By Eanna O’Reilly

THE Galway senior camogie team open their championship campaign against Cork on Saturday at Kenny Park, Athenry (5pm). Following a highly successful National League, in which the Tribeswomen won their second consecutive title following a final victory over Saturday’s opponents, expectations will be high for more silverware this summer.

It promises to be a cracking contest in Athenry when the Rebels will arrive seeking to alter a very poor record against Galway in recent years. Cork have failed to beat the Tribeswomen in their last seven competitive meetings, stretching back to 2018.

Cathal Murray’s charges have already defeated the Rebels twice this season. They travelled to Páirc Uí Chaoimh in late March for a fifth round league game and inflicted a first defeat of the year on the home side, on a 1-11 to 1-10 scoreline. Galway followed this up with a 2-13 to 1-12 win at Croke Park in mid-April to secure the county’s seventh National League title.

Galway began the year with a significantly depleted panel, having lost a host of players from last year’s squad for a variety of reasons. The absence of Sarah Healy, Heather Cooney, Sarah Dervan, Niamh Kilkenny, Catherine Finnerty and Siobhán McGrath  from last year’s championship team, as well as injuries to the likes of Rebecca Hennelly, Orlaith McGrath, Sarah Spellman and Maria Cooney, put the Tribeswomen at a disadvantage from the outset.

During this year’s league campaign, Galway gave 15 players their senior debuts. After a heavy defeat to Tipperary in the opening round, the Tribeswomen bounced back to win five consecutive matches and take home their second league title in a row. Kilkenny, Clare, Dublin, and Cork (twice) were all put to the sword by Murray’s charges in the process.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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