Galway had their homework done in flooring the champs

WHEN the Galway camogie team lined out against Cork on Sunday at Croke Park, they had a number of key tasks which were crucial to their success. They had to stop Cork from getting into their usual pattern of play. They had to stop them from dominating possession in the middle third, and they had to match Cork from a physical and athletic point of view.

Galway always possessed the skill levels to match the Leesiders, but those other components were absolutely essential parts of the match day brief for Cathal Murray’s charges.

On all counts, Galway produced the goods on the day. The intensity of their tackling made it extremely difficult for Cork to work the ball out from defence, which is so often the Rebels’ starting point for engineering scores. Cork are used to being able to find each other with short passes and work the ball through the lines.

Galway stopped that in its tracks for the majority of Sunday’s final. Cork players were swarmed in possession, forced to run down blind alleys, and turned over by the ravenous players in maroon. The physicality Galway brought in their tackling visibly took the Rebels by surprise.

Cork so often dominate their opponents in the physical stakes, while they are rarely matched for athleticism and ball winning capabilities. However, the Tribeswomen were more then a match for them in every department. The aggression and doggedness displayed by Cathal Murray’s charges from the outset made it clear that the Leesiders were not going to have it all their own way.

Galway played in Cork’s faces and never allowed them to settle, forcing them to play on the back foot. Ger Manley’s charges were visibly rattled, and it wasn’t long before their frustrations boiled over. Hannah Looney’s moment of madness which resulted in her red card reflected a team which was being taken well outside their comfort zone.

Cork’s much vaunted forward line had been shooting the lights out all year. The Rebels had put up staggering scoring totals and flattened everything in their path during this year’s championship. Most pundits simply couldn’t countenance any team being able to contain their attack.

The Tribeswomen had different ideas. Cork’s starting six forwards registered two points from play for sixty one minutes of the game. The likes of Amy O’Connor, Katrina Mackey, and Sorcha McCartan were all substituted after being remarkably subdued. Saoirse McCarthy failed to register a score from play.

It was a testament to the determination, doggedness, and no little skill of the Galway back six. Siobhán Gardiner’s role in marking McCarthy was a tremendous success. The 2023 player of the year had some moments of quality, but her influence was far below its usual level thanks to Gardiner’s efforts.

Ciara Hickey’s role as a deep lying centre back was hugely effective in the opening half, while she was also excellent as the loose defender in the second period. Hickey read the game to great effect, and her positioning made it very difficult for Cork to get their forwards on the ball in space.

Either side of her, Gardiner and Dervla Higgins were typically powerful and put Galway on the front foot throughout the match. Galway’s half backs also used possession well and provided good ball for their forwards.

Pictured: Galway’ defender Dervla Higgins is sent flying by Cork's Cliona Healy during the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final at Croke Park on Sunday. Photo:c NPHO/Tom O’Hanlon