Kildare ladies soar into knockout stages after big win away to Tipperary
Pat Sullivan’s side secured safe passage to the All-Ireland Senior Championship knockout stages with an away win in Clonmel
On a beaming afternoon in Clonmel, Kildare secured progression to the knockout stages of the 2026 All-Ireland Senior Championship with a win over Tipperary.
On a perfect day for football, Kildare made a troublingly lacklustre start to proceedings. Their early possession resulted in very little and more often than not passes went backward rather than forward.
Tipperary opened the scoring from a Kirsty Crotty Ryan free after four minutes. The Lilies laboured to their first through Aoife Rattigan after Laoise Lenehan turned over possession in her own half. The Kildare captain was the outstanding player on the pitch in the first half and dragged her side through their early funk and towards a healthy half-time lead.
The game's third point came at the midway stage of the first half when Lauren Cunningham broke through the lines to score for Tipp.
Kildare levelled almost instantly when they finally began playing direct football and hit Nanci Murphy who spun and fired over. It’s a simple game really.
The Lilies kicked into high gear after going level and scored 1-2 in just three minutes. A powerful Laoise Lenehan run down the side of Tipperary ended with the Kill player fisting the ball towards goal. Her shot-cum-cross hit the upright and fell into the waiting arms of Mayah Doyle who still had plenty to do, and that she did; burying the ball into the roof of the net off her left side.
Aoife Rattigan grabbed her second point from a free before another Lenehan run forward created space for Jessica Harney to make this game 1-4 to 0-2 after 21 minutes of action.
The home side responded to The Lilies’ scoring blitz with a fine point of their own when Heather Spillane hit from range.
Kildare got their fifth point in a rapid counter-attack that showed elements of their best attributes when moving the ball quickly. The fast transition ended with Lara Curran setting up Rattigan to score her third.
Tipp centre-back Maria Curley got the halves final point from out wide as visitors Kildare carried a 1-5 to 0-4 lead in at half-time.
It had been a concerning start for Kildare but they, led brilliantly by Laoise Lenehan, grew into this fixture.
The sense at the break was that, if they could replicate the second 15 minutes of that half again, they would secure safe passage into knockout stages.
Kildare extended their advantage two minutes after the restart when their taliswoman, Aoife Rattigan, curled over a lovely point.
A second goal looked on the cards moments following a superb burst up the field from Ruth Sargent who was deployed further up the pitch on the day and in a similar position to when she first broke onto the senior panel. Sargent, after a one-two with clubmate Hazel McLoughlin, slipped Lara Curran through on goal but the Milltown woman sent her effort above the crossbar.
Sarah English scored for Tipperary before Sargent replied with a point of her own.
After a sizable spell with the ball, Kildare worked a fine score which was knocked over by Jessica Harney to make this game 1-9 to 0-5 after 41 minutes.
A point at either end, from Emma Morrissey for the home side and Lara Curran for the visitors, maintained Kildare’s seven-point advantage with 15 to go.
Tipperary substitute Angela McGuigan was next on the scoresheet as the home side tried to draw The Lilies back in heading into the final 10 minutes.
Kildare managed the final stretch of this game superbly though and picked up scores when they needed to with Lara Curran adding to her tally next.
Sargent picked up her second point in the 53rd minute before back-to-back frees scored by Emma Morrissey made this game 1-12 to 0-9 with three to go.
If Kildare’s captain dragged them through the first half, vice-captain Ruth Sargent did so in the second as she picked her third point late on after another surge forward.
Kildare closed out for a 1-13 to 0-9 victory to reach the knockout stages of the All-Ireland Senior Championship with an impressive away win.
Kildare: Aoife Rattigan 0-4 (0-1 frees), Mayah Doyle 1-0, Ruth Sargent 0-3, Lara Curran 0-3, Jessica Harney 0-2, Nanci Murphy 0-1.
Tipperary: Emma Morrissey 0-3 (0-2 frees), Kirsty Crotty Ryan 0-1 (0-1 frees), Lauren Cunningham 0-1, Heather Spillane 0-1, Maria Curley 0-1, Sarah English 0-1, Angela McGuigan 0-1.
KILDARE: Corla Nallen; Lia Reilly, Emma Wheeler, Lisa Shaw; Hazel McLoughlin, Ruth Sargent, Laoise Lenehan; Nanci Murphy, Gillian Wheeler; Lara Curran, Jessica Harney, Molly Aspell; Aoife Rattigan, Mayah Doyle, Alannah Prizeman. Subs: Meabh McDonagh for Mayah Doyle (42 minutes), Mia Doherty for Emma Wheeler (53 minutes), Ciara Moran for Nanci Murphy (53 minutes), Siofra Galvin for Jessica Harney (56 minutes).
TIPPERARY: Lauren Fitzpatrick; Tara Hoare, Lucy Spillane, Emma Cronin; Kate Cashman, Maria Curley, Sarah English; Laura Morrissey, Anna Rose Kennedy; Ava Ryan, Lauren Cunningham, Heather Spillane; Anna Carey, Emma Morrissey, Kirsty Crotty Ryan. Subs: Ellen Moore for Tara Hoare (12 minutes), Angela McGuigan for Kate Cashman (38 minutes), Clara English for Kirsty Crotty Ryan (42 minutes), Lily Maher for Anna Carey (50 minutes).
Referee: Paul McCaughey (Westmeath)