GAA
Limerick camogie get vital win to get revive championship hopes.
Limerick captain Niamh Mulcahy fired a phenomenal 15 points as Limerick just edged out Tipperary by 1-20 to 3-12 at Semple Stadium to keep their hopes of emerging from Group 2 of the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship alive.
It was a sensational exhibition of shooting by Mulcahy but this was far from a one-woman band as goalkeeper Laura O’Neill made a splendid point-blank save from Orla O’Dwyer in the 52nd minute and Orla Curtin scored a brilliant 58th minute goal with an overhead double.
Limerick manager John Tuohy was delighted with the result which keeps Limerick in the hunt for a place in the knockout stages.
“I’m delighted with the result, the girls played oustanding stuff from start to finish. we took our eye off the ball a couple of times and Tipp got a couple of goals and made it hard for us.”
“Tipp are a very strong team and they would have expected to beat us today but to show a bit of character like we did today after being beaten by Cork really shows the character in this team.”
John Tuohy spoke with Sporting Limerick directly after the game and you can listen to his reaction in full below.
Caoimhe Costelloe didn’t get on the scoresheet but was magnificent to help Limerick dominated the midfield exchanges and secure their first win after two previous losses.
It was hard luck on Tipperary’s Cáit Devane, who scored all three of their goals but it was impossible to argue that Limerick didn’t deserve the win.
Playing with the wind in the first half, they built up an early four-point lead courtesy of Mulcahy’s dead-eye shooting but two goals from Devane nudged them ahead. Limerick had the greater share of the possession though and led at half time by 0-14 to 2-5.
Given the strength of the wind, it wasn’t certain that a three-point lead would be sufficient but in a tighter second half, Limerick always managed to keep their noses in front. When Curtin scored her wonder goal from a Mulcahy free, they moved four clear but Devane completed her hat-trick immediately.
Nerve-ends were jangling in the closing moments but Mulcahy scored an injury-time point to confirm the victory.
The wins sets up a crucial final group 2 game against Wexford in two weeks time with Limerick to have home advantage.