Wasteful Galway pay the price in narrow semis loss to Antrim

Antrim 2-13

Galway 1-13

By Eanna O’Reilly

THE Galway intermediate camogie team crashed out of the championship in Clones on Saturday, with a three-point defeat to Antrim in the All-Ireland semi-final.

A poor start from the Tribeswomen in the first quarter, during which they allowed their opponents to open up a 2-3 to 0-3 lead, ultimately forced them to chase the game for the remainder.

It proved too difficult a task for Galway, on a day when Cathal Murray’s side were uncharacteristically wasteful in front of the posts.

Galway opened the scoring with a good point from Ava Lynskey, before the Ulster side replied with a point from Áine Magill. Lynskey was involved again in Galway’s second score, along with Mairéad Burke, as they supplied the lively Cora Kenny for a point. Antrim equalised with a Maeve Kelly score from the right wing, as the early exchanges were evenly contested.

The Saffrons got a crucial score in the sixth minute however, with a goal from Róisín McCormick. Galway failed to deal with a Magill’s long delivery and when the sliotar broke to McCormick she blasted it first time past Fiona Ryan.

Galway responded with Áine Keane’s first pointed free, but the Ulster side had their tails up, and McCormick was proving to be a handful up front. The corner forward fired a point over her shoulder to extend Antrim’s lead before they had the ball in the net for the second time soon after. The pacey Magill broke inside before blasting a shot, which deflected off Lisa Casserly and past Ryan for a goal.

Keane got a neat point after intercepting an Antrim pass to leave it 2-3 to 0-4 at the water break. Galway rallied, with Keane setting up Mairéad Dillon for a point before the St. Thomas’ player pointed a ’45, to reduce the deficit to four. Antrim took over again however, hitting 0-4 in succession.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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