Cork coming good at right time as they prepare for All-Ireland final

Matthew Twomey's Cork side have had a rocky start but have turned the tide as they get ready for an All-Ireland final.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Cork have been boosted by the return of a number of injured players including Ashling Thompson 

WHEN the final whistle sounded in UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday, Cork camogie players and management celebrated this notable success like no other. They had finally overpowered their bogey team Galway - something they had failed to do for quite some time.

There is no O’Duffy Cup for a semi-final victory. However, and significantly, the Rebels put themselves in a position where they now have a chance to claim All-Ireland silverware.

Matthew Twomey’s squad didn’t have the best of starts to the year. Elsewhere on these pages, he references how they were ‘unfairly written off’ in some quarters after they endured a run of injuries.

That they turned the tide around deserves so much credit. Boosted, no doubt, with the return to action of a number of key personnel - one-by-one Cliona Healy, Laura Hayes, Orla Cronin, Ashling Thompson and Orlaith Cahalane entered the fray against the Tribeswomen to rapturous applause. Four important points came from the bench.

Libby Coppinger is another constant standout performer. Losing so many tight games was well-documented, the defender says they didn’t dwell on it.

“You can’t focus on it too much because if you’re using that to drive it you’re no good. We’re just looking to go out every day and be the best team we can possibly be.

“We had a few games this year where things just didn’t go right and we’ve taken the learnings from them. They sometimes say you learn more from a loss. We had a few in a row there but thankfully we’re coming good at the right time.

“The biggest message at half-time is we have to work, we have to win the dirty balls ‘cos Galway are always really strong to do that. I think our forwards worked themselves into the ground today and the people that came on did the absolute same thing so it was an absolute team and panel effort.” 

Such was Cork’s overall superiority in front of 7,257 spectators, their three-point winning margin feels unnecessarily slim. The weather failed to play ball but operating on one of the best stadiums surfaces in the country helped where Cork edged the first-half, 0-6 to 1-2.

Captain Amy O’Connor and Katrina Mackey the targets up front.

Galway’s Siobhán McGrath’s goal made it 1-1 to 0-5 after the first quarter. Her second goal midway through the second-half after ‘keeper Amy Lee was forced to cough up possession kept her side in it.

In reality, the Connacht side were making no inroads and were not helped by their strong defensive set-up which meant they were shorn of bodies in attack. Granted Ray Kelly didn’t do them too many favours either with a few strange decisions as another struggle unfolded.

Cork’s firepower - especially around the middle third where Saoirse McCarthy excelled - will see them back in Croke Park on Sunday week where they will look to put another losing record behind them.

This will be a historic day when Cork and Waterford face off. The Déise going after a first title. Cork seeking a first since 2018.

It will be interesting to see what changes, if any, Twomey will make for this unique showdown.

Scorers for Cork: A O’Connor (0-7, 5 frees, 1 45), K Mackey and C Healy (0-2 each), C Sigerson (free), S McCarthy, L Hayes and O Cahalane (0-1 each).

Scorers for Galway: S McGrath (2-0), C Dolan (0-4, 0-3 frees), A Donohue (0-2).

CORK: 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).

Subs: 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).

GALWAY: 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.

Subs: S Rabbitte for N McPeake (33), O McGrath for S Gardiner (50), J Hughes for S Rabbitte (60).

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare).