Moloney on fire but Galway cling on

AISHLING MOLONEY (below) scored an inspirational 1-10 for Tipperary, but Galway held on for victory in a pulsating TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship encounter at the Gaelic Grounds.

A first-half goal from Lucy Hannon was crucial for

Galway, who built up an eightpoint interval lead with the wind at their backs, and although Moloney punched to the net four minutes from time, Galway had enough of a lead built up.

Galway got off to a flying start and Tracey Leonard’s first of six first-half frees, was added to by Lynsey Noone and Olivia Divilly for a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after six minutes.

Tipperary first impacted the scoreboard when Moloney was fouled and she kicked the free into the teeth of the wind.

Galway went on to lead 1-10 to 0-5 at half time after dominating the first period.

Play moved from end to end after the break and Moloney’s point in the 46th minute meant the Galway lead was cut to 1-12 to 0-11.

Lauren Fitzpatrick was on her toes again to deny Hannon, and when Moloney punched to the net with five minutes to go, Tipp only trailed by a point. But a brilliant defensive turnover by Sinead Burke robbed them of the chance to earn a draw. GALWAY: L Murphy; F Cooney, S Lynch (N Connolly 54), S Burke; L Coen (S Molloy 53), C Cooney, N Ward; O Divilly, L Ward (c); M Seoighe (S Conneally 44), M Glynn, L Noone (A Davoren h-t); A Trill (C Miskell 49), T Leonard, L Hannon. Scorers: Leonard 0-6 (6f), L Hannon 1-1, M Glynn 0-2, L Noone 0-1, O Divilly 0-1, M Seoighe 0-1, N Ward 0-1, A Davoren 0-1, L Ward 0-1. TipperArY: L Fitzpatrick; C Davey (M Curley h-t), L Spillane, E Cronin; E Moore, S Lambert (c), O O’Dwyer; A McCarthy, AR Kennedy (N Hayes 36); C Kennedy, E Morrissey, L Dillon (A Carey 36); A Fennessy, A Moloney, R Howard. Scorers: A Moloney 1-10 (7f), C Kennedy 0-1, O O’Dwyer 0-1, E Morrissey 0-1, R Howard 0-1.

Eamonn Moran (Kerry).