Cork U23 camogie team get off to a great start in their All-Ireland campaign with victory over Galway

Galway 0-11 Cork 1-11   A superb start for Cork as they got their All-Ireland U23 campaign off to a winning start with a victory over holders Galway in Duggan Park in Ballinasloe.

A Ciara Golden goal in the opening minute gave Cork a vital cushion and it was the score that divided the sides at the full time whistle as Cork held their lead despite huge Galway pressure.

Cork played with the aid of the strong wind in the opening half and left by six points, 1-5 to 0-2 at the half time whistle after they had taken the game to the hosts and put them under a lot of pressure.

Inside the opening ten minutes Cork led by five points.

An Amy Sheppard pointed free and one from play form Orlaith Cahalane helped stretch Cork's lead as they settled into the contest. 

Niamh McInerney responded for Galway with a point, but keeping their foot on the pedal, Cork drove forward and points from Ciara Golden, Orlaith Cahalane and Amy Sheppard kept Cork in control.

Galway could only draw a one point response from Caoimhe Kelly as Galway struggled against a strong Cork defence.

Galway hit the ground running on the restart and firing over four points without reply they had Cork on the back foot.

Aoibhinn Barry, Kayla Madden, Katie Gilchrist and Caoimhe Kelly pointed in a six minute spell which narrowed the gap to two points.

Cork needed to regroup and settle and they did hitting three points in a row to restore their lead.

Amy Sheppard pointed a forty five before Rose Murphy and Orlaith Cahalane had points to again put five between the sides.

Galway were battling to find gaps, but the Cork defence was strong.

Caoimhe Kelly pointed form play, but again Cork hit three without reply.

Amy Sheppard continued to show her accuracy form frees with one point and one from play, whilst Niamh McNabola also hit one and with six minutes remaining Cork led 1-11 to 0-8.

Galway were not going to go down without a fight.

They rallied with four points on the bounce.

Despite losing a player for a second yellow card on fifty two minutes, they came at Cork and points from Niamh McInerney, Ciara Kelly (2) and Aoibhinn Barry had them without touching distance, but it wasn’t to be as Cork held on for an excellent opening day victory.

Cork take on a Dublin in round two on Sunday in Castle Road at 2pm. Dublin recorded a draw last weekend in their opening clash with Tipperary.

Scorers for Galway: C Kelly 0-5, A Barry, N McInerney 0-2 each, K Madden, K Gilchrist (f) 0-1 each.

Cork: A Sheppard 0-5 (0-2 f, 0-1 45), C Golden 1-1, O Cahalane 0-3, N McNabola, R Murphy 0-1 each.

GALWAY: L Freeney; R Kelly, L Mc Grath, A Greaney; A Crowe, A Carr, K Lawless; O Mullins, A Joyce; K Madden, K Gilchrist, E Madden; N Mc Inerney, A Barry, C Kelly.

Subs: S Lyons for A Greaney, K O’ Driscoll for O Mullins.

CORK: A Kearney (Blackrock); M deBurca (Carrigtwohill), A Barrett (Aghbullogue), M Murphy (Ballinora); L O’ Donovan (St Finbarr’s), L Dunlea (Sarsfields), K Goulding (Ballincollig); A Cashman (Youghal), A McCarthy (Clonakilty); N McNabola (Cloughduv), R Murphy (Ballinora), C Golden (St Finbarr’s); A Sheppard (Cloughduv), E O’Donoghue (Bishopstown), O Cahalane (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: E Curtin (Blackrock) for E O‘Donoghue, A O’Riordan (Ballinora) for A Barrett, E Duignan (Mallow) for A McCarthy, C Morrison (Castlelyons) for R Murphy.