Tribeswomen stay on track for league semi-finals with narrow win

Galway 1-13

Offaly    3-5

THREE late points last Sunday helped Galway to their second victory in the National Senior Camogie League and booked a winner-takes-all meeting with Wexford.

White flags for Niamh McGrath, Niamh Kilkenny and Jessie Gill got the maroon and white over the line against a stubborn Offaly outfit disappointed to take nothing from this game.

Galway did make life much harder for themselves. Against the wind, they led 1-5 to 1-3 at half-time.  And within four minutes of the restart, that margin was five with McGrath adding two frees and Ailish O’Reilly pointing from play. But the strong work rate being put in by the Tribeswomen conceded lapses of concentration as the Faithful County struck for two goals.

Cailin Fitzgerald made a telling impact in the 35th minute when she held off tight marking to score a second Offaly goal. And five minutes later, what should have been a routine Galway clearance allowed Roisin Egan deliver towards Niamh Larkin who left Susan Earner no chance for a 3-3 to 1-8 advantage.  And it should have been better for the home side when Rachel Brennan sliced another ball wide with the goal at her mercy.

The sides shared the next four scores as two Flannery frees were countered by McGrath and O’Reilly leaving it 3-5 to 1-10. O’Reilly, in particular, was having a storming performance and finished with 1-5.  And she could have had more as goal chances were denied by Fiona Stephens and Mairead Jennings.

Eventually, Galway got on level terms again when McGrath pointed and they then showed their resilience to close the game out. Kilkenny stepped in for a good effort from distance for the lead before the just introduced Gill scored immediately to secure the points.

It was an open contest on a day attacks would dominate and poor misses in the first quarter denied a higher scoring encounter. Flannery opened for Offaly in the fourth minute before O’Reilly responded within 60 seconds for the equaliser.

Shauna Healy and Lorraine Ryan were standing out in the half back line and Healy created two Galway attacks before the ten minute mark. The first involving Emma Kilkelly and Laura Mitchell saw Niamh Hanniffy get closed out.

But there was more success with the second! Started by Healy, the returning Sarah Dervan, Kilkenny and Hanniffy all played a part with O’Reilly showing her poaching instincts to hand pass to the net for a 1-1 to 0-1 scoreline.

Galway should have pushed on but were behind within four minutes. Flannery sent over a 45 but when Michaela Morkam sent a fierce ball down the central channel, Tina Hannon had stolen a march in anticipation to gain possession before striking past Earner to make it 1-2 to 1-1.

Anne Marie Starr got Galway back on track in the 16th minute and they finished strongly with O’Reilly (2) and McGrath on target before Flannery left it 1-5 to 1-3 at the break. It could have been easier in the second 30 minutes but when needed, Galway got the winning points. Level on top of Group A on five points with Limerick, and a point ahead of Wexford, any result against the Slaneysiders will see the Tribeswomen into the league semi-finals for the first time since 2012.

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