Galway Prove Too Strong For Waterford

There was no joy for Waterford on their travels for the second game in a row, and the third game in all, having played All-Ireland Champions Kilkenny at Walsh Park in the first round of games in this year’s All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship on Saturday afternoon as they lost out to what is a very strong Galway side in Athenry.

Galway went into this game as huge odd’s on favourites to win this game and from what we saw over the course of the hour, the Tribes Ladies will be well in contention when it comes to find out where the O’Duffy Cup will find a home for the next twelve months when it is contested for in the middle of September.

They went into this game off the back of a good win over Dublin in round two of this year’s championship having had a bye in the first round of games. Their next game is against All-Ireland Champion’s Kilkenny and is another home game for the Tribe’s Ladies and they will know after that game how good a side they are.

Waterford has just one game to play, that against Dublin which is to be played in Waterford next weekend. Waterford’s chances of winning a place in the knockout stages of the competition are over, but they will want to end their campaign on somewhat of a high, and will want to beat the only side that they have beaten this year, having beating the Sky Blues in the League at Coolock at the end of February.

Maybe the G.A.A. and the Camogie Association will be given a big chance to promote the game next weekend. With both Waterford and Dublin in the bowl tomorrow morning for the second round of the All-Ireland qualifiers and if the two were to be paired to play each other, and Waterford were to be given home advantage for that game, it would be great to think that the Camogie Game between the same two counties could be a curtain raiser to the hurling game and even though many of the hurling supporters attending on the day might leave it late to try and get into the ground, hopefully a sizeable amount of people would show up for the Camogie game in its entirety and even if supporters do leave it late to get into the ground, that they would try and get in to see some of the Camogie and if they do I for one would hope that they would be impressed by what they see from the women, who let’s be honest put in the same commitment and sometimes an even bigger commitment to training and in match’s to what the men put in.

This was a game where Galway were always on top from the throw in to the final whistle, but great credit must go to Waterford who at times showed great skill and showed that they were willing to fight right to the end for every score they could get.

Aoife Donohue opened the scoring in the first minute with a point which was followed with an Ailish O’Reilly free moments later.

It was Waterford that had the first goal of the game when Becky Kavanagh for the second game in a row netted on five minutes when a high cross field delivery from Caithriona McGlone was fielded by the Saint Anne’s Club player who struck from close range giving Sarah Healy in the Galway goal no chance. 

The home side responded with a similar score two minutes later. Finola Keely found herself in space inside the Waterford twenty metre line after receiving a pass and once she was in control of the sliotar she composed herself and blasted low and hard past Brianna O’Regan from an acute angle.

Ailish O’Reilly and Niamh Rockett swapped scores on eight and eleven minutes, before the home side enjoyed as period of dominance which began on twelve minutes with a second Galway goal scored when Ann Marie Starr dropped the sliotar over the Waterford full back line into the path of Ailish O’Reilly and when she found herself one on one with Brianna O’Regan she made no mistake.

Maria Cooney and Niamh McGrath landed points for Waterford which was followed with a Waterford point from Niamh Rockett at the midway point in the opening half.

Ann Marie Starr and Niamh McGrath with a brace of scores helped extend the home side’s lead, before Noreen Coen hit three in a minute to put her side well in the driving seat.

Lorraine Bray and Áine Lyng landed points for Waterford with Aoife Donohue hitting a single response in between before Lorraine Bray and Maria Cooney swapped scores with five minutes of the opening half remaining.

Galway as they were for much of the opening half continued to be the better of the two sides in the time that remained as Maria Cooney and Niamh McGrath landed points before

The home side added a third goal on the stroke of half time, this time Ailish O’Reilly was to have the umpire reach for a green flag and while Beth Carton pulled a point back in added time at the end of the first half to leave her side tailing 3-16 to 1-7 at the interval.

Galway started the second half as they ended the first.

Aoife Donohue put over three points in a three minute spell before Ailish O’Reilly put over a free on thirty six minutes.

The two Niamh’s Rockett and McGrath swapped scores before Beth Carton hit her second of the game at the end of the third quarter.

Aoife Donohue, Jessie Gill, Noreen Coen and Ailish O’Reilly from a free landed further scores for the home side with ten minutes still remaining.

Galway got their fourth goal six minutes from time when Noreen Coen got the first of her goals of the game and she added a second three minutes later. In between Ann Marie Starr pointed for the home side.

Ailish O’Reilly from a free followed with a similar score from Beth Carton followed before Ailish O’Reilly got the final score of the game deep in stoppage time.

Despite the heavy defeat, Waterford at times looked impressive and amongst the side in White and Blue’s best players on the day included Brianna O’Regan in goal, Shauna Kieran in defence while Niamh Rockett, Beth Carton and Lorraine Bray all once more impressed in attack.

Galway: Sarah Healy; Therese Manton, Sarah Dervan, Róisín Black; Lorraine Ryan, Rebecca Hennelly, Heather Cooney; Ann Marie Starr, Niamh Kilkenny; Finola Keely, Maria Cooney, Niamh McGrath; Noreen Coen, Ailish O’Reilly, Aoife  Donohue. Subs: Clodagh McGrath for Rebecca Hennelly (HT); Jessie Gill for Finola Keely (35); Orlaith McGrath for Niamh Kilkenny (38); Emma Helebert for Heather Cooney (49).

Scorers: Ailish O’Reilly 2-6 (0-5f), Noreen Coen 2-4, Aoife Donohue 0-6, Niamh McGrath 0-5, Maria Cooney 0-3, Ann Marie Starr 0-2, Niamh Kilkenny, Jessie Gill 0-1 each.

Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Marie Russell, Fiona Morrissey, Claire Whyte; Mairead Power, Shauna Kiernan, Jenny McCarthy; Aoife Landers, Áine Lyng; Caithriona McGlone, Niamh Rockett, Kate McMahon; Beth Carton, Lorraine Bray, Becky Kavanagh. Subs: Niamh Ahearne for Aoife Landers (38); Valerie O’Brien for Áine Lyng (48); Annie Glavey for Niamh Rockett (49); Ciara Twoomey for Becky Kavanagh (55).

Scorers: Beth Carton 0-4 (2f), Becky Kavanagh 1-0, Niamh Rockett 0-3, Lorraine Bray 0-2, Áine Lyng 0-1.

Referee: Cathal Egan (Cork).