Galway determined to learn from past mistakes

GALWAY will need to learn the lessons from last year if they are to overcome Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final at Semple Stadium on Saturday week.

That was the assessment of midfielder Ann Marie Starr after Cathal Murray’s contingent racked up an eye-catching tally of 20 points in dispensing with Dublin in Saturday’s quarterfinal at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Twelve months ago, Galway went into the semi-final game against Cork and left themselves a mountain to climb. Despite a much-improved second-half performance, they were unable to reel in the deficit.

“It’s down to what happens on the day” said Starr. “We have to try and get a good start (against Kilkenny). We didn’t last year and we couldn’t claw back the deficit.

“We’re delighted just to get the win today. Dublin were very physical. But we got 20 points and we held them to four which says a lot for the defence.”

Team captain Sarah Dervan was a key element of that defensive effort, ably supported by the likes of Tara Kenny, Lorraine Ryan and Heather Cooney..

Dublin were still in the game at half-time, trailing by just 0-7 to 0-2 but so many of their attacks f loundered on the rock of Dervan.

Carrie Dolan, Aoife Donohue and Catriona Cormican were multiple scorers for Galway in that opening period.

In contrast, Dublin’s scores came from Orla Beagan frees and she added another fine score to her tally in the second half.

But the attack didn’t function, as evidenced by the fact that David Herity replaced them all, apart from Alex Griffin, who provided the fourth point.

Much was made of Galway’s failure to score a goal but Dublin’s defence deserve credit for that. Significantly, though, Galway had the ability to pick off the points from further out and finished with eight scorers. SCORERS – Galway: A Donohue, C Dolan (fs) 0-4 each; C Cormican, N McGrath (1f) 0-3 each; N Kilkenny 0-2; C Walsh, F Keely, S McGrath, Sarah Healy (pen) 0-1 each. Dublin: O Beagan 0-3(2fs); A Griffin 0-1.

GALWAY– Sarah Healy; Shauna Healy, S Dervan, T Kenny; E Helebert, H Cooney, L Ryan; A M Starr, N Kilkenny; A Donohue, C Cormican, N McGrath; C Dolan, N Coen, A O’Reilly. Subs: S McGrath for O’Reilly (40), R Black for Helebert (46), C Walsh for Dolan (47), C Murphy for Ryan (55), F Keely for Cormican (55). DUBLIN – F McCarthy; N Gannon, A Carolan, M O’Donoghue; H Hegarty, L Twomey, R Baker; O Beagan, E McCarthy; A Twomey, A Griffin, D Mullaney; S Kehoe, M Moynihan, E Flanagan. Subs: L Butler for Flanagan (30), S Nic Coitir for Moynihan (41), G Quinn for Twomey (48), A Maguire for Kehoe (56).

REF – L Dempsey (Kilkenny).