Galway book their spot in U-23 camogie decider

Kilkenny 1-12

By Darren Kelly in Kenny Park

Galway’s U-23 camogie side held off a late Kilkenny onslaught last Saturday to book their place in the first ever All-Ireland final in this grade.

Reitseal Kelly’s late block on Lauren Ronan was enough to ensure the Tribeswomen advanced to a meeting with Cork in two weeks’ time at Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds as 1-5 from Laura Kelly and a relentless midfield showing from Jennifer Hughes put Galway into a winning position.

It was the end of two great battles with the Noresiders as the teams drew 1-9 to 0-12 seven days previously in a group fixture in Nowlan Park; and the sides shared parity on seven occasions here before late points from Kelly and Alannah Fahy pushed Galway over the line.

The jury has been out on this new-look competition that replaced the top tier counties sending a second side into the intermediate championship and a chance to play in Croke Park like Galway did successfully in 2022.

But the maroon and white representatives have embraced the five games they’ve played, opportunities for players to stay in the inter county set-up and strengthen their future claims for senior involvement. Ten of this squad were also part of Galway’s flagship group that beat Waterford in the first game of this double-header.

The home side started strongly with two scores by the fourth minute: Sarsfields’ Cora Kenny slotted over an impressive effort from an acute left angle in their opening attack; and her clubmate Joanne Daly, another top performer, pointed from distance to make it 0-2 to 0-0.

Kilkenny had a goal threat beforehand when Ellen Gunner’s delivery seemed to shade of the upright before being cleared to safety. Emma Kavanagh’s crew didn’t score a goal in their previous four fixtures but kept teasing a breakthrough.

Rachel Dowling was their scorer-in-chief and she opened on six minutes before Ciara O’Keeffe equalised two minutes later.

Kayla Madden and Niamh McInerney, thanks to good work from Hughes and Aoibhe Joyce, both registered either side of a Dowling free by the 12th minute, but Galway found themselves 0-6 to 0-4 on 21 minutes.

However, there was never more than three points between them over the hour and the hosts got bounced back. Kelly missed her first free but made no mistake with her second attempt; and Aoibhe Carr helped Katie Gilchrist level at 0-6 apiece on 27 minutes.

Pictured: Galway’s Ava Crowe looks to gather possession as Kilkenny’s Rachel Dowling tries to close her down.