League champions Galway have registered their first victory of the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, beating Offaly by 3-15 to 0-6.
Cathal Murray’s troops had to cede to Kilkenny last week but remain among the leading contenders for ultimate honours, and though they took to the field in Lusmagh minus the services of Niamh Kilkenny and Ann Marie Starr, they still had far too much firepower for the home team.
The Maroons led by 0-7 to 0-1 at the interval. The brilliant Ailish O’Reilly opened the scoring and though Michelle Teehan equalised, it was a rare attacking contribution by Offaly, with O’Reilly in particular enjoying herself at the other end, while Niamh Hanniffy, Ciara Murphy and Aoife Donohue also contributed.
Any hopes Mike Wall had that his charges could turn it around in the second half were blown away by two goals straight after the restart from Catherine Finnerty and O’Reilly. There was no way back from there and Finnerty grabbed her second major before Offaly’s woes were compounded right at the death with the dismissal of Aisling Brennan.
