CORK 1-16
GALWAY 0-16
GER McCARTHY REPORTS
THE Rebels’ reign is underway. That’s now back-to-back All-Ireland senior camogie titles. With Cork also winning the All-Ireland intermediate crown, the first leg of the double, at Croke Park on Sunday, this was the Rebels’ day.
Having cruised, for long stretches, all the way to this year’s All-Ireland final, Cork were finally tested on the biggest day by Galway, but the champions found the answers.
When the Connacht side’s third-quarter surge resulted in six unanswered points to tie an end-to-end encounter, manager Ger Manley looked to his bench. Sorcha McCartan, Ciara O’Sullivan, Méabh Cahalane, Clodagh Finn and Emma Murphy were all introduced with McCartan and Finn making telling contributions.
Cork sub Clodagh Finn celebrates a late score.
McCartan (0-2) and Finn (0-1, one assist) proved the difference at the end of a breathless, gut-busting finale.
Yet, when questions were asked of this Cork senior team, they came up with the answers and delivered a second consecutive O’Duffy Cup success.
‘We knew it wouldn’t be easy today. It’s grand to say we’re playing matches, but we needed a match like that,’ Manley said.
‘We needed that game to show what we’re made of and I think it really showed there in the last seven or eight minutes. That’s when the going got tough. You saw how the senior players all stood up, and we got a couple of great scores from the subs again.’
Galway trailed 0-3 to 0-2 after ten minutes following a physical opening to proceedings. Two Carrie Dolan frees kept Cathal Murray’s side in touch after Katrina Mackey, Saoirse McCarthy and Amy O’Connor (free) found their range.
The teams would finish level eight times before a cracking opening half concluded. Ailish O’Reilly, Aoife Donoghue, Carrie Dolan and Niamh Mallon efforts saw Galway move 0-6 to 0-5 ahead. Cork responded through Saoirse McCarthy, Fiona Keating and Amy O’Connor but it was Galway who led 0-10 to 0-9 at the short whistle.
Ashling Thompson with the player of the match award.(Photo: Tom Maher/INPHO)
Izzy O’Regan and Laura Treacy had to be careful following yellow cards as they burst out of the traps in the third quarter. An unanswered 1-4 from Katrina Mackey (goal), Orlaith Cahalane, Ashling Thompson, Saoirse McCarthy and Amy O’Connor moved Cork 1-13 to 0-10 in front.
Mackey’s 36th minute goal had a whiff of controversy about it as the forward may not have made contact with Amy O’Connor’s pass. Fouled having forced the ball over the line, a penalty would have occurred had referee Liz Dempsey not allowed the goal to stand.
‘From what I saw, she (Katrina Mackey) went to strike it and she was fouled,’ Manley said.
‘When she threw the ball up to hit it, it went in. She was in the process of striking it, I thought she was fouled (myself). Amy O’Connor was definitely fouled when she put the ball across. When I saw it, I kind of went wow, but they pucked the ball out, so it was done and dusted.’
Galway’s response was imperious as Carrie Dolan (0-3, two frees), Aoife Donohue (0-2) and Ciara Hickey levelled matters with less than nine minutes to go. That was Manley’s cue to call for reinforcements. Sorcha McCartan and Clodagh Finn provided the scores to enable Cork to hold off a late Galway surge.
‘We’ve a happy camp and it’s very hard not to give them all a game,’ Manley concluded.
‘We spoke about it two weeks ago, the trust thing. It’s all about the team, not the individual. I don’t care who plays, I don’t care who scores and that was reiterated at half-time.’
Another camogie season ends with Cork deservedly sitting at the top and with the O’Duffy Cup returning to leeside for the winter months. Based on this year’s displays and improved panel, few would bet against Manley and Cork making it three-in-a-row in 2025.
Scorers
Cork: K Mackey 1-2; A O’Connor 0-3 (3f), S McCarthy 0-3 (1f); O Cahalane, S McCartan 0-2 each; C Healy, F Keating, A Thompson, C Finn 0-1 each.
Galway: C Dolan 0-8 (7f); A Donohue 0-4; A O’Reilly 0-2; N Mallon, C Hickey 0-1 each.
Cork: A Lee; M Murphy, I O’Regan, P Mackey; L Treacy, H Looney, L Hayes; A Thompson, A Healy; C Healy, F Keating, S McCarthy; A O’Connor, K. Mackey, O Cahalane.
Subs for Cork: S McCartan for K Mackey (39, inj); C O’Sullivan for C Healy (48); M Cahalane for H Looney (51); C Finn for F Keating (54); E Murphy for O Cahalane (63).
Galway: S Healy; R Black, D Higgins, R Hanniffy; O Rabbitte, A Keane, C Hickey; A Starr, N Kilkenny; N Mallon, N McPeake, A Donohue; C Dolan, N Hanniffy, A O’Reilly.
Subs for Galway: O McGrath for A O’Reilly (49); N Niland for N Hanniffy (61); A Hesnan for O Rabbitte (65).
Referee: L Dempsey (Kilkenny).
