Dolan the difference as Galway retain title
CORK’S big-game hoodoo against Galway continued last night at Croke Park when the Tribeswomen came from six points down in the second half to win 2-14 to 1-13 and retain their Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Division 1 title.
The All-Ireland champions have now won five consecutive big league and championship games against Cork in succession,
extending back to the 2019 All-Ireland semi-final, and it wasn’t just on the scoreboard that this was the most commanding of them all.
When Amy O’Connor slammed in a close-range goal to crown a superb attacking move at the start of the second half, the Rebels were
1-10 to 0-7 in front and it looked like their extra variety and range in the attacking sector was set to carry them to victory.
The Galway bench, led by Carrie Dolan, was to transform this game. Dolan, Catherine Finnerty and Sarah Spellman all added huge energy and zest to the westerners, while Sabina Rabbitte also landed the insurance point at the end of the contest to confirm the victory.
It was all a far cry from the early stages, when a youthful Cork side hit the ground running, matching Galway score for score in the opening quarter before kicking on to build a three-point interval lead.
Outstanding work from Laura Hayes and Katrina Mackey set up O’Connor for a simple goal with less than a minute gone after halftime, and it looked as if Cork were set to win their first league title in nine years.
Crucially, Galway replied with the next two points through Orlaith McGrath and O’Reilly, before a
Niamh Hanniffy score made it all square.
With Dolan immediately operating as the focal point of the attack, Galway soon hit the front, the Clarinbridge woman registering an equalising goal.
Again Cork tried to reply, but a glorious goal chance was placed fractionally wide of the post by Emma Murphy, and they weren’t able to mount another charge. Two Dolan frees stretched the gap out to five, Katrine Mackey replied with two dead ball Cork points in stoppage time, but by now all Galway had to do was protect their goal to preserve their league title, with Rabbitte’s late score the cherry on top of yet another national title.
Meanwhile, three goals inside the first 15 minutes of the Division 2 final left Antrim with too much to do against Wexford, who earned their return to the top tier for the first time since their relegation in
2019 with a 3-12 to 0-14 victory.
SCORERS — GALWAY: C Dolan 1-4 (0-3f), A O’Reilly 0-5 (2f), C Finnerty 1-0, N Kilkenny, Á Keane, A Donohue, O McGrath, S Rabbitte 0-1 each.
CORK: A Thompson 0-3, S McCarthy 0-3, K Mackey (2f) 0-3, A O’Connor 1-0, F Keating 0-2, L Hayes, C Sigerson (f) 0-1 each.