Moloney magic relegates Roscommon
Roscommon captain Ellen Irwin, referee Shane Curley and Tipperary captain Lauren Fitzpatrick
Roscommon were relegated back to Division 3 after the mercurial Aisling Moloney kicked 1-8 to help Tipperary ensure their survival.
Finbar Egan’s side were game, but Tipperary possessed a player in Moloney who would start for any team in Ireland.
This relegation is a huge blow for Finbar Egan’s charges. Roscommon and Clare, who were both promoted last year, will be back down in Division Three for 2026.
Roscommon needed Monaghan to do them a favour as a result of losing this game, but Westmeath secured the win they needed to leapfrog both Clare and Roscommon.
The home side enjoyed the wind in the opening half, but they could not establish a lead at the interval.
Laura Mannion, Aisling Hanly and Marian Nolan all kicked two points apiece, but four Moloney points helped Tipperary enjoy parity at the break, 0-6 to 0-6.
The warning signs were there for Roscommon in the first half as Tipperary squandered three goal chances, with Moloney’s fingerprints all over her side’s positive attacking play.
Roscommon struggled against the wind in the second period as they didn’t score for the first 20 minutes of the final half.
Tipperary made their move, scoring 1-3 without reply as despite Angela McGuigan seeing a goal disallowed for the visitors, Moloney netted in the next passage of play to effectively seal Roscommon’s fate.
Laura Mannion kicked all four of Roscommon’s second half points to bring her tally to 0-6 but Moloney kicked three scores in the final quarter to help Tipperary secure their own status and ensure Roscommon will be playing Division Three football in 2026.
**Full report in Tuesday's Roscommon Herald**
