Galway 1-11
Cork 1-8

by Darren Kelly at TUS Gaelic Grounds

Galway are the first ever All-Ireland U23 camogie champions following this three-point victory over Cork on Saturday.

Kayla Madden’s first half goal gave the Tribeswomen a lead they never surrendered but it was their second half dominance that told as Cathal Murray’s charges scored six points to their opponents’ one to close in on the winners’ enclosure.

However, Cork, unbeaten in their previous five games, didn’t go down without a fight. Isobel Sheehan’s goal, in between two Amy Sheppard frees, brought a seven-point deficit back to three. But time ran out for the Munster champions.

Galway got off the mark after just three minutes when Laura Kelly converted a free. But a long drive from ‘keeper Caoimhe Buckley led to Niamh McNabola equalising in their next attack.

The sides were level four times during the opening 22 minutes. McNabola, thanks to Millie Condon, got the Munster champions ahead in the fourth minute. However, Cora Kenny picked out Niamh McInerney to make it 0-2 apiece immediately.

An Avril Cashman run before finding Rose Murphy led to Claudia Keane putting Cork back in front. But Kelly sent over her second score to restore parity in the 13th minute.

However, Cork got the best opportunity to make a breakthrough beforehand when Condon sent Sheppard raiding in on the left. Galway’s corner-back Ava Crowe stayed tight to the Cloughduv attacker just as she was about to pull the trigger. The second effort bounced off the side net.

The Tribeswomen took the lead on 17 minutes when Kelly converted a free. Cork made it 0-4 each five minutes later thanks to Sheppard’s placed ball.

Cork hadn’t conceded a goal in their previous five championship outings but that changed on 24 minutes following a well executed Galway attack. Half-backs Katie Manning, Katie Anna Porter and Joanne Daly linked up before the latter picked out Madden.

The Athenry forward had space on the right and finished past Buckley for the goal. Kelly added a free to put four between them before a Sheppard placed ball left Cork just 1-5 to 0-5 behind at half-time.

On the hottest day of the year with barely a puff of wind, Cork came out quickly for the start of the second period before Galway arrived. Both teams had two early chances go a begging while Cork captain Daire O’Brien got a yellow card for charging.

The first score took seven minutes to arrive when Madden found Galway’s Jennifer Hughes out on the right. Within seconds, Katie Gilchrist helped Kelly get her first from play and Galway were 1-7 to 0-5 clear.

It could have been more when Gilchrist’s attempted pass to Aoibhe Joyce was cut out by Buckley. And as scores dried up, Claire Kingston pushed forward and set up Ava Fitzgerald for a crucial point leaving the Leesiders just 1-7 to 0-6 down on the three quarter mark.

However, Daniel Morrissey’s charges needed to follow up with more white flags but hit a 13 minute drought. The next four points went Galway’s way through two Kelly frees, McInerney and substitute Catherine Hanley.

The introduction of changes by Galway was telling as they were directly involved in three scores with Joyce, Ava Bloomer, Orla Mullins and Hanley playing their part. However, Cork made sure that this wouldn’t be settled until the final whistle.

Sheppard converted a free before a Cork attack sent Sheehan coming in from the right and she rattled the net to leave it 1-11 to 1-7. Erinn Curtin also got close for another before being fouled. Sheppard lodged a low shot just over the bar but time was already against them.

Referee Barry Nea brought proceedings to a finish and Galway were crowned the first ever All-Ireland under-23 champions. Their defence, as a unit, was excellent restricting the Leesiders while McInerney’s energy in attack made her a deserving player of the match.

No doubt these sets of players will have plenty more battles in years to come. But for 2025, that’s two from two in All-Ireland Finals for Galway against Cork (along with the U16s). Both still have a chance at senior, along with Tipperary and Waterford, when their semi-finals take place.

SCORERS FOR GALWAY: L Kelly 0-7 (6f), K Madden 1-0, N McInerney 0-2, C Hanley 0-1.

SCORERS FOR CORK: A Sheppard 0-4 (4f), I Sheehan 1-0, N McNabola 0-2, A Fitzgerald 0-1, C Keane 0-1.

GALWAY: L Freeney; R Kelly, S Lyons, A Crowe; K Manning, KA Porter, J Daly; A Carr, J Hughes; A Barry, K Madden, L Kelly; N McInerney, C Kenny, K Gilchrist. 7Subs: A Joyce for Kenny (36), A Bloomer for Gilchrist (45), O Mullins for Madden (48), C Hanley for Barry (55), C Allen for Kelly (58).

CORK: C Buckley; S Hurley, C Kingston, M De Burca; A Cashman, D O’Brien, M Ring; M Condon, A Fitzgerald; E Duignan, R Murphy, I Sheehan; A Sheppard, C Keane, N McNabola. Subs: A McCarthy for McNabola (45), E Wigginton Barrett for Ring (52), N O’Regan for O’Brien (56), E Curtin for Cashman (56).

REFEREE: Barry Nea (Westmeath)

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