Tipperary and Galway have set up a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland U16A camogie final after victories over Cork and Wexford writes Daragh Ó Conchúir.
Tipperary came out on top 12 months ago and set up the opportunity to win a third title in four seasons with a 4-12 to 3-8 result after a thrilling clash with their Munster rivals in Kilmallock. Carol Kennedy was hugely influential from centre-back as they opened up a 2-9 to 1-1 half-time lead, aided by a strong wind.
Chloe Kirwan had a goal after 30 seconds and Keely Lenihan grabbed the second major, while Grace O’Brien was accurate from frees and Orla O’Dwyer also notched up a couple of points. Caoimhe McCarthy scored an important goal for Cork but Tipperary were in charge.
Cork thundered back into it in the second half and captain Niamh O’Leary was prominent as they scored four points in the opening 10 minutes. Indeed Tipperary only managed one point in 20 minutes as they saw their 11-point advantage whittled down to two. The Premier girls responded impressively though and two goals from O’Dwyer saw them through.
Galway, who have lost the last two finals at this grade, had a more comfortable passage as they were too strong for Wexford and prevailed by 3-17 to 0-10. There was a strong win in Edenderry too and Galway had it in the first half. Despite that, Annie Dempsey pointed a first minute free to put Wexford in front but Eimear O’Donovan had four points as Galway moved 0-5 to 0-1 and stretched that to 0-11 to 0-5 half-time lead.
Serena Brehony and Aisling Downey were outstanding in defence for the westerners, while Sinead Minihan got a lot of possession around midfield. Wexford would still have hoped to use the elements in the second half but instead, Galway put the game to bed with two goals straight after the break from Siobhán McGrath and Carrie Dolan.
Roisin Kelly, Sarah O’Connor and Oonagh Doyle all tried hard for Wexford and registered good points but Galway were always in control as O’Donovan brought her tally to 10 points, while Dolan nabbed her second goal.