By Kevin Egan
All-Ireland and League champions Cork, their beaten rivals in both deciders Galway, as well as Kilkenny and Clare picked up victories in the first round of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship.
Galway opened their campaign with a 0-15 to 1-6 victory over Dublin at a rain soaked Kenny Park in Athenry. The visitors made a strong start with a goal after ten minutes from Aisling Gannon, while points from Sinéad Wylde and Aisling Maher (free) had the visitors 1-2 to 0-2 ahead after 18 minutes, threatening an upset win for the Dubs.
Galway leaned heavily on the expertise of team captain Carrie Dolan and her dead-ball skills in the first half as she was their only scorer in that opening 30 minutes, registering four converted frees, one 45 and two points from play, while points from Wylde and Grace O’Shea scores left the sides level at half time, 0-7 to 1-4.
The Tribeswomen proved too strong in the second half, outscoring the visitors by 0-8 to 0-2 in what were incredibly difficult conditions for the teams to show their quality.
Dolan added four from placed balls while Sabina Rabbitte, Mairéad Dillon, Caoimhe Kelly and Niamh Mallon also chipped in. Two Maher frees were all that Dublin could add to their tally in the second half as the home side ran out winners.
The other Group 2 fixture saw Kilkenny record a 3-26 to 0-9 win over Derry in Owenbeg, with the Cats in complete control throughout.
The visitors led by 0-9 to 0-2 and already had six different scorers on the board when Katie Nolan fired their first goal after 16 minutes. They led by 1-15 to 0-3 at the interval with Sarah Barcoe picking off three from play. Orlaith Hull tallied all three of Derry’s scores from frees during the first half.
The interval didn’t change the flow of the game as Kilkenny picked up from where they had left off, with Sophie Holden and Steffi Fitzgerald adding goals. Derry got second-half points through Sinéad and Áine McGill, but the Ulster side were left in no doubt as to the task on their hands ahead of another fiercely tough test against Galway next Saturday.
Kilkenny will go back home and play host to Waterford next weekend, with Dublin on a bye before taking on the Cats in round three.
In Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, the home side overcame Wexford 0-15 to 1-9. A tough and competitive game saw Clare take a 0-10 to 1-5 lead into the interval before the scores became even harder to come by in the second half. Ziyan Spillane struck five first-half points for the Banner (three frees) while Róisín Begley landed three from play.
Joanne Dillon hit four placed balls for Wexford at the other end while the highlight reels will be dominated by a superb goal from Wexford’s Anais Curran, a brilliant shot to the top right-hand corner.
The second half was equally competitive, but Clare shaded the scoring with Ellen Casey tallying two vital points. Dillon added a pair at the other end, bringing her personal tally to 0-6 for the afternoon, but it wasn’t enough as Wexford couldn’t find a way to engineer the second goal they badly needed, Clare Hehir in player-of-the-match winning form at the back for the Bannerwomen.
There was no surprise in Páirc Uí Rinn where reigning champions Cork recorded a facile victory over Limerick. Ger Manley’s charges ran out 6-25 to 0-5 winners over the Treaty county, who now face into a crucial battle with Wexford next weekend in Rathkeale.
First half goals from Amy O’Connor, Katrina Mackey and Orlaith Cahalane saw the Leesiders lead by 3-12 to 0-1 at half-time, Limerick’s sole score coming from a Caoimhe Costelloe free.
It didn’t get much better for Limerick in the second half, with Cork adding goals through Cahalane, and two from Clodagh Finn, while they also racked up another 13 points for good measure.
O’Connor (1-7), Cahalane (2-3), Finn (2-3) and Mackey (1-4) all had productive afternoons in front of the posts, with Laura Southern hitting two point from play for Limerick to go with Costelloe’s three frees. Cork will travel to Tipperary next weekend, with Clare resting up in this group.
