2024 National Camogie League Division 1A – Round 1
Galway v Clare
Date: 17 February 2024, 2pm
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis (Eircode V95YP98)
Referee: John Dermody (Westmeath)
FT: Galway 0-17 Clare 0-8
Player of the Match: Niamh Niland
Match Photos
Photo credit Don Soules Photography
Match Report
The Galway Senior Camogie team got their season off to a winning start on Saturday in Cusack Park in Ennis when they overcame Clare in their opening round game of the Very Camogie League. Both sides had some new faces starting with the likes of Clare Hehir, Niamh O’Dea and Chloe Morey absent from the Clare set up while Sarah Dervan, Emma Helebert, Shauna Healy and Sarah Spellman missing from the Galway set up. It was a chance for some of the younger player on the panel to make their marks and players such as Ciara Hickey and Niamh Niland really stepped up to the mark.
Aoife Donohue opened the scoring in the first minute with a well taken point from play. Susan Daly, one of the four Daly sisters starting for Clare, replied to leave the sides level after two minutes. Galway started to take a grip on the game with five unanswered points with a point from Ailish O’Reilly, three Carrie Dolan frees and a point from Niland. Aine O’Loughlin got Clare’s first score in 16 minutes when she point a free. Niamh McPeake replied for the tribeswomen two minute later to leave four between the sides at the twenty minute mark. Caoimhe Carmody and O’Loughlin from play reduced the deficit to two by the 26th minute but two points from play by Dolan and one from Niland meant that Galway went in ahead at half time on a score line of Galway 0-10 Clare 0-4.
Donohue started the second half just like she started the first half by adding another point to her tally in the opening minute of the half. Scores were hard to come by in the opening ten minutes but O’Loughlin got her third point of the day on the 41st minute. Niland was showing that she was on song as she slotted over two more points while Dolan added another free to leave Galway 0-14 to 0-5 at the midway point of the half. Center half back for Clare, Ellen Casey got her name on the score sheet with a point from a free while substitute Roisín Begley added a point to leave seven between the sides heading into the final few minutes. Caoimhe Cahill added another free to Clare’s tally before the end of the game while Dolan and Siobhán McGrath, both through frees and substitute Shannon Corcoran from play all slotted over points as it finished Galway 0-17 Clare 0-8.
Galway will be happy to have started the year on a high. They will face a tough test next weekend as they make the trip to Tipperary. They fell short to Tipperary last year in the league so they will be hoping to go one better this year as they look to retain their national league title. Murray will be happy that he can see new talent showing their hands for the Galway which will help in making the the competition for places competitive.
ADDITIONAL
- Youthful Galway commence new campaign with a bang! – Connacht Tribune
- Wins on the double for Galway Camogie in Senior and Intermediate Leagues – Commentary and Reaction – Galway Bay FM
It was a good weekend for Galway’s senior and Intermediate Camogie teams with wins on the double over Clare. The Senior team won their Division 1A tie by 0-17 to 0-8 while the Intermediate won their Division 2 meeting by 3-9 to 0-7. Listen to commentary of the Senior League game with Tommy Devane and Imelda Hobbins, and post match interview with Galway Manager Cathal Murray, the new Galway Senior Captain Roisin Black and Player of the Match Niamh Niland. - Newbie Niland relishes first start but Murray focusing on Tipp test – Camogie Association
Senior Team
Captain – Róisín Black (Oranmore Maree)
Vice Captains – Siobhan McGrath (Sarsfields), Carrie Dolan (Clarinbridge)
Match Preview
More, perhaps, than any manager, Galway boss Cathal Murray has utilised the Very Leagues astutely, paying far more than lip service to the notion that form illustrated in the spring will be rewarded with a starting place come the championship.
What’s more, he has done this while being competitive, the Tribeswomen reaching the last four finals (2020 falling foul to Covid) and winning three of them, including the last two (2022, 2023).
Clare started last year’s campaign with a bang when they overcame subsequent All-Ireland semi-finalists Tipperary in the opening round. They didn’t manage to build on that however and will want to be more consistent this term.
ADDITIONAL
- Galway v Clare – National Camogie League Preview – Galway Bay FM
- Very Camogie League Division 1A: All you need to know – RTÉ
- Galway Camogie Skipper Black Standing On The Shoulders of Giants – Galway Bay FM
- Róisín Black looking to teach new lessons as Galway captain – RTE
