2024 ALL IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP – QUARTER FINAL
Galway v Waterford
Date: 7 Jul, 1:30pm
Venue: Croke Park
Referee: Ray Kelly
FT: Galway 1-12 Waterford 1-9
Player of the Match: Aoife Donohue
Photo credit: inPHO
Match Report
A spectacular finish for a goal in the 40th minute by Aoife Donohue was the fitting decider as Galway edged out last year’s finalists Waterford to reach the last four of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship, where they will play Tipperary.
Beth Carton drove to the net from a penalty eight minutes from the end of normal time to reignite the Déise’s aspirations and goalkeeper Brianne O’Regan pointed from a free inside her own half to reduce the margin to the minimum but it was Galway that struck the last two scores, via Donohue and the pacy Olwen Rabbitte to set up a semi-final that is a repeat of the League final won by Tipp.
That means champions Cork will play yesterday’s quarter-final winners Dublin in the other semi-final, with both games taking place at UPMC Nowlan Park on July 27.
The first half was cagey in the extreme, with Waterford deploying Alannah McNulty as an effective sweeper, leaving Galway with a plus one of their one, most often, though not always, in the form of the robust and clever Áine Keane.
That wasn’t the core reason for the lack of pace however, which could be attributed more to a lack of sharpness and accuracy in control and delivery.
Galway led at the end of that opening period by 0-7 to 0-5, which was probably a fair reflection of proceedings, with Cathal Murray’s side having possessed the greater threat earlier on and always keeping their noses in front, a thunderous point from the tremendous Dervla Higgins a highlight of their efforts.
The injury that ruled Waterford full-forward, Mairéad O’Brien out of from the start – she also missed yesterday’s All-Ireland ladies football quarter-final in which Clodagh Carroll, McNulty and Annie Fitzgerald also played – was a huge blow, particularly in the context of Waterford struggling to get their running game going.
Having a direct route has been a fruitful option for the Déise all season, with O’Brien scoring six goals in the group stages. They just could not make the sliotar stick inside. O’Brien did come on at the three-quarter mark but was unable to get involved.
Also unavailable was Vikki Falconer, recovered from a cruciate ligament injury suffered in last year’s All-Ireland final, who strained a quad on Monday, while skipper, Lorraine Bray’s influence was neutralised by a broken hand.
Galway weren’t without their injury issues, with Annmarie Starr out due to an ankle injury. They could welcome back the tireless Donohue however after a month’s absence and she is sure to come on for the outing, even with her match-winning contribution.
Carton was marked by Niamh Hanniffy and her scores from placed balls kept Waterford in the game.
Niamh Mallon shot the first point from play in the seventh minute, reacting well to a rebound but it would have been a goal had Niamh McPeake not gone straight at the best shot-stopper in the country, O’Regan from an angle instead of sending a simple hand-pass across to the Portaferry native.
Mallon had another soon after but Waterford managed to lock down the supply and Laoise Forrest did well in the one-on-one tussels.
The second half didn’t open up to any degree, though there were two goals. Donohue’s was the key one as she raced away with that trademark electric burst. Her first shot was saved by O’Regan but the sliotar came straight back to her and she instinctively doubled it back of the netminder’s head for an outstanding goal.
A Carrie Dolan point put five between the sides but when Niamh Rockett was unceremoniously downed in the square, having slotted three points from play up to that juncture, Carton drilled beyond the diving Sarah Healy and it was game on.
Galway gritted it out however and hard though Jerry Wallace’s side tried, the facts are they never led and that it was the westerners who just about deserved to get over the line.
SCORERS FOR GALWAY: A Donohue 1-1; C Dolan 0-4(fs); N Mallon 0-2; D Higgins, N McPeake, A O’Reilly, N Niland, O Rabbitte 0-1 each
SCORERS FOR WATERFORD: B Carton 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3fs, 0-1 45); N Rockett 0-3; B O’Regan (f), O Hickey 0-1 each
WATERFORD: B O’Regan, L Forrest, C Carroll, A McNulty, K Lynch, K Corbett, M Power, B Bowdren, L Bray, N Rockett, B Carton, O Hickey, A Flynn, T Power, R Kirwan. Subs: A Fitzgerald for Kirwan (25); S Lacey for T Power (36); R Walsh for Mairéad Power (36); M O’Brien for Lynch (44); M Gostl for Bray inj (56)
GALWAY: S Healy, R Black, C Hickey, D Higgins, A Keane, N Hanniffy, R Hanniffy, A Hesnan, A Donohue, C Dolan, N McPeake, A O’Reilly, N Kilkenny, N Niland, N Mallon. Subs: O McGrath for McPeake (42); O Rabbitte for Hesnan (57); S Rabbitte for Kilkenny (58)
ADDITIONAL
- Galway Books Place In All-Ireland Senior Camogie Semi-Final – Commentary And Reaction – Galway Bay FM
- Galway just do enough to edge out Waterford rivals – Connacht Tribune
- Galway pip Waterford in camogie nail-biter – Galway Advertiser
- Donohue delight decides it for Galway – Camogie.ie
- Galway beat Waterford, draw Tipperary in camogie semis – Irish Examiner
- Having no time to wallow stands to Galway – Daragh O’Conchuir
Match Preview
by Daragh O’Conchuir (for Camogie Association)
This is a mouth-watering encounter involving two teams with huge attacking talent and it would come as no surprise were we to be treated to a high-scoring affair.
Galway have stuttered through the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Championship since losing the Very League Division 1A final to Tipperary, after which Siobhán McGrath announced her withdrawal from the squad. New recruit, Niamh Mallon almost rescued Cathal Murray’s side with a blinding cameo off the bench in her first appearance in Maroon on that occasion and has flourished if in receipt of a good supply in the meantime.
They just got over the line against Dublin and drew with Wexford but it was the limp effort against Cork last time out, with direct qualification to the semi-final up for grabs, that was most disconcerting.
Shauna Healy is a considerable loss in defence but Róisín Black and Dervla Higgins are doughty performers, Niamh Kilkenny is back in the fold and Aoife Donohue is expected back injury. Carrie Dolan has been providing leadership from a very young age and Mallon is as good a forward as is in the country.
Beth Carton is the standard in that regard of course, as the reigning player of the year and the De La Salle genius shot 2-8 as the Déise made sure of their quarter-final against Derry last week.
With Jerry Wallace in his first season as manager, Waterford lost to Tipperary in their opening tie and drew with Kilkenny but last year’s All-Ireland finalists remain genuine contenders, with Mairéad O’Brien offering a real goal threat from full-forward and Vikki Falconer and Abby Flynn recovered from injury. Meanwhile, Brianna O’Regan is one of the best shot stoppers in the land while skipper Lorraine Bray offers relentless energy and minor star Maggie Gostl has helped increase the depth of the squad.
- Galway v Waterford – All-Ireland Camogie Championship Preview – Galway Bay FM
- Galway vs Waterford (All-Ireland Senior Camogie Quarter-Final Preview with Shona Curran) – Galway Bay FM
- Tribeswomen “not at the races” in Cork but Murray promises “a different Galway” at Croke Park – Camogie.ie
Senior Team
Captain – Róisín Black (Oranmore Maree)
