Galway camogie manager Cathal Murray expecting tough challenge from Antrim
Galway manager Cathal Murray was a happy man to see his side claim a league win over Tipperary last weekend, but like any good manager, he knows that win will count for little unless his side can follow it up with another three points when his side head to Cushendun this Saturday to take on Antrim (2pm).
With three rounds of the league gone, Waterford lead the way with three wins from three; followed by Dublin who are on six points from a possible nine.
It is a bit of a logjam after that, with the other four sides – Tipp, Cork, Galway, and Antrim – all on three points, and Murray warns that this weekend's trip to Antrim will be no cakewalk.
“It’s good to have three points on the board but again, you have to go to Antrim next week and that’s another tough challenge,” said Murray, already looking ahead following their first victory this year against Tipperary.
“They were competitive against Waterford and there were competitive against Tipperary for 50 minutes of that game. That’s still going to be tough challenge and it’s one we won’t take lightly.
“We were poor last week [against Waterford]. Obviously, there are excuses for it [getting home from New York], but there was no excuse today and we just wanted to put in a performance, and I think we did that.
“We were really happy going in a point down at half-time. Our first 10 minutes of the second half was really, really good. We left a few scores behind us as well. We were really good, put a lot of pressure on the Tipp puckout.”
Ciara Hickey, who was named the official player of the match, said the players were disappointed after the first two league games and were focussed on turning things around.
“We’re just happy to get the win now and all we can do is drive it on for the next two games and hopefully come out the right side,” the centre-back said.
“We knew we’d have to bring a huge intensity coming to down here to get over the line.
“The girls were super,” concluded the Davitts player, about Galway’s forwards.
“Anytime we looked up in the half back line, Shannon [Corcoran], Caoimhe [Kelly], Carrie [Dolan], [Niamh] Niland, they were all making the runs themselves, so it made our job easier.”