Gala All-Ireland Senior Championship Round Up

BY JACKIE CAHILL
 
LAST year’s beaten finalists Cork moved to within touching distance of the Gala All-Ireland senior camogie championship semi-finals with a 1-16 to 0-10 victory against Munster rivals Tipperary on Sunday.
The Rebelettes scored 1-12 during the course of a powerful second half performance in Ballincollig to claim a comfortable nine-point victory, having trailed by 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time.
Rachel Moloney was the undoubted star turn for Cork as she weighed in with 0-11 for the winners, including eight frees and a 45.
Ace attacker Moloney edged her scoring duel with Tipperary’s leading scorer Claire Grogan, who finished nine points to her credit, six of those from frees.
With three wins from three outings in the Gala championship, Cork know that one more victory will virtually guarantee a top-four finish and that could be achieved as early as next weekend against Galway.
Corner forward Orla Cotter also caught the eye for Cork and her goal, nine minutes after half-time, edged Cork ahead by 1-7 to 0-9.
Moloney added two further points to put the home side in the driving seat but Cork played the last 13 minutes of the game with 14 players after Gemma O’Connor was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Cork readjusted by dropping Cotter to midfield while Briege Corkery moved from midfield to centre back and Rena Buckley switched from the centre to left half back for the closing minutes.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Wexford slumped to a second successive defeat in this year’s Gala All-Ireland senior camogie championship as the prolific Jessica Gill fired beaten National League finalists Galway closer to the semi-finals.
Gill, 2007 Connacht Young Player of the Year, put Wexford to the sword with a 1-9 haul as Galway ran out 1-12 to 2-4 winners at Killimor on Saturday.
The Tribeswomen have collected maximum points from their opening two games but Wexford are in trouble having both of their outings to date.
A superb solo goal by Gill, four minutes before half-time, was the crucial score as Galway led by 1-7 to 1-2 at the break.
Ursula Jacob had goaled for Wexford after just eight minutes but Galway soon assumed control and Gill’s strike put them in the driving seat.
Wexford, despite Katrina Parrock’s second half goal, could never get to within touching distance of the hosts who are proving that their impressive league form was no flash in the pan.
Meanwhile, Dublin collected their first win of the competition with a 0-16 to 1-6 success against Limerick at the home of Trinity Gaels in the capital on Saturday.
Dublin had the better of the early exchanges but Joanne Clifford’s 15th minute goal for Limerick tied the scores at 1-2 to 0-5.
Dublin came strong once again and after establishing a 0-9 to 1-3 half-time advantage, the Sky Blues outscored the visitors 0-7 to 0-3 in the second half.
Louise O’Hara finished as Dublin’s top scorer with 0-5 and her switch from midfield to centre forward was a pivotal move after half-time as the hosts pulled away with the breeze at their backs.
Meanwhile, Kildare made history in Aughrim, county Wicklow on Saturday as they claimed victory in the inaugural minor championship blitz.
Five counties – Wicklow, Kildare, Carlow, Roscommon and Westmeath – competed in this new competition and the Lilywhites registered a notable success by defeating Carlow in the final.

Gala All Ireland Camogie Senior Championship.
Cork 1-16 v Tipperary 0-10

By Kieran Slattery County P.R.O.

Tipp`s unbeaten run in the Gala All-Ireland Senior Championship came to an end last Sunday in Ballincollig, while Cork now have full points out of their 3 games. Cliches of goals win matches & a game of two halves are very appropiate when summerising this game.

Conditions were very greasy underfoot but apart from both goalmouths the field was in good condition. Cork registered the first point from a free in the 3rd minute but Tipp were soon to follow with Claire Grogan pointing her first free. Cork took another point from play but at this stage Tipp were getting to grips with the Cork effort & were cutting off the supply to the Rebels full forward line. The centre field for Tipp was very effective as was the Half back line, they launched numerous attacks and Tipp were able to hit 4 unanswered points before Cork found the target with 2 frees. Tipp then followed this with 3 more points before the break putting them 8 points up to Cork`s 4pts. There was a lot of good play from Tipp, & their line balls & free taking was of great standard considering the weather conditions. The support play was also a feature of thefirst half & they constantly hassled the Cork girls when they were in possession.

The resumption of the second half stirred up a wind which favoured Cork & they scored from play in the 32nd minute. Tipp answered with their own effort but were not to score again until 5 minutes from the end when Cork had pulled away out of reach.

Cork`s goal came again from a scramble in Tipp`s goal mouth & uncertainty from defence & goalie. This has caught Tipp out before in other games. Another factor was that Cork scored 6 points from frees in the second half. They were also given this lifeline with two frees when Tipp were dominant in the first half  & it cut down Tipp’s margin at half time. Conditions may have been part of the reason but against Cork at this level every foul will be punished. Even when Cork`s Gemma O Connor recieved her second yellow in the second half Tipp could not use the extra player to their advantage, such was the Cork`s improvement in this
half.
There was dissapointment from the Tipp camp after the game and reflecting afterwards the management felt that Tipp`s performance in the first half when they took the game to Cork was exactly what they wanted. Unfortunately the goal came at the wrong time for Tipp`s challenge & they ended up playing catch up for the rest of the half. However, Tipp`s campaign is far from over as they now travel to Kilmallock this Saturday July 12th for a 1pm throw in against Limerick. A victory here would get their quest for a semi final spot back on course.

Tipperary team; Paula Ryan, Paula Bulfin, Suzanne Kelly,Julie Kirwin,Michelle Shortt,Patricia O Halloran, Mary Ryan,Joanne Ryan,Jill Horan,Cora Hennessy,Mairead Luttrell, Philly Fogarty,Therese Shortt, Emily Hayden(0.01), Claire Grogan(0.09). Subs used; Geraldine Kinnane, Maria Tynan.
Ref; Fintan McNamara, Clare

Results from Weekend of 5th & 6th July

Gala All-Ireland Senior Championship 3rd rd.
 
Dublin 0-16: L O’Hara 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1’45), A Jordan 0-4, F NÝ Chorcorßin 0-3,C Burgess 0-2, S Ryan, C Donnelly 0-1 each.
Limerick: 1-6: J Clifford 1-0, EO’Brien 0-5f, N Mulcahy 0-1.
 
Galway 1-12: J Gill 1-9 (0-7f), V Curtin, D Burke, O Kilkenny 0-1 each.
Wexford 2-4: K Parrock, U Jacob 1-0, each K Kelly 0-2, R Breen, U Leacy 0-1 each.
 
Cork 1-16: O Cotter 1-2, R Moloney 0-11 (0-8f, 0-1’45), U O’Donoghue 0-2, S Burns 0-1.
Tipperary 0-10: C Grogan 0-9 (0-6f), E Hayden -1.
 
Gala All-Ireland Intermediate Championship:
Galway 2-10: S Staunton 1-1, M Reynolds 1-0, M Conroy 0-3,V Molloy, S Coen 0-2 each, E O’Sullivan, T Rutledge 0-1 each.
Wexford: 1-7:C Storey 1-0, E Doyle 0-5, M Kelly, E Quigley 0-1 each.
 
Cork: 3-17: M Jaego 2-0, C Kearney 1-2, M Browne 0-5 (0-3f),  Spellman 0-4, A Thompson, J White 0-2 each, L Bugler, L Walsh 0-1 each.
Tipperary 0-0
 
Kilkenny 3-13:
Derry 1-9: O Mullan 1-0, G Mc Goldrick 0-6 (0-3f), A Laverty, B Convery, K Keilt 0-1 each
 
Minor A c’ship: Cork v Dublin off
 
Minor B c’ship:
Waterford 3-10: C Malone 1-2, S Curran, M Russell 1-0 each, P Jackman 0-8 (0-3f).
Meath: 1-3:  F Ni Choilean 1-0, O Doyle, E Mangan, C Troy 0-1 each.
 
Minor special c’ship Final:
Kildare: 3-4,C Mc Sweeney 3-2, N Fleming, C Farrell 0-1 each.
Carlow: 1-2, M Murphy 1-0, T Ralph 0-2.
 
U16 c’ship:
Kilkenny 1-14,
Antrim 3-6: L Mc Keown 2-3, M Connolly 1-0, R Welsh 0-2, A Mc Fadden 0-1.
 
Dublin 2-11:  S Duff,1 -2 M Moynihan 1-1,M Twomey 0-3 ’45’s,      
Wexford 1-12:  M Byrne 1-1, L Bolger 0-4f, E Kelly 0-4, T Somers, C Doyle, M E Doyle 0-1 each.

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