Galway v Cork: 2022 Tesco All-Ireland U16A Camogie Championship, Round 1
Venue: Cork Camogie Grounds, Castle Road
Date: 25 Jun 2022, 2pm
Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)
FT: Galway 6-03 Cork 1-07
Match Report
By Sarah Gaughran
The Galway U16 team got their U16A Tesco All Ireland Championship off to a winning start on Sunday in the Cork Camogie Grounds, Castle Road when they overcame 2021 Champions Cork. Three goals from Sarsfields sharpshooter Caoimhe Kelly helped Galway on their way to victory in their opening game. Credit must go to both teams who braved the elements of torrential rain throughout the contest.
The opening 20 minutes of the contest were very low scoring. Kate Fennessy opened the scoring for the Lee siders in the 2nd minute. Leah Murphy replied for Galway to leave the sides level after 4 minutes. Caoimhe Kelly and Amy Sheppard exchanged scores to leave the teams level for the second time at the mid-way point in the half. Louise O’Neill was fouled as she was bearing down on the Galway net and won a penalty. Michelle Gately pulled off a fantastic save in the Galway net to deny Cork a goal. Cork were on the rebound and as a result they won a second penalty. There was nothing Gately could do in the Galway net as Sinead Hurley made no mistake and stuck the ball in the back of the net. Galway didn’t let the goal phase them and straight from the puck out Siobhan Carr set up Abbie Massey and Massey struck the ball into the back of the Cork net. Ava McAuliffe replied with a point for Cork while Sophie Flynn bypassed 3 Cork defenders and finished the ball into the back of the Cork net to leave it Galway 2-2 Cork 1-3 at half time.
McAuliffe reduced the deficit for Cork on the restart when she slotted the ball over the bar. But a long range effort from Kelly dropped into the back of the Cork net to extend Galway’s lead to 4 points. Cork replied with two points, but they will be disappointed to shoot 3 wides during this period too. Galway weathered the Cork storm by sticking two goals in the space of 1 minute through Flynn and Kelly to give Galway an 8-point lead. Galway won a penalty after this, but credit must go to Emma O’Sullivan in the Cork net who pulled off a fantastic save. Kelly sealed her hat-trick on the 57th minute while Kelly and Sheppard exchanged scores at the end of the game to leave it Galway 6-3 Cork 1-7.
Galway will be delighted to be coming away with the points from Cork as every game and every point counts in this group of death for Galway. While Galway did score plenty of goals, they will need to look at ensuring they can add more points onto the scoreboard for their game against Kilkenny. Galway have a bye next weekend before they face into a home game against Kilkenny on the 10th of July.
Scorers for Galway: C Kelly 3-2 (1-1 f’s), S Flynn 2-0, A Massey 1-0, L Murphy 0-1.
Cork: S Hurley 1-0 (pen), A Sheppard 0-3 (0-2f’), A Mc Auliffe 0-2, K Fennessy, L O’ Connell 0-1 each.
Galway: M Gately; T Murray, A Collins, R Murphy; L Mc Grath, R Mannion, R Crowe; C Callaghan, E Brogan; S Carr, C Mc Grath, L Murphy; S Flynn, C Kelly, A Massey. Subs: E Bergin for R Mannion (52), L O’ Halloran for L Murphy (52).
Cork: E O’ Sullivan; A O’ Riordan, S Hurley, R Roche; A Daly, L Dunlea, O Cremin; A Fitzgerald, A O’ Neill; A Mc McCarthy, K Fennessy, A Sheppard; A Mc Auliffe, L O’ Neill, G Finn. Subs: A Cottrell for A O’ Neill (37), L O’ Connell for A Mc McCarthy (41), S Murphy for K Fennessy (54), C rice for R Roche (57), E Buckley for A Fitzgerald (59).
TEAM
