Galway v Cork – Semi Final: 2023 Senior All-Ireland Championship

July 22, 2023

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2023 Glen Dimplex Senior All-Ireland Camogie Championship, Semi Final

Galway v Cork
Venue: UPMC Nowlan Park
Date: 22 Jul 2023, 5:30pm
Referee: Ray Kelly

FT: Galway 2-6 Cork 0-15

MATCH PHOTOS

MATCH REPORT

By Sarah Gaughran Galway Camogie PRO
It wasn’t a case of 9th time lucky for the Galway Senior Camogie team as Cork halted their winning streak in the Glen Dimplex All Ireland Championship Semi-final in Nowlan Park. Cork had suffered three defeats at the hands of Galway this year and they were determined that they weren’t going to be defeated for a fourth time in the calendar year.

It was Cork who started the brightest in the extremely wet conditions. Amy O’Connor pointed two frees while Chloe Sigerson pointed one free to leave Cork 0-3 points ahead after 8 minutes. Carrie Dolan eventually got Galway off the mark on the 12th minute with a well taken score from play. O’Connor replied a minute later while Katrina Mackey got her first score of the day on the 15th minute to leave four between the sides at the halfway point of the half. Galway were in desperate need of another score. They had broken through for a couple of goal chances but failed to convert them. However, on the 17th minute, Aoife Donohue laid off a pass to Rachael Hanniffy and Hanniffy laid it off to Siobhán McGrath on the edge of the square and McGrath made no mistake in sticking the ball in the back of the net to reduce the deficit for one and to bring Galway right back into the game. Mackey replied with her second of the day 2 minutes later. Carrie Dolan missed a free for Galway on the 23rd minute but Donohue made up for it with a point a minute later to leave it Galway 1-2 Cork 0-6 heading into the half time break.

Donohue continued the second half as she ended the first with her second point of the day on the 32nd minute to bring the sides level. Substitute Laura Hayes put Cork back in front by a point 2 minutes later. O’Connor and Dolan exchanged frees on the 36th and 37th minutes. Cork started to take a hold on the game again and their substitutes were making a big impact. Two more O’Connor frees and a point from substitute Cliona Healy left Cork four points to the good heading into the final quarter. But, just like the first half when it looked like Cork were getting a grip on the game, Sabina Rabbitte out pressure on Amy Lee in the Cork net after she fumbled the ball and McGrath came in to sweep up the ball and stick it in the back of the Cork net for her second major of the day. Cork did not drop their heads with Healy getting her second point of the day a minute later. Saoirse McCarty extended Cork’s lead to three on the 52 nd minute while O’Connor and Dolan exchanged frees on the 54th and 55th minutes to keep the three points between the sides. Substitute Orla Cronin looked like she got the insurance score for Cork on the 61 st minute but Dolan replied with a free before the end but it was too little to late for Galway as it finished Cork 0-15 Galway 2-6.

Galway will be disappointed to have bowed out of the All-Ireland Championship at the semi final stages for a second year in a row. Having won the league, they would have wanted to push on to try and claim the O’Duffy cup but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. Galway never managed to get in front of Cork throughout the contest and each time Galway hit them with a major score in the game, the Cork heads never dropped, and they ensured they got the next score. Galway will have to now switch their focus on the 2024 season where they will aim to bring the O’Duffy cup west of the Shannon for the 5 th time.

GALWAY: F Ryan, S Healy, R Black, D Higgins, R Hanniffy, E Helebert, A Keane, A Donohue (0-2), S Gardiner, S Spellman, C Dolan (0-4, 0-3F), N Hanniffy, N McPeake, S McGrath (2-0), A O’Reilly.
Subs: S Rabbitte for McPeake (33), O McGrath for Gardiner (50), J Hughes for Rabbitte (60)
CORK: A Lee M Murphy, L Coppinger, P Mackey, M Cahalane, L Treacy, I O’Regan, A Healy, H Looney, C Sigerson (0-1F), F Keating, S McCarthy (0-1), S McCartan, K Mackey (0-2), A O’Connor0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 45M),. Subs: C Healy (0-2) for Sigerson (24) L Hayes (0-1) for Murphy (ht), O Cronin for McCartan (40); A Thompson for O’Regan (49), O Cahalane (0-1) for Keating (52)

ADDITIONAL

Cork grind it out against Galway – Camogie Association
Disappointment for Galway in All-Ireland Senior Camogie Semi-Final – Commentary and Reaction – Galway Bay FM
Harsh decisions are no excuse for Galway’s loss in camogie semi-final – Galway Advertiser

TEAM

MATCH PREVIEW

By Sarah Gaughran (Galway Camogie PRO)
The Galway Senior Camogie team are one step away from a date with destiny as they look to book their place in the Glen Dimplex All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final on Saturday. Their opposition is their familiar rivels Cork.

This will be the fourth meeting of the counties this year having met twice in the league and now twice in the championship. Galway, however, have had the upper hand of Cork for the past three games. Galway have always had to dig deep against Cork throughout the year but it has been Galway’s ability to grind out a victory that has helped them in getting over the line each time. Galway have also had the benefit of a three week break from their last game having received a bye straight into the semi finals after topping their group. Galway will also be delighted to have some players coming back into the team such as Orlaith McGrath who made her return to team as a substitute against Down after she suffered a cruciate ligament injury. Murray has worked hard at mixing the experienced players such as Sarah Dervan and Aoife Donohue in with the younger players such as Shannon Corcoran and Niamh McPeake. Galway’s ability to finish out a game has been one of their strengths. They have relied on Carrie Dolan from placed balls in some of their matches and they will be hopping to get some more scores from play to help them over the line.

Cork on the other hand will be looking to get one over Galway having lost out three times already this year. They also have some experience coming back into their squad with players like Orla Cronin, Laura Hayes and Aisling Thompson all making appearances off the bench in their victory over Kilkenny in the All-Ireland Quarter Final. Cork looked very threatening up front against Kilkenny. Their ability to run at teams can cause problems for the oppositions defence and it is something that Galway will need to try and cut out from the outset of the game.

It is all to play for on the day. Four points in the league final has been the biggest winning margin for Galway against Cork this year to date which really shows there is nothing between either side. Throw in for the game is at 5:30PM in UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday the 22nd of July.

ADDITIONAL: