Galway 1-8 0-18 Cork Group 1 Round 1
Galway kicked their All-Ireland campaign off with a 0-18 to 1-8 defeat to Cork at Kenny Park in Athenry on June 6.
A new-look Cork side launched their bid to win back the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship with a big away win against the reigning O’Duffy Cup champions Galway in Athenry, with a commanding 0-18 to 1-8 victory.
Having been forced by injury and retirements to blood a number of new players during the league, Cork started this match with just eight players from the 15 that started last year’s All-Ireland final, of which five were forwards, but that transformed defensive and midfield unit was utterly dominant from start to finish, with the more experienced Libby Coppinger and Méabh Murphy exceptional along the spine of the defence.
Laura Hayes opened the scoring while Saoirse McCarthy shot two of her six points as Cork hit four of the first five points, and with the wind at their backs, they pushed on to lead by 0-13 to 0-4 at the interval.
Amy O’Connor, back in the Cork side after missing the League through injury, shot two frees early in the second half to stretch the lead to double figures and even though Niamh McPeake fired over a majestic score that should have rallied the champions, there was still ten between the sides (0-16 to 0-6 ) going into the last ten minutes.
Sarah Healy had already made one superb save to deny Orlaith Cahalane a goal and she delivered another world-class stop to repel a McCarthy strike. There was a goal in the game, coming late on from Ailish O’Reilly, but Ciara O’Sullivan rounded off the scoring for Cork, becoming the eighth Rebel to get on the scoresheet as she did so.
Galway 1-13 0-13 Waterford Group 1 Round 2
The Tribeswomen got up and running in the All-Ireland championship with a 1-13 to 0-13 win away from home against Waterford in Round 2.
Former All-Stars Niamh Mallon of Galway and Waterford's Niamh Rockett were each ruled out of the game at Azzurri Walsh Park, where Galway repeated their Division 1A Central League final win over Na Déise, this time prevailing by 1-13 to 0-13 in yet another tense, low-scoring battle.
Just three points were scored in the final quarter in a game where defences generally had the better of things, with Niamh Niland and Carrie Dolan landing scores in the last six minutes to give the All-Ireland champions their first win of the summer.
Beth Carton (0-8, 0-5fs ) and Niamh McPeake (0-5 from play ) stepped up to the mark for their respective sides to carry a greater share of the scoring load in the absence of Rockett and Mallon, though it did look in the early stages as if a free-scoring shootout might play out in the sunny south east.
Annie Fitzgerald opened the scoring from a tight angle for the home side in the second minute but on the next attack Shannon Corcoran did really well to get a pass the tackle and set up Mairéad Dillon for the equalising score.
Galway struck a decisive blow through Aoife Donohue, who despite giving up a couple of inches in height to both Brianna O’Regan and Rachael Walsh, was able to jump up between the two and get a decisive flick on Dolan’s long free to score the game’s only goal after six minutes.
Two up at half-time, Galway doubled their lead when Ailish O’Reilly and McPeake both pointed in the first three minutes of the second half to make it 1-9 to 0-8, the latter assisted by a gorgeous first touch and pass from Caoimhe Kelly.
Some big defensive performances from Laoise Forrest, Keeley Corbett Barry and Vikki Falconer were crucial in shutting down the Galway attack for the next 20 minutes, restricting them to a mere two points in that time.
Four Beth Carton points and a pinpoint strike from Abby Flynn from the right-hand sideline set up a dramatic finale, one that featured Niland delivering the score of the game and arguably the match-winning point at the end of a 40-metre lung-busting run.
Galway 3-17 0-15 Tipperary Group 1 Round 3
Galway booked an immediate passage to the All-Ireland semi-final with a convincing 3-17 to 0-15 win over Tipperary in a must-win encounter at Kenny Park.
O’Duffy Cup holders Galway took on Tipperary at Kenny Park in Athenry, and they set themselves on course for a comprehensive 3-17 to 0-15 win by making a fast start despite playing into a deceptively strong wind.
Sarsfields teenager Caoimhe Kelly was one of two changes made by Galway manager Cathal Murray, and she made an immediate impact with 1-1 in the opening minutes.
Eimear Heffernan and Kelly traded points before one of those ‘sliding doors’ moments went firmly Galway’s way. Tipperary hit the post, and from the next possession, Niamh Niland had a goal-bound shot saved by Laura Lennane, and Kelly was on hand to hit the net from the loose ball.
Niamh McPeake got the second green flag for the hosts, as she made a trademark run from centre forward and delivered a pinpoint finish at pace to push the Tribeswomen six points clear after 24 minutes.
Eimear McGrath shot 0-11 in all for Tipperary, including nine frees, and two of those dead-ball scores reduced the gap before the turnaround, but 1-4 without reply from Galway after the restart, comprised of a second goal from McPeake and four Carrie Dolan points, effectively settled the contest.
Kelly finished with 1-4 in total, adding yet another attacking threat to an already stellar Galway forward line.
Galway 1-14 0-11 Kilkenny All-Ireland semi-final
Reigning champions Galway booked their spot in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie final with a six-point victory over Kilkenny at FBD Semple Stadium.
A Carrie Dolan penalty goal in the opening minute of the second half ensured a comfortable progression against a hard-working but less experienced Kilkenny unit.
Kilkenny held their nerve early, and were not upset by Galway captain Carrie Dolan splitting the posts after just 21 seconds.
As expected, given her excellent marking jobs all season, especially on Waterford’s Beth Carton, Ava Brett had the task of picking up another player of the year, Aoife Donohue.
With Niamh Mallon yet again unavailable after suffering a recurrence of a persistent shoulder injury, Caoimhe Kelly, Niamh Niland and Niamh McPeake stood up to the task. They were constant threats throughout, and did more than enough to pick up any slack, which would have delighted Galway manager, Cathal Murray.
It was two points apiece after 10 minutes but though Kilkenny were playing with the wind, they were unable to lock down player of the match, Ciara Hickey and as Kelly, Ailish O’Reilly and McPeake ratcheted up points from play before the end of the first quarter, there were some worrying signs for Jimmy Meagher’s crew.
The response was encouraging, as Kilkenny’s full-back line began to impose themselves, with Tiffanie Fitzgerald prominent, and Brett doing her job on Donohue, who moved deeper as proceedings evolved.
Laura Murphy and Greene worked their way into the fray too around the middle, meaning Galway were not making such easy inroads with their runners.
They needed Aoife Prendergast’s radar to be in from placed balls to move the scoreboard, however, and the Dicksboro sharpshooter was pretty spot on, adding to her opening brace with two from just inside the Galway half.
When Sarah Barcoe provided Kilkenny’s first score from play in the 21st minute, the sides were level on 0-5 each.
It was Galway that finished better though, Kelly slotting her second point and Dolan her side’s first from a free to make it 0-7 to 0-5 at the change of ends.
Disaster struck for the Noresiders with the concession of that penalty within a minute of the restart, when Greene shouldered Dolan off the ball, after the midfielder had just failed to gather a lovely Kelly stick-pass when through on goal.
Kilkenny had the ball cleared though, so it was needless and Dolan punished the foul with a low, powerful drive beyond Aoife Norris.
Prendergast responded with another free from distance and though Donohue left the fray with a knee injury, her replacement Shannon Corcoran provided the assist for a beautiful Kelly point immediately after, and Niland grabbed her second with a wristy finish.
Galway were going through the gears now, having shaken off the rust of a four-week break and their greater physicality and know-how was on full display.
Caoimhe Keher-Murtagh did make one careering run through the middle and though Sarah Healy blocked her kick, a free was awarded that Prendergast sent fizzing about an inch over the crossbar.
But they just could not make any real impact on the meanest defence in the game – one that might be boosted by multiple All-Star Shauna Healy, who has returned to training recently and was part of the extended squad for this game.
Róisín Black, Hickey and Dervla Higgins were outstanding, the latter even going forward to score a fantastic point. She went off after suffering a knee injury though and if there was one concern for Murray, it was those injuries, as Sabina Rabbitte also left in a lot of pain, within minutes of being introduced off the bench.
Galway had to play the last 10 minutes or so – including seven minutes of injury time – with just 14 players and a heavily limping Dolan ended up just taking up a position at full-forward.
Kilkenny reduced the margin to six by the final whistle, but Galway had more than enough done.
