Galway v Cork: All Ireland U16 A Championship Semi Final

July 14, 2024

2024 U16 A Championship – Semi Final

Galway v Cork
Date: 14 Jul, 4pm
Venue: Mallow, Cork
Referee: Aaron Hogg

FT: Galway 3-6 Cork 2-6

2024 Galway U16 team. Photo credit Colbert O’Sullivan

Match Report

Galway have booked their place back in the All Ireland U16A final after a hard-fought victory over a tough Cork outfit on Sunday in Mallow. Cork had gotten the better hand of Galway in their opening round game of the championship, but it was clear throughout the contest that Galway have improved massively as the competition has progressed.

In was Cork who started the brightest with a free through the stick of their top scorer on the day, Ciara Murphy, on the 4th minute. Galway followed up with two well taken scores from play through Emma Barrett and Ciara Costello on the 7th and 10th minutes to put Galway into the lead for the first time. Murphy slotted two more points for the Leeside, one through a free to leave Cork in the driving seat again on the 19th minute. A good pass from Emily Corcoran found Barrett on the 22nd minute and Barrett made no mistake in sticking the ball over the bar. Erin Healy was fouled in the square for Cork a minute later but Caoilann Ryan’s penalty was well saved by Leah Horan in the Galway goal. Katie Murray pointed a free just before half time to leave Galway in the lead 0-4 to 0-3 heading into the break.

Murray extended Galway’s lead with another point at the start of the second half, but Gemma Classen put Cork back into the lead by the 33rd minute as she pulled on a ball and blasted it into the back of the Galway net. Scores were hard to come by and credit must go to both goalkeepers who pulled off some great saves at the beginning of the half Mary Brigid Cosgrove did manage to break down the Cork defence on the 43rd minute to restore Galway’s lead again as she got Galway’s opening major of the game. Murphy followed up with a free and a point a minute later to leave the sides level with 14 minutes to play. But Galway got two quick fire goals in the space of two minutes. Barrett found the back of the net on the 17th minute while a long ball in from Katelyn Walsh from a free landed into the back of the Cork net a minute later to leave Galway six in front. Murphy and Walsh swapped frees on the 21st and 27th minutes while Laura Walsh did get in for a goal for Cork on the 27th minute but it wasn’t enough as Galway ran out 3-6 to 2-6 winners on the day.

The Galway girls will now face Limerick, a side that Galway drew with only a few weeks ago, in UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday at 4:30PM. They will be hoping to put the disappointment of last year behind them and go one step further this year.

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