Impressive Galway camogie side book All-Ireland semi-final spot
The Galway senior camogie team picked up their second championship win in emphatic fashion when registering an eleven point victory over Tipperary on Sunday afternoon in Athenry. The Tribeswomen booked their passage through to the semi-finals after a very impressive display, as they put their opponents to the sword with clinical efficiency.
Tipperary have often provided stiff opposition to Cathal Murray’s charges in recent years. However, the visitors were no match for a rampant Galway side on this occasion, as the
home side produced their best display of the championship so far.
Galway’s goalscoring ability was a major difference between the sides and it only took four minutes for the Tribeswomen to raise a green flag. Tipp’s Eimear Heffernan and Galway’s Caoimhe Kelly traded early points, before the home side struck for their first major.
An excellent move involving Carrie Dolan, Ailish O’Reilly, and Niamh McPeake saw Niamh Niland put through, only for her shot to be saved by Tipp ‘keeper Laura Leenane. However, the rebound fell to Kelly, who blasted emphatically past Leenane.
The next fifteen minutes were evenly contested, with both teams tallying 0-4 apiece. Kelly (two), Niland, and Dolan (free) raised white flags for Galway, while scores from Eimear McGrath (0-3, two frees) and Caoimhe Stakelum kept the visitors in touch.
Galway’s second goal came in the twenty fourth minute, after another impressive team move. The home side transferred possession with pace, and two quick passes from O’Reilly
and Niland saw McPeake through on goal, before the centre forward finished past Leenane from a tight angle.
Dolan pointed her second free shortly after to make it 2-6 to 0-5. Tipp then raised their game and tallied the next three scores, through McGrath (two frees) and Lucy Purcell.
O’Reilly got the final score of the half at the other end, firing over after some good work from Dolan and Áine Keane.
An excellent scoring burst early in the second half from the home side, which saw them put 1-4 on the scoreboard without reply, all but settled the contest in their favour. Dolan tallied 0-4 (three frees), while McPeake’s second goal came after some good work from CiaraHickey and Kelly in the lead up.
Credit to Justin Heffernan’s side, they didn’t capitulate and had their best spell during the next ten minutes, outscoring the Tribeswomen by 0-4 to 0-1. Four converted frees from
McGrath saw Tipp take advantage of some Galway fouls. Aoife Donohue pointed at the other end during the same spell, after cutting in impressively from the left wing.
Murray’s charges finished in dominant fashion with a strong final ten minutes, during which they outscored the visitors by 0-5 to 0-3. Kelly was causing huge problems for the Tipp
defence, and a foul on the Sarsfields attacker saw Dolan convert her sixth free of the game. Rachael Hanniffy then sent over a point after a pacey run upfield, before McGrath replied with a free at the other end.
Donohue soon had a her second after a great crossfield ball from Kelly, before Mairéad Dillon fired over an impressive effort after a well struck line ball from Dolan. The lively Stakelum tallied two late points for Tipp, either side of Kelly’s fourth for Galway at the otherend.
In what was a superb team display, the Tribeswomen had stand out performers throughout the field. Niamh McPeake received the player of the match award for the second game in a row, while Rachael Hanniffy, Katie Anna Porter, Ally Hesnan, Carrie Dolan, Aoife Donohue, Ailish O’Reilly, and Caoimhe Kelly also put in terrific displays.
The Tribeswomen will line out in an All-Ireland semi-final on 25 July, against one of Kilkenny, Waterford, Tipperary, or Clare. Few would bet against Murray’s charges reaching their sixth title decider in eight seasons on the back of this performance.
Galway: S. Healy; R. Hanniffy (0-1), R. Black, K. Manning; K.A. Porter, C. Hickey, D. Higgins; A. Hesnan, C. Dolan (0-7, 0-6 frees); A. Donohue (0-2), N. McPeake (2-0), A. Keane; N. Niland(0-1), C. Kelly (1-4), A. O’Reilly (0-1). Subs: R. Kelly for Manning (45), S. Corcoran for Keane(50), M. Dillon (0-1) for O’Reilly (54), A. Barry for Donohue (59), K. Madden for Higgins (59).
Tipperary: L. Leenane; A. Quinlisk, M. Eviston, E. Loughman; C. McCarthy, C. Maher, C. Guinan; K. Blair, C. McIntyre; E. Heffernan (0-1), L. Purcell (0-1), R. Howard; C. Stakelum (0-3), E. McGrath (0-10, 0-9 frees), G. O’Brien. Subs: E. Carey for Eviston (39), A. McGrath for Purcell (39), C. Quirke for Quinlisk (44), A. Dwyer for Heffernan (46), N. Treacy for Howard(55).
Referee: Barry Nea (Westmeath).