Poor opening proves costly for Galway in Division 2 showdown

GALWAY 1-10
KERRY 1-13

JASON BYRNE AT PARNELL PARK

FOR the second consecutive year, it was heartbreak for the Galway ladies footballers in the Division 2 final of the National league. This time it was Kerry who leap-frogged Galway to promotion, the same side who denied them an All-Ireland final berth last year.

Despite the summer championship feel to the conditions in Dublin, a fierce breeze swirled around Parnell Park which favoured the Kingdom in the opening half, and William O’Sullivan’s charges made full use of it.

They quickly raced 1-2 to no-score ahead as ace corner forward Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh dispatched a free and Sarah Houlihan quickly followed suit with a fine score from play.

Galway struggled to gain a foothold and Kerry’s goal came from the penalty spot when Margaret Fitzgerald was hauled down approaching the target, and Ni Mhuircheartaigh coolly found the top corner to Johanna Connolly’s right.

Bernie Breen and Patrice Dennehy added further scores for the Kingdom before Galway stalwart Edel Concannon finally got Barry Downey’s side off the mark with a well-taken free which was won by Roisin Leonard.

But Dennehy and Houlihan quickly brought Kerry’s tally to 1-5, before Barbara Hannon fired one over the bar in fine fashion for Galway’s second score. But Kerry were in full swing and Houlihan tapped over two more frees along with a fine Ni Mhuircheartaigh score to give them an eight-point lead.

But Galway ladies football teams rarely throw in the towel, and as proven in last year’s thrilling Connacht final comeback win over Mayo, no deficit scares them off.

Subsequently, they finished the half the strongest with Claregalway’s Deirdre Brennan sailing over a peach of a kick and Concannon dispatching her first form play to remind the Munster outfit it wasn’t over yet, despite their 1-8 to 0-5 interval lead.

Lorna Joyce was introduced to the Galway attack to give them an added edge as Concannon and Houlihan swapped scores from the placed ball early in the half.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.