Cork beat great rivals in a classic

Camogie National League Division One final/ Cork 2-7 Tipperary 2-5 : Cork added the National League Division One 'A' title to…

Camogie National League Division One final/ Cork 2-7 Tipperary 2-5: Cork added the National League Division One 'A' title to their All-Ireland victory of last year when they beat close rivals Tipperary 2-7 to 2-5 in Semple Stadium yesterday. Level on five occasions it was a thrilling final played immediately after the Munster hurling championship match between Tipperary and Limerick.

With both the Tipperary hurlers and the Intermediates having won their matches the pressure was on the girls to create a rare treble, but despite the brillance of Claire Grogan for Tipperary it was the Rebels who showed the more hunger on the day and despite entering this game as heavy favourites, they settled well despite having to wait 12 minutes for their opening score.

Tipperary got the better start with a Claire Grogan free after just a minute and a half and while it may have taken Cork another 10 minutes to open the scoring, when Jennifer O'Leary sent over the first of her four frees, it always seemed it might just be their day.

However, Tipperary, who have never beaten Cork in a League final, were in a hungry mood and an Emily Hayden goal helped them to a 2-2 to 0-5 lead at the break.

READ MORE

On the restart Emer Dillon fired home a Cork goal to level the scores and from then on they were in full control.For many of the players it banished the bad experience of last year's League final when they fell to Galway.

TIPPERARY: Jovita Delaney; Susanne Kelly, Una O'Dwyer, Marie Tynan; Sinéad Nealon, Julie Kirwan, Marie Shortt; Philly Fogarty, (capt) Trish O'Halloran; C Hennessey, E Hayden (1-0), C Grogan (0-5 frees); E Mc Donnell, G Kinnane (1-0), J Ryan. Subs: J Horan for Hennessey (half-time), L Bourke for Ryan (49 mins).

CORK: Aoife Murray: Joanne O'Callaghan,(capt) Caitriona Foley, Amanda O'Regan; B Corkery, Mary O'Connor, Anna Geary; G O'Connor, Rachel Moloney; Úna O'Donoghue, Jennifer O'Leary (1-4, 0-4 frees), Angela Walsh (0-2); Emer Dillon (1-1), Sarah O'Donovan, Elaine Burke. Subs: E Watson for Burke (51 mins).

Referee: J Pender (Kildare).