The Galway Minor Camogie team suffered its second defeat in a row in the Electric Ireland Minor A Championship when losing to Cork on Saturday by 2-17 to 2-10 in the Cork Camogie Grounds.
The home side was dominant throughout the contest, and now Galway need to pick up the pieces quickly as they take on the same opposition in the All-Ireland semi final.
Galway failed to make use of the strong breeze in the first half despite an early free from Aoibheann Barry. After Niamh McNabola responded for Cork with a point from play, Barry, with another free, edged Galway in front again.
The sides were level again after Amy Sheppard replied for Cork, who then went on a scoring spree with points from Ciara Morrison, and Amy McCarthy, and a 45m free from Emily O'Donoghue.
Caoimhe Kelly tried to keep Galway in touch with their first score in nearly 20 minutes, but three more points for Cork through Morrison (2 ) and McNabola extended their lead to five. Barry did manage to claw one back before half-time through a free with Galway four behind 0-4 to 0-8.
Cork’s domination continued with points from Morrison and McCarthy McNabola put the home side in the driving seat with a goal.
Galway were in desperate need of another score, but it was Sheppard and Morrison who added points for Cork before O’Donohue added Cork’s second goal of the day. When Cork added a three more points, a Galway comeback looked unlikey.
Credit, however, to Galway's finish after a Barry free and a point from substitute Sophie Flynn preceded goals from Flynn and Kelly in the final few minutes of the game. McCarthy added another score to her tally before the end of the game, while substitute Abbie Massey added a point, but it was too late for the Tribeswomen.
Galway have no time to dwell on the defeat as they meet again on Sunday at 2pm in Nenagh in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Galway: C Hickey; S Kelly, A Crowe, K Scully; G Leen, C McGrath, Z Rodgers; C Glynn, A Collins; A Barry (0-7F ), L O'Halloran, C O'Meara; A Fahy, S Carr, C Kelly (1-1 ).Subs: I Fleet for Leen (h-t ), A Massey (0-1 ) for O'Halloran (h-t ), S Flynn (1-1 ) for Fahy (40 ), K Madden for Collins (40 ).
Cork: C Lane; M De Burca, S Hurley, R Roche; O Cremin (0-1 ), L Dunlea, E Duignan; M Condon, A Fitzgerald; A Sheppard (0-2 ), C Morrison (0-6 ), A McCarthy (0-3 ), N McNabola (1-2 ), E O'Donoghue (1-3 ), E Curtain. Subs: A Lotty for Curtain (40 ), A O'Sullivan for Sheppard (42 ), J Connaughton for Lane (42 ), R Roche for Fitzgerald (42 ), C Rice for Dunlea (49 ), H Healy for Hurley (49 ), S Murphy for McNabola (49 ), A O'Riordan for Condon (49 ).
