'That's where they got us last year': Galway knew disrupting Cork platform would be key

The surprise of the camogie final was Cork’s unflinching belief in their own approach and unwillingness or inability to deviate from their gameplan. 

Niamh Mallon now has the full set of All-Ireland medals following Galway's All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship final victory over Cork. She had previously won junior and intermediate titles with her native Down. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Cork’s opening point of the camogie final, started and scored in the space of 18 seconds, was the perfect showcase of the Cork gameplan. The perfect showcase of how they had sauntered into the final.

An Amy Lee puckout went short to full-back Pamela Mackey. It was the first of six consecutive passes to hand. Each one short, snappy, and accurate. Laura Hayes, Hannah Looney, Ashling Thompson, and Saoirse McCarthy all took and moved on possession. Looney continued racing forward to receive the sixth and final pass. 18 seconds from Lee’s restart to Looney reaching the target.