Galway’s goal blitz shocks the champs in thrilling showdown

Galway 5-7

Cork 2-15

GALWAY minor ladies’ footballers claimed their third All-Ireland title at the grade in six years – and their sixth in all – when they put five goals beyond defending champions Cork in a thrilling final at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Sunday.

Of Galway’s five goals, full forward Andrea Trill netted three of them with corner forward Aoife Thompson and wing-back Kate Geraghty tallying the other two at crucial stages of a titanic, often heart-stopping affair.

Backboned by many of the side that claimed the honours at this grade last year, Cork were firm favourites to complete a four-in-a-row but what they hadn’t factored into the equation was the hunger and desire of a Galway squad brimming with natural talent themselves.

Indeed, with Kieran Collins’ outfit looking so comfortable on the ball at times, it really was no surprise that they found the net on five occasions – three of those arriving in the first half as the Tribeswomen led 3-4 to 0-9 at the interval.

Given Cork’s proficiency in front of the posts – 2-15 would win most championship games – Galway had to be on song and, in this respect, they had heroines right throughout the park.

However, special mention must go to wing-backs Kate Geraghty and captain Lynsey Noone, corner back Chelsie Crowe and forwards Trill, Thompson and Chloe Miskell for the manner in which they led the charge.

One of the big debates afterwards was the player of the match award with opinion divided between Noone, Geraghty and Trill but, in the end, Noone narrowly shaded it on the number of influential plays she was involved in. She had the highest number of assists in scoring chances created while she also won more frees than any other Galway player on the day.

She also robbed a Cork kick-out in the 27th minute – the first of only three opposition kickouts they would manage to plunder – to initiate a move that led to Thompson setting up Trill for Galway’s third goal just before the break.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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