Waterford Ladies look to book Munster Final spot with win over Tipperary

Waterford’s Intermediate Ladies Football team will be looking to record a second win in this years Munster Championship when they play Tipperary at Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon, a win that would book for the side a spot in a seventh successive Munster Final in a row.

For both side’s Saturday afternoon’s game is their second game in the campaign which this year consists of three games each before the final after Clare were relegated from the Senior Grade after last years championship.

For Tipperary last time out they lost to a strong Clare side at Kilmihil in a game where the old adage of goals wins games came through as the home side hit three over the coarse of the hour to win on a 3-13 to 0-17 score line.

Tipperary in that game had a great start to the game as Shauna Ryan who is one of three Tipperary players who play their club football for Ballymacarbry kicked a point and Gillian O’Brien landed a brace of scores to give their side an early lead.

Shauna Ryan and Lorraine O’Shea went on to hit further scores for Tipperary but were cancelled out with a brace of points for the home side.

The games first goal came on fourteen minutes, Eimear Hillery beating Lauren Fitzpatrick which helped her side to a 1-9 to 0-11 lead at the break, Tipperary’s last six scores of the half coming from Sarah Everard (2), Aisling McCarthy (2), Niamh Lonergan and Lorraine O’Shea.

Trailing by one at the break, Tipperary knew that if they were to get a good start to the second half that they could have gone on to beat a fancied Clare side, but it was the home side that had the better start as Róisín Howley hit her sides second goal four minutes after the restart.

Tipperary however refused to throw in the towel and four points in a row from Aisling McCarthy drew the sides level with the sides heading into the final quarter of the game.

The game took another turn on 48 minutes when Clare won a penalty for a foot block which the home side did not look for, happily taking a ’45 which the umpire signalled and from twelve metres when given the chance Róisín Howley put the ball past Lauren Fitzpatrick for the third time.

Tipperary responded with a point from the brilliant Aisling McCarthy but were unable to hit the extra scores that would get them something from this game as Clare hit three late points to run out winners.

When the two sides clashed last year Waterford ran out very comfortable winners at Carrick-on-Suir but this time around, expect things to be much closer.

Like in Waterford, some great work is being done in Tipperary on the underage scene and this work is beginning to show with some excellent players coming through.

Tipperary if they are to get something from this game, they will be looking to the likes of Lauren Fitzpatrick in goal, Shauna Ryan another player who plays her club football for Ballymacarbry in the full forward line, Teresa McGrath the third Ballymacarbry player in the Tipperary set up who usually plays in defence, Emma Buckley, Barbara Ryan, Bernie Ryan, Niamh Lonergan, Lorraine O’Shea, Gillian O’Brien and Aisling McCarthy for much of their inspiration.

Waterford in their last game recorded an excellent win over Limerick, winning 3-17 to 4-7.

Waterford in the league this year had an outstanding run, collecting full points in their seven games in the league section of the competition and then beating Roscommon in the semi final at Nenagh.

Waterford however had an off day in the league final at Parnell Park loosing by four points to a Sligo side for whom Katie Walsh was outstanding on the day.

Waterford however got that loss out of their system very quickly beating Limerick in the first round of the championship at Bansha a few weeks back.

Its hard to see Waterford make too many changes to the team that played in most of the sides last competitive games.

That will mean a mixture of youth and experience, and will have the same mix on the bench if the needed to be called upon.

That should mean that Katie Hannon will be between the posts, Karen McGrath could well be at full back flanked by Megan Dunford and Linda Wall.

In the half back line Elaine Power could well start in the centre with Michelle McGrath in the number five shirt with a number of options available to Pat Sullivan and his selector for the number seven shirt.

In the centre of the field, the hugely experienced Grainne Kenneally could well start with plenty of options again available as to who will partner her.

In attack, Waterford can prove to be very dangerous, as the likes of Maria Delahunty, Aileen and Mairead Wall, Michelle and Sinead Ryan, Hannah Landers, Emma Murray, Margaret Revins, Aoife Dunne, Ciara Hurley, Lauren McGregor, Mary Foley and Shauna Dunphy amongst others all vying for the six available spots.

The size of victory by Waterford last year does not give an indication as to the gulf in standards between these two teams.

If we are to look for an indication as to the difference between the sides, we should look to the meeting of the two sides in the league this year at Ardfinnan.

In that game, while Waterford may have started somewhat under full strength, the Premier Ladies really put it up to Waterford.

That day it proved to be the old game of two halves, as Tipperary turned around holding a 2-4 to 0-6 lead, with the goals coming from Laura Dillon midway through the half and one soon afterwards by Laura Dillon.

Tipperary started the second half in whirlwind fashion as Aoife Ryan hit her second goal of the game within a minute of the restart, but after Waterford send for some of their big guns, the call was answered.

The concession of a third goal was a wake up call for Waterford. Lauren McGregor responded with a Waterford goal shortly after Ryan hit her second of the game.

Maria Delahunty, Aileen Wall, Ciara Hurley and Sinead Ryan all landed points for Waterford by the 49^th minute to level matters 1-11 to 3-5.

Michelle Ryan not long after coming on as a sub for Lauren McGregor finished to the net to give Waterford for the first time on 52 minutes which was followed by a Dede Fahey point which secured a 2-12 to 3-5 win for Waterford.

Waterford will enter the game on Saturday afternoon as the favourites, but could well be tested by an up and coming Tipperary side, if we are to go on the league game between the two.

From games between the two in recent years, Waterford should win here, in a much closer game than last year when Waterford won 4-23 to 0-8.