Key moments: Bench impact gets Cork over the line

Ger Manley has utilised his substitutes bench superbly all year and his changes worked again

Cork's Clodagh Finn celebrates a score. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Galway’s positive start 

Carrie Dolan’s third converted free handed Galway their first lead of the afternoon after quarter of an hour. An innocuous score to make it 0-5 to 0-4 but it cemented the fact Cathal Murray’s side had matched their opponents during a critical opening phase.

Cork had obliterated plenty of opponents during the opening quarter on their march to this year’s All-Ireland final. Galway’s positive start ensured that wouldn’t happen again and set the tone for a tight, physical encounter.

Mackey's mark

Cork’s roaring restart delivered an unanswered 1-4 and turned a one-point deficit into a six-point lead by the 40th minute. Three poor Galway wides didn’t help as Orlaith Cahlane and Ashling Thompson white flags preceded a major turning point.

Amy O’Connor gathered possession, raced towards goal and found Katrina Mackey on the edge of the square. It was far from pretty but the full-forward managed to bundle the ball over the goal-line.

That was Mackey’s last intervention before retiring injured. Yet, as she has done all year, the Douglas player made her mark with another selfless and influential display.

Bench press 

Galway were on fire after sending over six points in a row to level the score with less than nine minutes to go. Cork manager Ger Manley has utilised his substitutes bench superbly all year and rang the changes out of necessity.

Sorcha McCartan, Ciara O’Sullivan, Méabh Cahalane and Clodagh Finn were sprung from the bench with McCartan and Finn raising white flags to end a quarter of an hour Cork scoring famine.

More importantly, Cork’s fresh legs, as they have done all year, made a difference when it was needed most.

Another McCartan effort, fed by Finn, confirmed the Rebels’ victory and underlined the importance of Manley’s ability to build a title-winning panel.