Tipperary 2-6
Cavan 1-8
EMMA MORRISSEY SCORED 2-4 including the winning penalty, deep into added-time, to seal Tipperary’s place in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship for 2023, with Cavan heading for the relegation play-off instead.
Morrissey found the top-corner with aplomb after her teammate Angela McGuigan was fouled in the penalty area in the 62nd minute at Kingspan Breffni. Cavan were left shell-shocked at the death and now face a relegation decider to see if they too can avoid the drop to the intermediate ranks.
Tipperary scored their first goal in the 14th minute when midfielder Marie Creedon combined with late call-up Róisín Howard to put the influential Morrissey through for a well-taken goal. Morrissey’s first strike propelled the visitors into a 1-2 to 0-2 advantage and wind-backed Cavan struggled to eat into that cushion. But, thanks, in the main, to Lauren McVeety’s free-taking, the hosts hung in there. A long-range McVeety effort helped cut Tipperary’s interval lead to a very manageable two points, when Cavan trailed by 1-4 to 0-5.
The Ulster outfit then nabbed a lifeline in the 48th minute when Geraldine Sheridan was fouled, but Lauren McVeety’s penalty was saved by Tipperary goalkeeper Lauren Fitzpatrick, before being hacked clear. McVeety made up for her miss in the 51st minute when she fired home low past the advancing goalkeeper, following a storming run by Geraldine Sheridan through the heart of the visitors’ defence. However, Tipperary had a sting in their tail, saving their best until last with Morrissey scoring the resulting penalty and Cavan left to dwell over a relegation play-off.
Kerry 2-17
Westmeath 0-9
Half-time substitute Rachel Dwyer scored 1-5 and Kerry advanced to the quarter-finals of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship after victory over Westmeath at a windy Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney. The victors, who go through as Group C winners, also ensured that Westmeath would face into a relegation play-off after their second consecutive defeat.
Kerry made six changes to their line-up from the Galway game but it mattered little as they raced into a 1-5 to 0-0 lead after just 13 minutes, playing with the wind at their backs. Westmeath looked in serious bother but started to string some cohesive moves together and Sarah Dillon and Karen Hegarty pointed to reduce the deficit.
Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh stemmed the Westmeath tide with a lovely score in the 25th minute after a great clearance from Eilis Lynch, but once again Westmeath fought back and the impressive Sarah Lynch scored a free from an acute angle, and Chloe Kelly popped up from the backs to slot another effort to bring the score to 1-6 to 0-4 with one minute remaining. The last two scores of the half belonged to Kerry with Katie Brosnan and O’Shea getting their second points of the game to see the Kingdom take a 1-8 to 0-4 lead into half-time.
Impressive substitute Dwyer got an early second half goal for Kerry when she punched in from close range and O’Shea was unlucky a minute later when her effort was miraculously cleared off the line. Sarah Dillon (free) and Lucy Power continued to carry the fight for Westmeath but in the end, scores from Niamh Broderick and two from Dwyer (one free), sealed top spot for Kerry.
Armagh 2-12
Monaghan 0-4
Aimee Mackin scored 0-4 and Armagh eased their way past Monaghan to qualify for the last eight of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship after a 2-12 to 0-4 victory at the Athletic Grounds.
As a result, Armagh finished second in the Group B standings behind reigning All-Ireland champions Meath with Monaghan heading for the relegation play-off.
With a very strong breeze at their backs, it was the away side who started the better, as they notched two points in the opening minute through Lauren Jones and Laura Carey.
However, Armagh settled themselves down and scored six of the next seven points, with captain Kelly Mallon showcasing her accuracy from dead balls, converting four frees.
Monaghan then had a major goal chance when Rosemary Courtney got through to find herself one-on-one with Anna Carr, but the Orchard goalkeeper spread herself and made an outstanding save, denying Courtney’s effort with her foot.
While Monaghan failed to find the net, Armagh made no mistakes, and the game swung completely in their favour with two goals in as many minutes. Blaithin Mackin shot for a point, but with the goalkeeper Orna Kelly unsighted by Aoife Lennon, the ball bounced all the way through and into the Monaghan net.
Soon after, a Niamh Marley pass sent Niamh Coleman through, and she buried a one-on-one chance low and hard to grow Armagh’s lead to eight points at 2-6 to 0-4, and three Aimee Mackin points closed out the half’s scoring.
After an entertaining first half, which displayed some ferocious attacking play from both sides, the second-half didn’t live up to those standards. Armagh were content to hold the ball for long periods throughout the second half, with only three points scored, via Niamh Marley, Coleman and Caroline O’Hanlon. On Monaghan’s side, they failed to register a score in the entire second half, as they struggled to make many inroads into a packed Armagh defence.
Having qualified from the group, winners Armagh now progress to the quarter-finals, where they will take on Group C winners Kerry.
