Galway's senior and intermediate camogie teams are in action this weekend. The senior side heads to Killmallock to play Limerick, while the intermediate team faces a must-win home game against Cork in Saturday's Littlewoods Ireland National Camogie League
The intermediate women enter this division two game on the back of a 2-14 to 2-7 victory over Tipperary, having lost their opener away to Kerry by 0-14 to 1-8. But it requires a home victory in Gort at 1.30pm in Saturday to ensure qualification for the league's knockout stages.
It will not be easy against an unbeaten Cork side. Well balanced, Cork have scored 4-28 points in their two games against Kerry (2-14 to 0-5 ) and away to Tipperary, 0-14 to 2-13, while also conceding just 19 points.
This is an area on which Galway must improve, having conceded 2-21 in their two fixtures. They certainly upped their performance last weekend against Tipperary, but there are injury concerns for Galway captain Ciara Donohue who had to go off with a hand injury in the first half.
Cathal Murray’s charges produced a perfect start with points from Áine Keane and Cora Kenny, and but for a superb save from Tipp goalie, Galway could have been further ahead as Caoimhe Mahon, Molly Burke, Tegan Canning, Lisa Casserly and Niamh Niland all combined to produce the game's first major.
It was 13 minutes into the game before Jenny Grace opened Tipperary’s scoreline with a free, and a point five minutes later left the teams level as Donohue was forced to depart.
Neither side could get the upper hand. Niland and Elisiha Broderick worked hard to hold up Tipperary’s Ciara Ryan and they won a free which Keane converted before adding a second to put Galway two up. However, Jill Anne Quirke added a point for Tipperary on the 25th minute, and after a Niland point, Jenny Grace won a free on the sideline 45m out and sent a high ball into the Galway square and the back of the Galway net to put Tipperary in front for the first time in the game.
However, Galway heads did not drop as Broderick added another point for Galway on the 31st minute to leave the sides level at half-time, and on the resumption they went out with all guns blazing, scoring 2-3 without reply in the first three minutes. Goals from Kenny and Mairead Dillion and points from Niland (2 ) and Dillion (1 ) saw Galway 2-9 to 1-3 ahead. Although Sinead Meagher stopped the Galway scoring spree with a Tipp free, Niland and Dillon added to Galway’s tally before Grace again netted from Galway a 21-yard free just before the water break.
However, Galway kept the scoreboard ticking through Dillion, Molly Mannion, and Tara Ruttledge, while Grace added three more frees for Tipperary in the final eight minutes, but it was never enough.
Galway scorers : Mairead Dillion 1-3, Niamh Niland 0-4,Cora Kenny 1-1,Áine Keane 0-3 (0-2F ), Molly Mannion 0-1, Elisha Broderick 0-1, Tara Ruttledge 0-1.
Galway: Laura Glynn (Sarsfields ), Sarah McCartin (Craughwell ), Laura Ward (Sarsfields ), Ciara Donohue (c ) (Mullagh ), Lisa Casserly (Ballinderreen ), Caoimhe Mahon (Kinvara ), Rachael Hanniffy (Oranmore-Maree ), Mairead Burke (Eyrecourt ), Tegan Canning (Mullagh ), Molly Mannion (Mountbellew-Moylough ), Ava Lynskey (Ardrahan ), Aine Keane (St Thomas’ ), Cora Kenny (Sarsfields ), Mairead Dillon (Kilconiern ),Niamh Niland (Clarinbridge ); Subs: Elisha Broderick for Donohue; Niamh Horan for Mahon; Chole Reilly for Kenny; Katie Mannion for Lynskey; Katie Manning for McCartin; Niamh Heffernan for Niland; Tara Ruttledge for Mannion.
