2021 All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 3
Galway v Kilkenny
Venue: John Lockes, Callan
Date: Saturday 31 July 2021, 5pm
Referee: John Dermody (Westmeath)
Player profiles: Senior Camogie Team
Management: Senior Management Team
MATCH REPORT
Sarah Gaughran: Galway Camogie PRO
Galway overcame Kilkenny in the final round of the All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship in John Lockes Callan in Kilkenny on Saturday. Galway who had lost out to Kilkenny in the All Ireland Final in 2020 and League final in 2021 were looking to but the disappointment of the previous two games behind them. Galway lined out with two changes to the team that lined out against Clare last week. Laura Glynn got her first start in goals for the Senior team while Noreen Coen came into the attack, replacing Niamh McGrath.
Kilkenny were playing with a strong breeze advantage in the first half. Kilkenny started the brightest with scores from Denise Gaule and Aoife Doyle in the opening 5 minutes. Ailish O’Reilly opened Galway’s account on the 8th minute through a free. Gaule added another point through a free for Kilkenny before O’Reilly added two more scores through frees for Galway. Katie Nolan finished the scoring for Kilkenny just before the water break as she added a point to their tally to leave it Kilkenny 0-4 Galway 0-3. The talking point of the first half happened just before the water break. Rebecca Barker, the lines lady, brought John Dermody’s attention to an off the ball incident before the break that resulted in Catherine Finnerty seeing a straight red card for Galway. This left Kilkenny with numerical advantage for most of the game and it meant Galway would need to dig deep to get a result to ensure they top their group. Kelly Ann Doyle added a point for Kilkenny before O’Reilly added another point through a free for Galway. Miriam Walsh, Doyle and Gaule through a free all added points for Kilkenny while O’Reilly, Galway’s only scorer of the half added another point through a free to leave it Kilkenny 0-8 Galway 0-5 at half time.
Galway had the wind advantage in the second half and looked like a team who had their full compliment of players on the field. Galway shot 1-3 in the opening 6 minutes. A goal from Siobhán McGrath and points from O’Reilly through a free and from play and Niamh Kilkenny to leave Galway in the driving seat at the start of the second half. Gaule added two frees for Kilkenny before McGrath added another point for Galway. Gaule and O’Reilly swapped frees on the 43rd and 44th minutes of the second half, while Mary O’Connell added a point from play to leave it Galway 1-10 Kilkenny 0-12 heading into the second water break. Sarah Spellman and Orlaith McGrath added a points for Galway on the restart before Doyle and Gaule, through a free, responded with points for Kilkenny. O’Reilly added another free and Galway’s last score on the 32nd minute. Kilkenny, who were two points down went on the hunt for a goal to try and seal the victory. The Galway defence stood strong and a fantastic point blank save from Laura Glynn, helped in sealing the Galway victory, Claire Phelan added a point from play deep into injury time, but it wasn’t enough to seal the victory for Kilkenny.
Galway had fantastic performances throughout the field. In defence, Dervla Higgins, Shauna Healy, Siobhán Gardiner and Laura Glynn preformed well, while in attack, Aoife Donohue, Niamh Kilkenny, Ailish O’Reilly and Siobhán McGrath were outstanding. Galway have topped their group and they have received a bye into the Semi Finals.
Galway scorers:
Ailish O’Reilly 0-9 (0-8F)
Siobhán McGrath 1-1
Niamh Kilkenny 0-1
Orlaith McGrath 0-1
Sarah Spellman 0-1
Sarah Dervan 
Aoife Donohue 
Siobhan McGrath 
Dervla Higgins 
Emma Helebert 
Ann-Marie Starr 
Player of the match, Aoife Donohue, in action
VIEW MATCH:
Video credit: The Camogie Association
ADDITIONAL REPORTS
The Commentary: Galway Bay FM: Tommy Devane and Imelda Hobbins
Galway overcame Kilkenny in Callan on Saturday afternoon in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship to top the group and put them in a strong position ahead of the draw for the All-Ireland Senior Quarter and Semi-Finals. Here is another chance to hear the commentary again with Tommy Devane and Imelda Hobbins.
SportsDaz Camogie Roundup: Galway v Kilkenny – Daragh Ó Conchúir
Galway defeated Kilkenny by 1-13 to 0-15 despite losing Catherine Finnerty to a first-half red card. “We are delighted in the end. It was a fair battle between the two teams and I think we really bring out the best in one another. You want to be playing the top teams so it will bring the two teams on going forward in to the knockout stages of the Championship.
“We’ve picked up a lot of injuries along the way and it just opens up opportunities for other players to come in and nail down a place in the team,” said Galway’s Player of the Match Aoife Donohue. “We are lucky enough that we have a really strong panel.
“Going down to 14 we were are all absolutely out on our feet and it’s just a credit to the girls. Kilkenny had an extra player and I’d say it (the sending off) was only five minutes in to the first half.
“Credit to all the girls, there was great character shown by all the team. What’s promising is that the work rate of all the girls while being down to 14 players.
“It was unfortunate for Catherine (Finnerty) as she has been flying it so we will look at it and hopefully she will be back with us for the next day.”
Hogan Stand: Match report
The meeting of 2020 All-Ireland finalists Galway and Kilkenny was the big game on Saturday, where Galway picked up a morale-boosting 1-13 to 0-15 win at John Locke Park in Callan.
The Tribeswomen will take incredible heart from the win, given that they lost corner-forward Catherine Finnerty to a straight red card after just 15 minutes.
Ultimately, Galway’s 1-3 without reply after half time, which helped them turn a three-point deficit in to a three-point lead proved to be the decisive period of this game. Siobhán McGrath found the net early in the second half to push her side into the lead, and a strong defensive effort was needed to keep the Cats at bay.
Denise Gaule was accurate from a number of frees while Mary O’Connell and Aoife Doyle also found the target to keep Kilkenny in the game and set up a dramatic finish. Kilkenny almost found a way through in injury time but some heroic last ditch defending during the four minutes of injury time helped Galway hang on to take the victory.
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