Galway 2-13

Cork 1-12

MORE heartbreak for Cork at the hands of Galway as they lost to the Tribeswomen in the Very Division 1A National Camogie League final at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.

In a game that was tight all through Sabina Rabbitte’s second-half goal proved to be the crucial score. 

It put her side two points up and from there they never trailed again.

Cork haven’t beaten Galway in a final (league or All-Ireland) since 2017 and sadly for the Rebels that run continued this time out.

It certainly was for lack of effort on Cork’s part, with the likes of Laura Tracey, Libby Coppinger, and Pamela Mackey to the fore for Cork.

After three early wides and a couple of other missed opportunities, Cork took the lead four minutes in when Orlaith Cahalane raised the first green flag of the afternoon.

She took on the Galway defence and scrambled the sliothar over the line for the first score.

Two minutes later and Galway were off the mark when Carrie Dolan pointed, but Cork were enjoying the better of the early exchanges.

Cahalane got Cork’s first point, with Dolan on target again from a free, to make it 1-1 to 0-2 with 10 minutes gone,

Saoirse McCarthy replied for the Rebels from the restart before Dolan got her third from a free to put two between the sides.

A poor ball from a free by Cork let Sabina Rabbitte in to raise a white flag, with Fiona Keating replying to make it 1-3 to 0-4.

With 19 minutes gone Galway took the lead when Dolan raised a green flag. Niamh McPeake’s effort was well saved by Amy Lee but there was nothing she could do when Dolan pounced on the breaking ball.

Aoife Donohue added a point as Galway were now on top and using the wind to their advantage.

Amy O’Connor and Donohue exchanged scores, before Laura Hayes pointed to put only a point between them, 1-5 to 1-6.

A superb point from long distance free by Sorcha McCartan put Cork back level and another free, this time from O’Connor, saw the Rebels retake the lead.

O’Connor played Keating in but her shot on goal was well saved by Fiona Ryan. 

But the referee was playing advantage for a late tackle on O’Connor, who picked herself up to score from the free to see the Rebels lead 1-8 to 1-6 at half-time.

Dolan reduced the deficit with an early free before Cork should have had a second goal.

Cahalane’s effort came back off the post and Ryan saved O’Connor’s effort from the rebound.

Chloe Sigerson scored from distance, before Dolan was on target from another free to make it 1-8 to 1-9 with 37 minutes played.

Three minutes later and the sides were level, with Dolan again raising a white flag from another free.

O’Connor put the Rebels back in front from a free in a game before Hawkeye denied Cliona Healy a point to increase Cork’s lead.

With 46 minutes gone Galway were back in front when Ailish O’Reilly found Rabbitte and she gave Lee no chance of saving to score Galway’s second goal, 2-9 to 1-10.

McCartan replied from a free from the restart with Dolan replying from another placed ball at the other end to keep Galway two points in front.

Donohue increase their lead to three and with eight minutes go to it wasn’t looking good for the Rebels.

O’Connor reduced the deficit from a free, to make it 1-12 to 2-11 with seven minutes left.

Another Dolan free put three between the sides again as Cork now needed a goal with time running out.

Dolan put a goal between the sides again, before O’Connor played McCartan in but she was surrounded by the Galway defence to deny Cork a goal.

With 61 minutes gone Aine Keane got the insurance score as Galway ran out deserving winners to keep their winning run against Cork going.

Scorers for Galway: C Dolan 1-8 (7f), A Donohue 0-3, S Rabbitte 1-1, A Keane 0-1.

Cork: O Cahalane 1-1, A O’Connor 0-5 (5f), S McCartan 0-2 (1f), F Keating, S McCarthy, L Hayes, C Sigerson.

CORK: A Lee (Na Piarsaigh); M Murphy (Ballinora), L Coppinger (St Colums), M Cahalane (St Finbarr’s); P Mackey (Douglas), L Treacy (Killeagh), I O’Regan (Ballygarvan); S McCarthy (Courcey Rovers), L Hayes (St Catherine’s); C Sigerson (Killeagh), F Keating (Courcey Rovers), C Healy (Aghabullogue); A O’Connor (St Vincent’s), O Cahalane (St Finbarr’s), S McCartan (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: E Murphy (Glen Rovers) for C Sigerson (43), O Cronin (Enniskeane) for C Healy (46), A Healy (Aghada) for I O’Regan, C Finn (Fr O’Neill’s) for O Cahalane (50).

GALWAY: F Ryan; S Healy, R Black, D Higgins; S Gardiner, E Helebert, R Hanniffy; A Donohue, C Hickey; C Dolan, S Rabbitte, A Keane; A O’Reilly, N Hanniffy, N McPeake.

Subs: S Corcoran for N McPeake (40), K A Porter for A O’Reilly, J Hughes for S Rabbitte (both 60).

Referee: Justin Heffernan, Wexford.