wide and have the chance of attacking a Tipperary puck out – the list of if onlys ……

Despite the disappointment, Dublin can revel in the fact that they know that the game was let slip.  

The side hurled superbly for the opening 15 minutes when playing into the breeze.   A super save by Síle nic Coitir who managed to get a stick to a goalbound shot in the 5 ^th minute when facing into her own goals lifted Dublin spirits and a minute later Sarah O’Donovan made a 40m run to point following a well-placed nic Coitir puck-out.  

Tipperary were left to rely on the accuracy of the excellent Cáit Devane who scored 0-10 over the 65 minutes played.    Dublin made poor use of four frees in the first half.

After a minute Alison Maguire was adjudged to have allowed the sliothar to rest on the stick and the referee threw in the ball.   Had he been refereeing the hurling game that game later, he would have seen 7 or 8 similar infringements.   This decision may have unnerved Siobhan Kehoe when handed a free about 30m from the posts – her lift was unsure and the shot skewed wide.   Another free some 35m out but to the right – led to a short pass to Louise O’Hara but despite breaking the tackle her shot from close range fell short and a fourth effort from a difficult angle by Alison Maguire went outside the posts.

But Dublin were limiting Tipperary chances and a free from Siobhan Kehoe and an excellent score from Laoise Quinn after good work by Laura Twomey and Aisling Carolan saw Dublin trail by 0-5 to 0-3.   Cait Devane added two more placed balls before Dublin responded with another score from play – this time from Louise O’Hara after Sarah O’Donovan showed tremendous determination to win a ball from a great cross by Emma Flanagan.

However in the closing 5 minutes Dublin turned over some easy possession and Cáit Devane (0-3) and Gemma Grace stretched Tipperary’s lead to 0-11 to 0-4 at the break.

For the second half Dublin replaced yellow-carded Elaine O’Meara and Deirdre Johnstone but encouragingly struck the first two points of the half from frees by Siobhan Kehoe and Alison Maguire.     Possession was turned over in the 37 ^th minute and Kelly Lenihan got Tipperary’s first score of the half.  

Dublin could have done with a break of the ball – like when a 90m free from Louise O’Hara hit the butt of the upright only to bounce out instead of in and when Mary Ryan goaled for the Munster girls in the 43 ^rd minute it looked like curtains for Dublin.   But to their great credit and that of the management team they stuck to their task and were within finger-touching distance at the finish.  

Plenty to play for yet and the team can face into next week-end’s clash with Clare with confidence.

Sile Nic Coitir, Catríona Power, Rose Collins, Deirdre Johnstone, Elaine O’Meara, Alison Maguire (0-2, 1f, 1 ’45), Miriam Twomey, Laura Twomey, Aisling Carolan, Laoise Quinn (0-1), Sarah O’Donovan (1-1), Louise O’Hara (1-1, 1-0 pen), Emma Flanagan, Aisling Maher, Siobhan Kehoe (0-4, 2f)

Subs Used: Martha O’Donoghue, Gráinne Quinn, Ali Twomey, Mairi Moynihan, Aoife Bugler  

Referee: Ray Kelly