Cork end losing streak against Galway to reach camogie final
BATTLE FOR POSSESSION: Sorcha McCartan of Cork in action against Dervla Higgins of Galway during the All-Ireland camogie championship semi-final at UPMC Nowlan Park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Cork ended their losing streak to Galway at UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship semi-final. And they did so in an emphatic fashion. While the winning margin was just three points, they were never led and they more or less dictated from the start.
Matthew Twomey kept faith with the same starting 15 that got the better of Kilkenny in the quarter-final, which proved to be a shrewd move. It meant his impact off the bench was immense with all five substitutes heavily involved and four of their overall points tally coming from those higher number players.
That said, hunger is a good sauce, and whetted Cork’s appetite for success with everybody heavily involved.
Having now knocked out two of the heavyweights (Kilkenny and Galway), Cork appear to be coming to the boil just at the right time. Their opponents in next month’s final will be Waterford, which will be a first ever big stage showdown between the teams in the history of the game.
On a rainy day in Noreside and in front of a big vocal crowd of 7,257, Galway skipper Shauna Healy won the toss but it was the Cork captain, Amy O’Connor who got her team off to a confident start when she converted a close-in free after corner-forward Sorcha McCartan was fouled in the fifth minute.
O’Connor doubled the advantage soon afterwards from a ’45, and when Chloe Sigerson knocked over a free from out the field, the Rebels were moving along nicely.
They were also saved by the woodwork when an Ailish O’Reilly rasper came back off the crossbar, and more good luck came Cork’s way when Galway were penalised for over-carrying.
It was the 12th minute before the westerners opened their account, Carrie Dolan teaming up with O’Reilly for their first flag.
Cork continued to set the tone, O’Connor and Katrina Mackey splitting the posts from open play, 0-5 to 0-1.
A determined Galway weren’t going to let a goal opportunity go astray. A move started by midfield duo Siobhán Gardiner and Aoife Donohue found Rachel Hanniffy. She parted to the in-running Siobhán McGrath who made no mistake from in front of the posts.
With both defences marshalling their opponents closely and sweepers at either end, the last 10 minutes of the half provided just a point apiece - one each from Mackey and Donohue.
Cork brought in Cliona Healy for Sigerson four minutes before the break, and as half-time approached, Galway supporters were perplexed with a few strange refereeing decisions from Ray Kelly as they trailed 1-2 to 0-6 and another terrific struggle between these teams unfolded.
Galway started the second-half under pressure from the Cork attack, forced to block twice by sisters Niamh Hanniffy and Rachel Hanniffy.
Donohue levelled in the 33rd minute, but over the next 13 minutes they were outhit five points to one with a lot of aimless ball into their own forward area being mopped up by Cork who were present in numbers.
A much-needed second goal arrived for Galway in the 47th minute when Cork goalkeeper Amy Lee lost possession and Siobhán McGrath nabbed another green flag to close the gap to one.
Cork emptied their bench with some of their big names arriving to help see out this encounter, including Laura Hayes, Orla Cronin, Ashling Thompson and Orlaith Cahalane.
There was no doubting Cork threatened the most, and were the better team and got the scoring moving again.
Healy and Saoirse McCarthy took their opportunities to put their side three up, 0-13 to 2-4 and seven minutes remaining.
Cork hunted in numbers and despite a Dolan free reducing the margin to two, they were rampant - as epitomised by their fifth substitute Orlaith Cahalane who rifled over upon her introduction.
All Galway could muster in reply was a late Dolan free.
A O’Connor (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 45), K Mackey and C Healy (0-2 each), C Sigerson (free), S McCarthy, L Hayes and O Cahalane (0-1 each).
S McGrath (2-0), C Dolan (0-4, 0-3 frees), A Donohue (0-2).
A Lee; M Murphy, L Coppinger, P Mackey; M Cahalane, L Treacy, I O’Regan; A Healy, H Looney; C Sigerson, F Keating, S McCarthy; S McCartan, K Mackey, A O’Connor (Capt).
C Healy for C Sigerson (26), L Hayes for M Murphy (half-time), O Cronin for S McCartan (40), A Thompson for I O’Regan (49), O Cahalane for F Keating (53).
F Ryan; S Healy (Capt), R Black, D Higgins; R Hanniffy, E Helebert, Á Keane; A Donohue, S Gardiner; S Spellman, C Dolan, N Hanniffy; N McPeake, S McGrath, A O’Reilly.
S Rabbitte for N McPeake (33), O McGrath for S Gardiner (50), J Hughes for S Rabbitte (60).
Ray Kelly (Kildare).
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