Ruttledge goal seals victory for Galway

GALWAY banished nightmares of Nowlan Park with a 2-13 to 2-7 victory over Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final.

The game hung in the balance right until Tara Ruttledge pulled on a loose ball to fire past Catriona Ryan with two minutes left to play. Up to then the Cats kept in touch thanks mainly to the accuracy of Aoife Neary from frees.

Ironically, it was one of her poorer efforts that helped to give her side the impetus to mount a comeback that made for a gripping second-half. Neary’s free dropped short and Edel Maher was on hand to finish. From then on the game ebbed and flowed right until Ruttledge raised the green flag.