Page 55 - INTO THE WEST - March-April 2018

Cork beat Galway for first minor title
Cork .................0-18 CGalway ..............1-11
By DARAGH Ó CONCHÚIR
OrK moved through the gears in the final quarter to get the better of Galway and claim the All-ireland Minor
A Camogie title by 0-18 to 1-11 in Macdon- agh Park, nenagh.
This is Cork’s first victory in this grade since it was changed to U-18 from U-16 in 2006, and it was secured by virtue of an all- round team performance, with eight different contributors to their 18-point tally.
The Leesiders began well, moving into an early three-point lead after Ciara O’Sullivan took a pass from Cliona Healy to score in the opening minute.
niamh niland levelled for Galway from a seventh-minute free but points from Healy (free), Emma Murphy – after Galway’s Senior goalie Sarah Healy made an excellent save from her rebel namesake - and Hannah O’Leary put some daylight between the sides.
That advantage didn’t last long however as Galway were level from the next attack, Chloe reilly providing the lethal goal finish worthy of the sumptuous pass by Galway’s other senior star, Siobhán McGrath.
The Tribeswomen were in front immedi- ately after, niamh Horan finishing on the run from the left. Saoirse McCarthy landed a whopping point from a 60m free to settle Cork and bring them level, and it was nip and tuck from there to the interval.
On three occasions Cork moved in front thanks to reilly and McCarthy (twice) but Horan, niland and Horan once more ensured that the teams were deadlocked at the break, on 0-8 to 1-5.
rate shooting from placed balls to confirm a memorable Leeside success.
CORK: Sarah Ahern; Orla Keating,
Miriam Cotter, Emily Buckley; Laura
Doyle, Laura Hayes, Ellen
O’Regan; Saoirse McCarthy (0-6, 5f),
Hannah O’Leary (0-1); Fiona Keating (0-2),
Moira Barrett (0-3), Ciara O’Sullivan (0-1); Cliona Healy (0-2, 2f), Emma Murphy (0-1), Aoife Hurley. Subs: Suzanne Bateman for O’Leary (40 mins), Rachel O’Regan (0-2) for O’Sullivan (40 mins), Orla Cremen for Healy (45 mins), Ciara Murphy for Doyle (56 mins).
GALWAY: Sarah Healy; Kate Moran, Leah Burke, Erica Leslie; Pearl Finnerty, Alannah Kelly, Kate Screene; Niamh Horan (0-3, 1f), Tegan Canning (0-1); Katie Mannion, Siobhan McGrath (0-2, 2f), Mairead Dillon; Niamh Niland (0-3, 2f), Ciara Helebert, Chloe Reilly (1-2). Subs: Rachel Hanniffy for Mannion (44 mins), Sinead Cannon for Moran (45 mins), Niamh Keogh for Canning (50 mins).
REFEREE: Eamon Cassidy (Derry).
McCarthy and team captain, Moira Barrett edged Cork ahead once more but Galway had their best patch of the game to get their noses in front by the 38th minute, thanks to points from reilly and a niland brace. Tegan Canning stretched the lead to two and Lorraine Larkin’s crew had all the momentum.
Cork have finished strongly in most of their games however and they found another level to turn this game on its head. Jerry Wallace introduced rachel O’regan and the Carrigaline forward had a huge impact, scor- ing two points and setting up another for Fiona Keating.
McGrath kept Galway in touch with a couple of pointed frees but the westerners could not break down the opposition defence and instead, McCarthy continued her accu-
ALL-IRELAND MINOR ‘A’ CAMOGIE
FINAL
CLOSE: Siobhan McGrath was one of the stars for the
Galway minors as they came up short against
Cork in Nenagh.
Photo: Seb Daly/SPORTSFILE
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