Leonard leads the way as Galway make no mistake

Galway 3-7

Mayo 0-9

THEY were very nearly the cause of their downfall in the drawn encounter but goals proved the winning of the game for Galway second time of asking on Saturday evening as two goals by Tracey Leonard and one by Megan Glynn propelled the Tribeswomen to a third Connacht title in-a-row and a seventh in eight years.

It was a defence orientated game by and large, but it was Galway’s quicker transition play and their ability to carve openings in the packed Mayo defence which ultimately created the goal chances they needed to win the game.

This was a much more assured and clever display then what the Tribeswomen produced in MacHale Park in the drawn encounter.

Sinead Burke tagged the dangerous Sarah Rowe for the whole game and kept the Kilmoremoy player scoreless from play and a peripheral figure in truth, while Barbara Hannon sat back in front of her full-back line, ensuring Mayo full-forward Rachel Kearns found the going much tougher this time around too.

And that’s not to say defenders weren’t given a licence to go forward. Burke, Hannon and Sarah Lynch sat back to mind the house but the Cooney sisters, Charlotte and Fabienne, along with Orla Murphy pushed forward in possession to help the attack further up the field.

Wing-back Charlotte Cooney was particularly effective in that regard, playing the key pass in setting up Glynn for Galway’s second goal and covering a huge amount of ground in general along with the likes of Olivia Divilly and Louise Ward.

One of the real qualities in this Galway side which sets them apart is the quality of ball carriers they possess. Right throughout the team, the Tribeswomen have the players to drive at defences and create overlaps, while their running off the shoulder compliments that approach further which in turn creates scoring opportunities.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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