In a repeat of last year’s Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate final, Galway, without any of the players who were part of that success, suffered a third defeat in the Very Ireland Division 2B, losing to Cork 3-9 to 2-15.
Mairead Dillon scored Galway’s opening point with a well-worked team score as the forwards kept the pressure on the Cork backs, while at the other end Lucy Allen ran through the heart of the Galway defence to receive the pass for Corks opening score.
Cliona Dooley and Galway's Chloe Broderick exchanged points before Galway delivered 2-1 without reply. Goals from Mairead Dillon and Caoimhe Lynskey in the 16th and 17th minutes, and a free from Broderick on the 18th left Galway 2-3 to 0-3 ahead.
Rachel Harty, through a free and Lauren Homan from play stopped Galway’s scoring spree, but Broderick was on target again. After Fiona Neligan scored Cork’s first major, Cliona O’Leary followed up with her first point of the day, while Ava Lynskey replied with her first before the half time, Galway 2-5 Cork 1-6.
Galway needed a big second-half performance, but Cork delivered a scoring streak at the start of the second half. Points from Neligan (0-2 ), Allen, Cliona O’Callaghan and O’Leary within the first 11 minutes of the half left Cork three points ahead.
Dillon registered Galway’s first score in 20 minutes, while substitute Chloe Reilly put one between the sides with a point from play.
In an exciting final nine minutes, Homan through a free and from play extended Cork’s lead but Dillion hit the net for Galway on the 56th minute bring the sides level again.
Cork, however, delivered when they needed it. An O’Callaghan point and a goal from Allen made all the difference. Reilly and Broderick, through a free, registered points in injury time for Galway, but Homan added a free for Cork to maintain their three-point lead.
Galway: C Higgins, R Kelly, R McPhilbin, L Burke, C Lawless, K Mannion, J Daly, K Coleman, M Gannon, C Broderick (0-4, 0-2F ), A Lynskey (JC )(0-1 ), S McGinley, C Dolan, C Lynskey(1-0 ), M Dillion (2-2 ).Substitutes:K Somers for Lawless, C Reilly (0-2 ) for McGinley, R Hughes for Gannon.
Cork: C Buckley, A Walsh, N O’Leary, E O’Donovan, A O’Callaghan, A Doyle, L O’Sullivan, R Harty (0-1f ), A Cashman, R Murphy, L Allen (1-2 ), C O’Leary (0-2 ), L Homan (0-3, 0-2F ), F Neilgan (1-3 ), C Dooley (0-2 ), Substitutes: M Ring for Doyle, T McCarty for Walsh, L Hallihan for O’Callaghan, C O’Callaghan (0-2 ) for Dooley, E Flanagan for C O’Leary.
