Galway senior camogie team marches on to another All Ireland final having seen off Tipperary at Croke Park on Sunday. by 1-13 to 0-12.
The 1-13 to 0-12 victory ensures Cathal Murray's women contest their third final in a row, and on this occasion they will meet Cork, who dethroned champions Kilkenny by 0-15 to 1-11.
Both semi-finals were tight affairs, but an Orlaith McGrath goal, coupled with a defensive effort which Cathal Murray hailed as "heroic" made all the difference in the first of the double header at Croke Park. “This is our third final in a row with this group, and that’s a good sign of our consistency," says Murray. "If you’re going to get to three finals, when you’re not playing well, you have to eke out results, and the number one thing is to keep a clean sheet and we did really well at that."
It was not a vintage performance from Galway, who led 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time, but Murray put that down to four weeks waiting for the semi-final.
“We’d a brilliant win down in Callan, and then you’re sitting on your heels for four weeks getting ready for an All-Ireland semi-final. That’s not an advantage for a team that wins a group. What’s the point in having those groups and having a team bursting their hole to top it and then not getting that advantage? You cannot have a four-week break. It’s impossible to manage."
"I felt when we were on top in the first half and playing really well, that bit of rustiness was really there. We weren’t fluent and weren’t getting scores. You cannot get up to championship pace. It should be three weeks. You should get an advantage topping the group. but you’re at a disadvantage at the moment."
However, Murray says the game was all about getting over the line. "We managed it, we did really well. It wasn’t a vintage performance, but it doesn’t need to be. And I don’t care if it’s a vintage performance in the final either, as long as win it."
Murray will be waiting to hear if cornerback Dervla Higgins is available, having been sent off after the intervention of the umpires, but Murray believes it was mistaken identity and is pursuing the case. Galway led at half-time by 0-8 to 0-4, but they struggled to add to the scores after the restart. Tipperary found their feet through Cait Devane's points, but Orlaith McGrath and Aoife Donohue kept Galway on the front foot.
Both sides missed goal chances until Tipp keeper dropped the ball in the net in attempting to save an Orlaith McGrath's point. It changed the complexion of the game, and although Tipp added points, Galway's full-back line of Shauna Healy, Sarah Dervan and Dervla Higgins stood tight.
Murray says a few of the subs made a real contribution, while the backs were "really good, under pressure all the time, but kept the scoreline down".
“We always knew it was gonna be hard. They had a big advantage having the match last week and hopefully the match today brings us on for the next two weeks. It needs to. We know we’re able to improve and play better and we need to do that in two weeks’ time."
GALWAY: Sarah Healy, Shauna Healy, S Dervan, D Higgins, S Gardiner, E Helebert, C Cormican, N Hanniffy, N Kilkenny 0-2, C Finnerty, S Spellman 0-1 each, A Donohue 0-3, S McGrath 0-1 each, O McGrath 1-2, A O’Reilly 0-4(3fs, 1 45 ). Subs: N McGrath for Finnerty (39 ), R Hennelly for Hanniffy (49 ), N Coen for Spellman (56 ), AM Starr for S McGrath (59 ), M Cooney for O’Reilly (60+1 )
TIPPERARY: C Bourke, M Ryan, M Eviston, J Bourke, E Loughman, K Kennedy, A McGrath, E Fryday, C Devane, E McGrath, N Walsh, O O’Dwyer, C McIntyre, R Howard, G O’Brien. Subs: M Campion for E McGrath (42 ), K Blair for Fryday inj (51 ), S Delaney for Eviston (59 ).
REFEREE: Ray Kelly (Kildare ).
