Galway return to right track after thrashing Offaly

Date Published: {J}

Galway 1-25

Offaly 2-4

Eoghan Cormican

At Pearse Stadium

GALWAY flight plan in this year’s championship – unknown after defeat to Cork – veered back in the direction of the semi-final stage after this facile victory over Offaly, their third of the campaign so far.

Offaly, competing in camogie’s top tier for the first time following Junior and Intermediate success over the past two seasons, couldn’t cope with Galway’s strength, technique or quality at Pearse Stadium on Saturday.

The victors outscored Joachim Kelly’s side by 0-16 to 2-2 between the 22nd and 58th minute, with their five point burst in the last four minutes of the first half proving especially significant. It left Galway 1-15 to 1-2 ahead and well on their way to resuming normal service after the dismal performance at the same venue six days earlier.

There was an all round strength to this team performance which delighted the Galway following who arrived early ahead of the hurling qualifier and, truth be told, the result was never in doubt once Galway found the net as early as the fifth minute. Indeed, the camogie women would set the tone for what was to be a successful evening for those sporting the maroon and white.

Although the contest as a spectacle was extremely poor, credit must be afforded for fixing the tie as a curtain raiser to the Clare and Galway hurling clash. Common sense prevailed and interest in the game of camogie was no doubt increased.

In any event, Galway won out by 18 points and did so easing up, without breaking as much as a sweat. Players and management alike, however, will be acutely aware that tougher tests lie in store before the semi-final berth is secured.

Certainly, Galway were by no means pushed in this one, with Offaly conjuring up only a single point in the final quarter. Their sharpshooters Arlene Watkins and Elaine Dermody failed to make any progress against a defence where Therese Maher, Sinead Cahalan and Lorraine Ryan ran the security operation with ruthless authority.

Further up, Niamh Kilkenny and Ann Marie Starr were dominant at midfield, providing the launch pad for the bulk of Galway’s total. On the basis of this display, it would appear the management have located a settled midfield partnership.

The Galway attack showed great vision, speed and accuracy to torment the Offaly defence with Brenda Hanney, Noreen Coen and Sandra Tannian delivering the goods in terms of putting scores on the board.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.