Galway camogie are through to the final of Glen Dimplex All Ireland Intermediate Championship and will now face Derry in Croke Park on August 7.
Galway finished with a flourish to overcome semi-final opponents Meath by 3-9 to 2-8. Second-half goals from Laura Kelly and Olwen Rabbitte were key to this victory in what was a tough test.
The Tribeswomen, dominant throughout the group stages, were rocked after just two minutes by a Aoife Minogue goal in the second minute.
It was a first goal Galway had conceded throughout the championship, but they took it in their stride, replying with points from Niamh McPeake and captain Tegan Canning.
Although Amy Gaffney struck a point for Meath, Katie Gilchrist provided the finish to an outstanding team move for a Galway goal. It started after Canning won possession, and both Katie Manning and McPeake were involved before Olwen Rabbitte delievered to Gilchrist, who batted first time to the net.
Gilchrist added a couple of frees and McPeake and Canning also doubled their tallies to make it 1-6 to 1-2 at half-time.
However, Meath’s inefficiency in front of the posts did not detract from their determination and steel as they put it up to Galway, who enjoyed the wind in the second half.
Minogue and sub Kristina Troy halved the deficit before Kelly struck a goal within a minute of her introduction for Galway, finishing from the rebound after Niamh McInerney's strike had struck the crossbar.
Kelly added a couple of points, one from a penalty, and although Meath struck a goal to close the gap, Laura Kelly sealed Galway's place in the final, which will form part of a triple header with the Cork-Kilkenny senior clash and the premier junior decider between Armagh and Clare.
GALWAY SCORERS: L Kelly 1-3(0-2fs, 0-1 pen ); K Gilchrist 1-2(0-2fs ); O Rabbitte 1-0; N McPeake, T Canning 0-2 each. MEATH SCORERS: J Dolan 0-4(fs ); A Minogue, A Gaffney 1-1 each; K Troy 0-2
GALWAY:F Ryan, C Starr, C Donohue, C Hickey, K Manning, L Casserly (capt ), K A Porter, A Hesnan, J Hughes, S Divilly, K Gilchrist, T Canning, O Rabbitte, N McPeake, L Loughnane. Subs: L Kelly for Gilchrist, N McInerney for Divilly (both 40 ); A Kelly for Porter (50 ); S Corcoran for Loughnane (57 )
MEATH:M Randle, S Payne, M Clince, S Leonard, T King, A Keogh, L Devine, E Burke, G Coleman, A Maguire, A Gaffney, A Minogue, O O’Halloran, J Dolan (capt ), S Hackett. Subs: A Slattery for Hackett (22 ); K Troy for Devine, S Kealy for Maguire (both ht ); R O’Neill for Clince inj (57 ); E Regan for O’Halloran (60+2 )
REFEREE: Cathal McAllister (Cork )
