Kerry 2-16
Tipperary 0-4

by Dan Kearney

Siofra O’Shea helped herself to 1-5 and Anna Galvin to 1-2 as Kerry had way too much for Tipperary at a wet and windy Austin Stack Park in the first round of their TG4 All-Ireland SFC campaign.

Kerry were magnificent on the day, and Tipperary will have to go back to the drawing board if they hope to progress from this group after a very disappointing performance.

Kerry controlled the first half from start to finish, despite playing into the breeze, and Tipperary had no answer to their movement, patience and ability to work a score, and the Munster champions took a 2-9 to 0-1 lead in at the half time break.

Síofra O’Shea was unstoppable in this opening period and had a hand in everything good that Kerry did, with her goal in the 17th minute brilliant in its execution. It came after Niamh Carmody won a Tipperary kick out and fed Danielle O’Leary who in turn found O’Shea off the shoulder.

Kerry opened the scoring in the sixth minute through O’Shea, and then in the eighth minute came their first goal when Anna Galvin finished to the net following good work from O’Shea after an excellent Mary O’Connell turnover and pass.

For the rest of the first half Kerry destroyed the Tipperary kick out and Jadyn Lucey helping herself to two points with Aoife Dillane, Carmody and Emma Costello also getting in on the act.

Tipperary finally got their first score of the half in injury time when Emma Morrissey struck a fine point, but Kerry had a skip in their step when they made their way to the dressing room with a 2-9 to 0-1 lead.

Tipperary made four changes at half time but it was Kerry that continued to press and Galvin slotted over. Angela McGuigan popped over off the bench before O’Shea raised another white flag, this time from a free.

The pressure was relentless – Lucey added her third and then Dillane slotted her second before O’Leary got off the mark. Kerry did have a let off when Sarah English’s shot was tipped off the crossbar by Mary Ellen Bolger in the 45th minute.

Kerry settled once again and the dynamic O’Leary and silken skilled O’Shea popped over before Lauren Fitzpatrick made a fine save with her feet from O’Leary.

Jane Lynch slotted over in a good introduction off the bench and although Kirsty Crotty Ryan replied, Kerry eased to a a comprehensive 18-point win.

Kerry now travel to Newbridge in Kildare to play the locals in a double header with the men’s championship on June 13th, and a win will guarantee them a home quarter final.

Tipperary must wait two weeks before they welcome Kildare so there is plenty of football to be played before this group is decided.

Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea 1-5 (1f), A Galvin 1-2, J Lucey 0-3, A Dillane 0-2, E Costello 0-1, N Carmody 0-1, J Lynch 0-1, D O’Leary 0-1.

Tipperary: E Morrissey 0-2, A McGuigan 0-1, K Crotty Ryan 0-1.

KERRY: M.E. Bolger; R Rahilly, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O’Connell, E Costello, A Dillane; A Galvin, M O’Connell; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchuír, C Evans; J Lucey, D O’Leary, S O’Shea. Subs: R Dwyer for N Carmody 40, L Boyle for A O’Connell 40, J Lynch for C Evans 48,  J Curtin for A Galvin 48, K McGrath for E Lynch 53.

TIPPERARY: L Fitzpatrick; T Hoare, M Curley, E Cronin; K Cashman, E Buckley, S English; L Morrissey, N Shelly; A O’Shea, L Cunningham, L Spillane; C English, E Morrissey, K Crotty Ryan. Subs: A Carey for C English,  A McGuigan for N Shelly,  E Hogan for E Buckley,  A Ryan for A O’Shea (all H/T, E Moore for S English 59.

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).

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