15 GAMES, 15 wins, three titles. 2017 was an unforgettable year for the Tipperary ladies footballers.
An unbeaten year capped accordingly, and in style, as they lifted the All-Ireland intermediate crown in Croke Park. A clean sweep of silverware with the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup headed to the Premier county to winter alongside their first-ever Munster intermediate championship title and Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 3 trophy.
Unbeaten, undefeated, undeterred. With admirable youth uncovered, they well and truly made their mark on the inter-county scene. The ever-impressive Aishling Moloney and Player of the Year Aisling McCarthy were just two to announce themselves as household names across the country, and add to the host of experience who had been around for the past while. An incredible year for an exceptional group.
2018 would throw a completely different challenge at Shane Ronayne’s charges though. Up a level, with Division 2 league and senior championship on the cards.
28 January brought their second-flight opener. Opposition came in the form of Armagh, 2017 All-Ireland quarter-finalists who had dropped from Division 1 for the league. With the talent of Aimee Mackin and Caroline O’Hanlon in their ranks, it was a big ask.
Tipperary won by two points though, picking up right where they had left off in last September’s All-Ireland decider. The following week, they cruised past Laois on a scoreline of 5-14 to 1-5.
Round 3 was a repeat of the 2017 All-Ireland intermediate final as Tipperary hit the road to face Tyrone. In September, three points separated the sides and it was the same outcome on 18 February in Drumragh. Three wins from three in 2018.
Their next three clashes followed suit, resulting in three more victories over Cavan, Sligo and Clare respectively. What a transition to the higher grade this was, considering all that most teams want to do the year after promotion is to stay up.
Between the Sligo and Clare fixtures, a cloud of sadness was cast over the team, county and ladies football community as a whole as former player Rachel Kenneally passed away at the age of 26 following a battle with cancer.
The late Kenneally, of the Aherlow club, lined out for Tipperary in the 2013 All-Ireland intermediate final in Croke Park and played for the senior team between 2009 and 2014.
Just two days after laying her to rest, the team lined out against Clare, playing in her memory — which they continue to do week in, week out.
“They know they have someone looking down on them who soldiered with them,” as Ronayne said recently on The42‘s Ladies Football Show where he paid a lovely tribute.
They’ve shown true resilience to pull together and support each other through difficult times, let alone to continue playing the level of football they have been.
The following weekend, their remarkable winning run came to an end though and Waterford were the side to rain on their parade. Just back from a team holiday and with the fixture rearranged and switched to an away clash, they headed for Waterford IT.
The Déise ran out 1-19 to 2-6 winners, meaning a first loss for Tipperary since the 2016 All-Ireland intermediate championship semi-final — a one-point defeat to Clare.
The defeat in their final group match of the league resulted in a second-place finish to Waterford in the table as they were pitted against Armagh in the semi-final.
Go again, back on the horse.
That day in Kinnegad didn’t go to plan from early doors though, they trailed by nine points just after half-time.
But of course, somehow, some way, they clawed their way back into the game and grinded out a one-point win to find themselves in the Division 2 final, just 12 months after their promotion.
There wasn’t just silverware on offer, there was also the promise of Division 1 football for 2019 up for grabs in Parnell Park on Sunday.
And McCarthy and Moloney combined for 0-15 to steer Tipperary to another one-point victory, this time over 2017 Division 2 runners-up Cavan in the showpiece.
That said, proceedings didn’t finish without some drama at the end.
Referee Stephen McNulty awarded a penalty with roughly 20 seconds left on the clock, for a foul on Cavan’s Bronagh Sheridan, but after discussing with his umpires, the decision was overturned and a throw ball ensued.
The Premier county held on for a one-point win though, as captain Samantha Lambert paid a fitting tribute to the late Kenneally in her acceptance speech.
“Rachel is always in my thoughts,” back-to-back All-Ireland and league-winning captain Lambert told Jerome Quinn afterwards.
“It was tough going out there today but we knew we had to do it for her. I’m just glad I was able to lift the cup for her there today, I’m sure we did her proud.”
Undoubtedly, they’ve done their beloved teammate more than proud, along with everyone in Tipperary.
Their rise has been a truly remarkable one, and has been hailed far and wide as one of the biggest success stories in ladies football of late.
So in the past 12 months or so that’s promotion from Division 3 to Division 1, two league titles, a Munster crown and of course, the All-Ireland intermediate trophy. Not bad.
“This year, the girls have kicked on,” Ronayne told The42, when asked about their rise, in the run-up to the league final.
“There was a big bounce after winning the All-Ireland, a lot of confidence in the camp. I suppose the pressure was off as well, they were up and able to play with a little bit more freedom.
“Outside the camp there wasn’t a lot expected of us, just stay up in the division. But inside the camp, we thought that we could go far this year.
“We have made great progress this year and we’re very happy with where we’re going. Hopefully moving in the right direction as we move into the summer for championship.”
Joining Cork, Kerry and Waterford in an already mouth-watering Munster championship, they’re sure to spice things up nicely as the race for the Dairygold Cup gets underway.
And it’s the Rebels — 11-times All-Ireland senior champions in the last 13 years — up in the provincial semi-final next month. Watch this space.
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