Kerry minor ladies see off Tipperary with four-goal salvo

LGFA MUNSTER MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP RD 3 Kerry 4-11 Tipperary 1-12

KERRY got back to winning ways in the Munster Minor Championship with an eightpoint win at home to Tipperary in Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday. Three goals in the first half proving crucial in the outcome of this game.

The visitors started the brightest with two points inside the first two minutes from Ciara O’Hora and Molly Gilmartin. Katie Doe reduced the deficit for the home side with a free but once again Tipperary showed to be the hungrier side in the early exchanges with a further two points to open up a three-point lead. Both goalkeepers were called into action in the early exchanges with each pulling off excellent saves.

As Kerry settled more into the game so did the scores for the home side. Frees from Katie Doe and Leah McMahon saw the deficit reduced to one before Lucy O’Connor goaled in the twelfth minute to take the lead for the first time in the game.

Kerry were now on top throughout the field with the defence dealing with any threat Tipperary posed up front. Further goals from Lisa Slattery and Mary Kate Smith following good team play saw Kerry go in at the break eight points in front. Tipperary’s final score in the half came from Ciara O’Hora.

The second half proved to be even on the scoreboard as both sides scored 1-6 a piece. Mary Kate Smith and Katie Doe extended the hosts lead out to ten points in the early exchanges. It wasn’t until midway through the second half that Tipperary began to come more into the game.

Two points from Ciara O’Hora and a converted penalty from the same player saw the deficit reduced to six with twelve minutes remaining. Substitute Emer Dawn reduced to deficit to five shortly after but in truth this game was never in danger for Kerry.

As both sides exchanged scores late on Katie Doe’s penalty attempt went over the bar before Tipperary substitute Emily Spillane registered the final score of the game to see Kerry win out deserving winners. KERRY: B Nic an tSíthign, A O’Donoghue, É Ní Laignin, G Murphy, M Mulvihill, S O’Donovan, L O’Sullivan, K Enright, K Ryan, L O’Connor 1-0, M K Smith 1-1, L Slattery 1-0, L O’Connor, L McMahon 1-3 (0-1f), K Doe 0-7 (3f). Subs: A Murphy for L O’Connor, T Murphy for L Slattery, C Dwyer for M Mulvihill TIPPERARY: S Smith, N O’Farrell, S Luttrell, C Shelly, E Cuddihy, E Cremins, L Coppinger, S O’Carroll, E Franklin 0-1, H Butler, L O’Brien, M Gilmartin 0-1, E Dolan 0-2, A McCormack, C O’Hora 1-6 (1-0pen, 0-3f). Subs: M Crowe for H Butler, S Coughlan for N O’Farrell, E Spillane 0-1 for M Crowe, E Dwan 0-1 for E Dolan, C Dwyer for M Mulvihill, A Reddan for A McCormack,