Chance for Tribeswomen to turn the tables on the Cats

GALWAY will look to secure their first National League Division 1 camogie title since 2015 when they take on a Kilkenny outfit chasing a four-in-a-row in the decider at Croke Park on Sunday. Throw-in 12 noon.

With the hurling and football Division 1 National League finals taking place at the same venue later in the afternoon, the inclusion of the camogie showpiece has been welcomed by Galway manager Cathal Murray. He saw this as a great opportunity for the Tribeswomen to showcase their talent.

“It is great to be in Croke Park, in fairness,” he said. “For these girls to get the chance to play in it is great. Not only that, we haven’t got to a league final since 2016 (lost to Kilkenny) and it is great to be able to play these games late in the competition because we have a big break from now until the championship. It is another eight weeks until we play Kilkenny in the championship again.”

It is somewhat fitting that the two teams unbeaten in Division 1 of the camogie league will contest the final. For Galway’s part, they opened up their campaign with wins over Tipperary, Wexford and Waterford before drawing with Cork, 2-7 to 0-13, in their final group outing. Noreen Coen and Carrie Dolan provided the goals to ensure Galway topped the group on scoring difference.

In the semi-final, they faced Limerick, who in their previous outing had run Kilkenny to just a point. However, the Treaty County proved no match for Galway on the day, Murray’s charges running out emphatic 2-14 to 0-4 winners. On this occasion, it was Niamh Hanniffy and Ailish O’Reilly who tallied the majors.

“We played very well but Limerick didn’t show up at all,” said Murray. “They were very, very poor. We had been expecting a big challenge from them. So, it is hard to know from that game. Look, it was nice to win it like that but, yes, you would rather have got a bigger test. I suppose, though, we had already got that against Cork two weeks before.”

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.