Below par Galway pay price for mistake-ridden display

Date Published: 22-Aug-2012

Cork 3-10

Galway 0-12

Eoghan Cormican at Nowlan Park

OH dear. Galway camogie has seen many a black day in its long litany of frustrating chronicles, but this must surely rank among them as one of the most trying defeats as the out-of-sorts Tribeswomen self-destructed against a more streetwise Cork.

It was certainly not an easy day being a Galway supporter in Nowlan Park on Saturday as the harsh reality sunk in that the Westerners would not be returning to Croker for a third successive year.

Crucial to note, however, is that it was not Cork who denied Galway a September showdown with Wexford or a chance to bridge a 16 year gap to the county’s last O’Duffy Cup success – no, the Galway players were fully responsible for their own downfall on this occasion.

There were plenty ifs and buts about this All-Ireland semi-final loss, not least a rudderless forward unit which squandered a handful of guilt-edge goal openings, but on the balance of the hour’s play, Cork were deserving of their victory as they completely outgunned Galway in terms of sheer desire to win and attacking know-how.

Not surprisingly, post-mortems were in full flow in the immediate aftermath of the game and no doubt, many more were conducted this week, but why Galway came out second best lay in the fact that they delivered a sub-standard, error-ridden performance.

Things like clearances out of defence going astray, an inability to win primary possession around the middle, the pick-pocketing of Galway defenders close to Susan Earner’s goal and five clear-cut goal chances being spurned, all cost Galway dearly in the end.

Added to this, too many of the players were found wanting over the hour. It really says something that aside from the hard-working Niamh Kilkenny, whose two second half points were of the highest order, Galway’s top performers were two players who have given over 15 years service in the maroon and white.

One can only hope that we haven’t seen the last of Veronica Curtin and, in particular, Therese Maher, but it must be soul destroying to exhaust every last ounce of energy and effort for the cause, while others all around you were content to hide in the wings.

Overall, it was a disjointed Galway display, particularly as they had controlled this contest early on. By the 10th minute, Tony Ward’s charges led 0-6 to 0-2, with Niamh McGrath (2), Curtin (2), Martina Conroy and Orla Kilkenny finding the range.

Jenny O’Leary’s accuracy from both play and frees proved a lifeline for Cork in the opening quarter, but Galway continued to hold the upper-hand and Aislinn Connolly clipped over a neat point to make it 0-7 to 0-4 after 16 minutes.

Though Galway bossed the opening exchanges, the key period, arguably, was the 13 minutes leading up to half-time when Cork hit 1-4 in reply to just a solitary minor from the Tribeswomen to take a 1-8 to 0-8 interval lead.

Gemma O’Connor initiated that sequence with an absolute belter from distance and though Niamh McGrath (free) issued an instant response, Cork were beginning to play with more confidence and guile.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.