Cork ladies footballers can defeat Galway and return to Croke Park
Sisters Sarah and Rachel Leahy, two key players for Cork in their TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies football semi-final clash with Galway at Tullamore. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile
ON SATURDAY, Cork manager Shane Ronayne will be hoping it’s third time lucky for his Cork senior ladies football side.
They take on Galway in the TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies football championship semi-final at Tullamore, with a 5pm throw-in.
This is his third year in charge and two season ago they lost out in the quarter-final and last year in the semi-final. So Shane will be hoping to go one better and reach the decider on August 4.
He will also be hoping they can beat Galway for the third time this season, having defeated the Tribeswomen in the league and also the group stages of the All-Ireland championship.
It’s going to be a battle to the end, and Cork will need to be at their best and hopefully get the weekend off to a winning start for the Rebel county.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game Shane said he expects another tight game.
“It was a humdinger at MTU a few weeks ago and it could have gone either way,” said Shane, “We came out the right side of it, but I think that spurred them on as they absolutely destroyed Laois and beat them by more than we did.
“They went into the quarter-final against Dublin and most people didn't give Galway a chance. I thought it was probably a 60-40 game in Dublin's favour.
“But they tore into them and I think they definitely have their dander up.
“So look we've got to be very ready and I think it's going to be a very close game and there probably won’t be more than a kick of a ball in it at the end.
“Even when we were talking to our own crew last week I wasn't talking about Dublin. I used Galway and Dublin in any interview I spoke to after the game and to the players as well.
“The quarter-final is always a dangerous game. You're after winning your group and the other team have nothing to lose. Galway had some brilliant performances, their big players are back playing very well so it’s going to be a real battle.
“But the hurt of the league and the real hurt coming down the road from Navan that day, (when Cork were relegated) and the day the Waterford beat us comprehensively, that's all been stored away and it's in there and it's driving us on.
“We want to prove show people they are wrong about us, and the work we did at the start of the year is now shining through. Their football is getting better and getting that win over Waterford in the Munster championship gave them a huge confidence boost and we have been building from there.
“Everybody's fighting for jerseys, training is unbelievably competitive. They're backing themselves because they've the training done, the hard work done and they know they can compete with the best teams in the county.
“We have to go out and really compete tomorrow and hopefully come out on the right side of the result."
Cork are boosted with a full squad, bar two long-term injuries to Libby Coppinger and Caoimhe Richmond, to pick from.
The return to the squad of the likes of Rachel Leahy and her sister, Sarah, Shauna Kelly, amongst others is welcome news for Cork.
Dual stars like Aoife Healy and Hannah Looney will also be hoping to go through to the first of two days out at Croke Park for them, with the camogie semi-final a week later.
As well as the above Cork will need big games from the likes of Emma Cleary, Laura O’Mahony, Maire O’Callaghan, Melissa Duggan and Katie Quirke to have any chance of beating the Tribeswomen.
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