Third time lucky as Galway finally land Camogie Division 1A title with Waterford win

GALWAY GIRLS: Galway players and supporters celebrate with the cup. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.

Galway 0-13 Waterford 0-11

Galway ended a run of two consecutive final defeats to add the Centra Camogie League Division 1A title to the All-Ireland championship they already possess from last August.

The westerners lived on their nerves however, but their experience of finals perhaps told down the stretch, as they scored the last three points to squeeze home by two.

From Waterford’s perspective, this will hurt but the progress they are making is evident.

They will regret a slow and ponderous start with a strong wind at their backs, when they could make nothing stick and were slow and ponderous in possession, leading to Niamh Rockett and Mairéad O’Brien being let down by poor service, or no service.

Thanks to O’Brien, when relocated to the half-forward line, Clodagh Carroll, Vikki Falconer and skipper Lorraine Bray, among others, they got themselves a foothold in the game and at it was tiny margins that decided.

Carrie Dolan was monumental for the winners though, her seven-point contribution just one element of an all-action display. The team captain was involved in everything, and with Ciara Hickey, Róisín Black, Dervla Higgins like rocks in defence and Caoimhe Kelly hitting two points after coming off the bench, Cathal Murray’s crew got over the line.

Time and again Waterford players took the ball into contact and were turned over in the first quarter, which is a testament to Galway’s trademark work rate and physicality but it the lack of speed was a worry, as was the poor execution.

And so the All-Ireland champions moved to an early 3-1 lead, even though Beth Carton sent over from tight to the sideline to open the scoring, Dolan converting frees either side of a Shannon Corcoran point.

Keeley Corbertt Barry did get a point but she didn’t see O’Brien standing completely unmarked inside her, and a goal chance went abegging.

Róisín Black of Galway meets Keeley Corbett Barry of Waterford with a shoulder. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.

They began to settle and get to the pitch of proceedings though and actually hit the front in the 24th minute, when after Rachel Hanniffy pointed for Galway, the Déise hit three on the trot from Rockett (free), Abby Flynn and O’Brien, who had just been moved to the half-forward line.

Waterford were in front and you could see the belief growing. Galway would have been pleased to go in at the interval level at 0-7 apiece, given the elements, but at the same time, the Déise will have felt that they were now in the game.

And so it proved. Galway were unable to get Aoife Donohue and Niamh Mallon involved as much as they would like as the levels ratcheted ever upwards. It wasn’t always pretty but it was so honest.

Over and back the scoring went. Waterford led through Rockett, then it was Galway through a Dolan brace. Then Waterford again, O’Brien’s sensational score preceding a Rockett free at the three-quarter mark.

Waterford supporters felt they might have had a penalty as Bray thundered through but was sent to the ground by a shuddering Black tackle. Liz Dempsey did not concur.

Maggie Gostl did well off the bench for Waterford, and after Kelly equalised, she supplied O’Brien who put Waterford ahead again in the 49th minute. Once more it was a classy effort but crucially, and decisively, it was the last score Mick Boland’s side would register.

Galway don’t panic in these conditions. Dolan levelled and after Brianna O’Regan made an astounding full-length save from Mairéad Dillon, the skipper nudged the Tribeswomen ahead on the hour.

Those were her first two scores from play. Cometh the hour and all that. Kelly made it a two-point game and that was enough.

SCORERS FOR GALWAY: C Dolan 0-7(5fs); C Kelly 0-2; R Hanniffy, C Hickey, N McPeake, S Corcoran 0-1 each.

SCORERS FOR WATERFORD: M O’Brien, N Rockett(fs) 0-3 each; B Carton 0-2; K Corbett Barry, E O’Neill, A Flynn 0-1 each.

GALWAY: S Healy, R Hanniffy, R Black, D Higgins, K Manning, C Hickey, K A Porter, J Hughes, C Dolan, N Mallon, N McPeake, A Donohue, S Corcoran, M Dillon, A Barry.

Subs: C Kelly for Barry (41); N Niland for Corcoran (55), N McInerney for Mallon (60+1).

WATERFORD: B O’Regan, A McNulty, K Corbett Barry, V Falconer, R Walsh, C Carroll, L Forrest, O Hickey, L Bray, E O’Neill, B Carton, A Flynn, M O’Brien, N Rockett, B Bowdren. Sub: C Sherlock for Bowdren (ht). 

Subs: M Gostle for O’Neill (41), R Kirwan for Flynn (45), A O’Sullivan for O’Brien (60).

REFEREE: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).