Wexford 3-10
Galway 0-10
Noel Finn’s Galway ladies put up a very good showing, but still suffered another defeat at the hands of Wexford at Semple Stadium on Sunday in the National League division one final. It was Wexford’s third successive league title.
Despite a poor start, Galway were only two points down at half time, 1-5 to 0-6, due to good work from Orla Kilkenny, Veronica Curtin, Aisling Connolly and Brenda Hanney.
Galway drove forward in the second half and both Noreen Coen and Tara Rutledge were unlucky not to goal.
The game turned Wexford’s way when they were awarded a dubious 49th minute penalty by referee Mike O’Kelly, and full-forward Una Leacy made no mistake with a powerful drive to edge Wexford ahead.
The reigning league and All-Ireland champions went into overdrive, adding 1-4 in the final 14 minutes as Galway only managed one point.
Leacy’s third goal in the fourth minute of injury time put the icing on the cake for Wexford and left the gallant Galway girls with nothing to show for their efforts.
Galway: S Earner; R Glynn, S Dervan, S Cahalane; N Kilkenny 0-1, AM Hayes, S Keane; E Haverty, N Kilkenny 0-2; A Connolly 0-5(4fs, 1 45 ), N McGrath, B Hanney 0-1; V Curtin 0-1, N Coen, T Rutledge. Subs: M Conroy for Rutledge (47 ), E Kilkenny for McGrath (47 ), S Tannian for Cahalane (52 ), L Ryan for N Kilkenny (60 ).
Wexford: M D’Arcy; C O’Connor, C O’Loughlin, K Atkinson; N Lambert, M Leacy 0-1(f ), A O’Connor; D Codd, K Kelly 0-3(fs ); J Dwyer, U Jacob 0-2, M O’Leary 0-1; L Holohan, U Leacy 3-1 (1-0 pen ), K Parrock 0-1. Subs: B Gordon for O’Leary (39 ), E Quigley 0-1 for Dwyer (39 ), F Kavanagh for A O’Connor inj (52 ).
