Waterford grind out crucial victory out west

Beth Carton of Waterford in action. Pic: James Lawlor/Inpho

Waterford backed up their opening round win over Cork by completing the double over the 2025 All-Ireland finalists in Athenry today, holding Galway to just six scores in a tense Centra National League Division 1A clash.

For the opening half, Waterford played with the aid of a strong breeze and Carrie Dolan’s free in the 13th minute was the only score from the All-Ireland champions, who found themselves snowbound in New York on their team holiday last week and only made their belated return late on Wednesday night.

Waterford’s defence held strong in the first quarter and the use of a sweeper worked in their favour, leaving Galway’s inside attackers isolated and starved of possession.

Despite losing midfielder Abby Flynn to injury after 22 minutes, a significant blow given her strong influence on the game, stalwarts Beth Carton and Niamh Rockett continued to lead Waterford from the front in the first half, with Carton earning several frees that Rockett popped over, building towards a 0-8 to 0-1 interval lead.

Early scores from Galway after half-time shifted the game’s momentum, most notably a long-range Niamh Mallon free that caught the breeze and dipped under the crossbar to evade Waterford goalie, Noelle Murphy.

Mallon scored another point from a free to cut the gap to a single score, but Waterford’s Mairéad O' Brien replied quickly with a clutch point that rallied the troops. 

Player of the match, Eimear O' Neill’s driving solo run to set up a Rockett point, followed by a Lorraine Bray score with a little under ten minutes remaining, was enough to give the Déise sufficient cushion to withstand Galway’s late pressure and nudge them to the top of that table with two wins from two games, 0-12 to 1-5 the final score.

It was a significant day for the teams in Division 1B, most notably Offaly, who picked up their first win over the year against Down at Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park.

In another windswept fixture at the Birr venue, Offaly played with the aid of the elements in the opening half and took full advantage to lead by 2-8 to 0-3. Clodagh Leahy scored 1-6 out of her final tally of 1-9 in that opening half, while the other Faithful County goalscorers were Fianait Dooley and Rachel Brennan in a 3-12 to 0-10 win.

Goals were even more crucial in Bunclody, where Dublin bounced back from their loss in Down with a 2-9 to 0-10 win over Wexford, securing their first win of this year’s campaign.

Chloe Cashe and Layla Stafford got Wexford out to the stronger start, but a purple patch from Dublin, with Aisling Maher centrally involved, demonstrated that the girls in blue were in a very different frame of mind this week.

Maher pointed a free and then burst through the Wexford defence to open up a goal opportunity. With colleagues either side of her she slipped it to Kerrie Finnegan and Finnegan’s precise and powerful finish gave Wexford goalie, Keeva Steadmond no chance.

Caoimhe Byrne brought an end to Wexford’s scoring drought and the home side were back level by half-time and in front again after the restart through Cashe.

Once again, Dublin did a lot of damage in a short burst, with two points and an Aisling Cannon goal, assisted by Emily Adderly, restoring their lead. Ciara Jones also delivered two crucial saves while Linda Bolger hitting the post with another effort summed up a poor afternoon for the home side.

In the Shannonside derby, Lorna McNamara’s 2-4 proved to be crucial to Clare edging out Limerick by 3-8 to 2-8 at Cappamore. 

Second-half goals from Laura Southern and Lizanna Boyle dragged Limerick back level going into stoppage time, but McNamara’s delightful, lobbed finish gave Clare both points.