Galway have booked their place in the knockout stages of the Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship, having maintained their unbeaten record with a comfortable 3-23 to 0-6 win over Down in a blustery Kenny Park in Athenry on Saturday.
Galway, tenacious throughout, simply had too much for the 2020 intermediate champions Down.
Their running off the ball, which proved hard for Down to counteract, provided many of Galway’s scores throughout the game. And helped with a stiff breeze, Galway kept their opponents scoreless in the first half as Down found it difficult to get the ball past the half backline.
Rebecca Hennelly and Aoife Donohue were involved in the opening score which Niamh Kilkenny struck in the fourth minute, before Ailish O’Reilly, Hennelly, Carrie Dolan and Donohue, with one of her trademark runs, all added to Galway’s tally for 0-5 lead after 10 minutes.
Hennelly, with a trademark sideline cut, O’Reilly, Dolan, through a free, Sabina Rabbitte and Donohue all added points to the tally before a long ball into the full forward line in the 17th minute found Niamh Hanniffy who made no mistake in putting the ball into the back of the Down net.
It continued to be all Galway as Donohue responded with a point and Hennelly found the back of the net 20 seconds later for a 2-12 to 0-0 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the second half.
Dolan slotted over another free before O’Reilly, who took over the free-taking duty from the 28th minute while Dolan was substituted for a blood injury, pointed three frees and a point from play.
It was all over for Down by half time at Galway led 2-17 to 0-0 before Niamh Mallon scored Down’s first score with a 32nd minute free.
Hennelly and Mallon twice exchanged scores before Dolan, through a free, and Rabbitte added points to Galway's tally of 2-20 to Down's 0-02 with 20 minutes remaining.
While Mallon slotted over another free, and Down captain Aimee McAleenan scored her first from play a minute later, at the other end Down goalkeeper Catherine McGourty pulled off two good saves from Donohue and Siobhan McGrath's goal attempts.
Donohue and Mallon exchanged scores before Kilkenny struck Galway's third major in the 52nd minute. Although Mallon replied with a free, O’Reilly, Catherine Finnerty and Hennelly all added points for Galway to continue their unbeaten run.
Galway had stand-out performers throughout the pitch with Shauna Healy and Maria Cooney performing well in the back, Aoife Donohue and Niamh Kilkenny strong in midfield, and up front Rebecca Hennelly, Carrie Dolan and Ailish O’Reilly all performed well.
Next is a trip away to the Glens of Antrim where Galway will face the 2021 All Ireland Intermediate champions on June 25.
Galway scorers : R Hennelly 1-5, A O’Reilly 0-7, N Kilkenny 1-1, Donohue 0-4, C Dolan 0-3, N Hanniffy 1-0, Rabbitte 0-2, Finnerty 0-1. Down Scorers: Niamh Mallon 0-5, Aimee McAleenan 0-1.
Down: C McGourty, A Savage, B Fitzpatrick, D Coleman, O Boyle, D Magee, B Savage, C Cowan, A McAleenan (C ) L Clarke, D Savage, C Fitzpatrick, N Mallon, A Rogan, P O’Hagan. Subs, C Caldwell for Boyle (HT ), E Rafferty for Savage (45m ), I O’Hare for Clarke (47m ), C McGilligan for Savage (47m ), A Savage for Coleman (51m ).
Galway: S Healy, S Healy, S Dervan (c ), H Cooney, R Hanniffy, M Cooney, R Black, A Donohue, N Kilkenny, R Hennelly, S Spellman, N Hanniffy, C Dolan, S Rabbitte, A O’Reilly. Subs, S Gardiner for Cooney (HT ), C Finnerty for Hanniffy (39m ), S McGrath for Rabbitte (41m ), D Higgins for Dolan (54m ).
