The Galway Senior, Intermediate and Junior championships kicked off over the last week with some very interesting ties taking place.
There were wins for Sarsfields, Mullagh, Oranmore Maree and Athenry in Senior A, while Salthill-Knocknacarra, Kinvara, Clarinbridge and newly promoted Shamrocks sealed victories in the Senior B Championship. Finally, in the Intermediate championship there were victories for league champions Ahascragh Caltra, Killimor, St Colmans and Junior A runners up in 2023, Kiltormer.
Senior A
Athenry and Carnmore kicked off the Windows and Rooflights Ltd. Senior A Championship on Friday in Gilligan Park in Craughwell.
Athenry opened the brightest with 1-4 in the opening nine minutes - through Noreen Coen (1-2 ), and Sabina Rabbitte (0-2, 1f ). Rachel Hughes opened Carnmore's account in the 10th minute, while Alannah Fahy followed up with a free four minutes later. Athenry hit another purple patch however, with 2-3 in the space of seven minutes. Mollie Noone (1-1 ), Coen (1-0 ), Rabbitte (1f ) and Eva McGlynn (0-1 ) all contributed to Athenry’s tally. Grainne Fahy pulled one back near the end of the half as Athenry went in 3-7 to 0-3 ahead at the break.
Olwen Rabbitte and Jennifer Hughes swapped scores in the opening five minutes of the second half, while a Fahy point from play narrowed the gap for Carnmore. Kerri O’Driscoll followed up with one for Athenry, but Jennifer Hughes and Fahy hit two well taken scores in the 41st and 42nd minutes to leave 11 between the sides. Sabina Rabbitte and Fahy swapped scores with fifteen minutes remaining. Athenry finished the strongest however, Sabina Rabbitte (0-3, 2f ), Jessica Gill (0-2 ), Olwen Rabbitte (0-1 ), and Kayla Madden (0-1 ) all scored as Athenry ran out 3-18 to 0-9 winners on the day.
Sarsfields started their campaign off with a win when they overcame St Thomas’ in a blustery Kilbeacanty on Sunday morning.
Joanne Daly and Caoimhe Kelly got Sarsfields off the mark in the opening five minutes, but Marie Farrell responded with a point for Thomas'. Siobhán McGrath pointed a free before Galway star Aine Keane followed up with a goal and a point from a free. Sarsfields hit back with two from Niamh McGrath (1f ) and another from Kelly to restore their lead. Keane followed up with two more points, while Kelly scored her third of the day. Orlaith McGrath and Rachel Murray claimed scores for Sarsfields, while Sarah Healy scored a long range free in the 26th minute. Three Siobhán McGrath frees made it Sarsfields 0-12 to St Thomas 1-5 heading into the break.
It was Sarsfields who were the strongest in the second half, holding St Thomas scoreless from play. Two points from Niamh McGrath, one through a free and a point from Klara Donohue - helped in extending their lead to seven by the 47th minute. Keane got her side's first score of the half in the 50th minute through a free, but two more Siobhán McGrath points (1f ), and another from Kelly pushed their lead out again. Keane hit another free in the 56th minute, but a point from Sarah Spellman and a goal in the fourth minute of injury time from Siobhán McGrath meant that Sarsfields ran out 1-19 to 1-7 winners on the day.
Oranmore Maree overcame Davitts by four points in their first championship outing on Sunday afternoon.
It was Maree who started the brightest with a point from underage star Grace Tarpey. Catherine Hanley through a free and a Leah Behan goal gave Davitts the lead by the fourth minute. Rachel Hanniffy clawed one back for Maree, but Behan found the back of the net again in the 6th minute to extend Davitts lead. Three Ailish O’Reilly points (2f ) and one point from Hanniffy followed. Two Hanley frees either side of a point from Niamh Hanniffy kept Davitts in front midway through the half.
Oranmore started to get a grip on the game with two more O’Reilly points (1f ), and a goal from Rachel Hanniffy. Hanley clawed one back through a free but O’Reilly hit two more frees for Oranmore Maree. But just before the break, a long range free from Hanley dropped into the back of the Oranmore Maree net to leave it Oranmore Maree 1-11, Davitts 3-4 heading into the half-time break.
Oranmore Maree scored 1-5 without reply in the opening six minutes of the half. 1-1 from Shannon Keady, 0-3 from Niamh Hanniffy and a point from Tarpey left Oranmore 2-16 to 3-4 ahead. Ciara Hickey scored a point from play to settle Davitts, but O’Reilly through a free and a Tarpey point extended Oranmore's lead even further in the 41st and 44th minutes.
Davitts were reduced to 14 players in the 46th minute when Hickey saw the line for a second yellow card. O’Reilly followed up with the resulting free. The sending-off did seem to spark Davitts into life, with Hanley pointing three frees and Behan slotting over 1-2 between the 48th and 59th minutes to leave three between the sides. It was Oranmore Maree who had the last say with an O’Reilly point however, as it finished Oranmore Maree 2-20, Davitts 4-10.
Mullagh came out on top against Ardrahan in a wet and windy Carnmore on Sunday evening.
It was Ardrahan who started well with 1-2 inside the opening three minutes. A goal from Alisha Quinn - followed up with a point from Ava Lynskey and a free from newcomer Kate Deverux - meant that they had a five point lead. Mullagh didn’t relax however, and a Tegan Canning goal, a free from Rachel Monaghan and an Emma Winters point brought the sides level by the sixth minute. Lynskey edged her side in front straight from the restart, but two Amy King points and one each from Winters and Monaghan meant that Mullagh had a three point lead by the 20th minute. Alisha Quinn followed up with a point in the 27th minute to leave it Mullagh 1-6, Ardrahan 1-4 at the half time break.
Mullagh continued to push on at the start of the second half with another 1-2 in the opening 10 minutes. A Monaghan free and 1-1 through King meant that Mullagh were seven points in front with 20 minutes remaining. Scores were hard come by as Quinn and Deverux pointed Ardrahan’s first scores of the half in the 49th and 54th minutes. Aoife Donohue followed up with a point a minute later, while Aisling Gaughan found the back of the net four minutes into injury time for Ardrahan. However, it wasn’t enough as Mullagh ran out 2-9 to 2-6 winners on the day.
