Murray’s side are left to rue poor start to the second half

Galway 1-15

STEPHEN GLENNON AT CROKE PARK

ONE that got away? Galway will believe so. Having levelled up this exciting National League senior camogie final in injury-time, the Tribeswomen subsequently conceded three points to All-Ireland champions Kilkenny to narrowly lose out on the prize at Croke Park on Sunday evening.

With a small crowd permitted to attend this sporting fixture in this era of Covid, there was great delight for the Kilkenny players as they lifted silverware in front of their die-hard supporters – something they had missed out when defeating Galway to win the O’Duffy Cup last December.

Indeed, for Galway, this was yet another disappointing visit to Gaelic Games headquarters and, no doubt, there will be some soul-searching done in the wake of a loss in which they did a great deal right and, yet, still fell short.

The decisive spell in this contest was just after half-time. A wind-assisted Galway had led 0-9 to 0-6 at the break – Carrie Dolan having landed seven points, including two from play – but, upon the restart, Kilkenny hit them for 1-5 without reply in a devastating eight-minute epoch.

The Kilkenny goal was one of real quality with the impressive Aoife Doyle rampaging through the Galway rearguard before unleashing an unstoppable effort beyond Sarah Healy on 32 minutes.

With Mary O’Connell (2), Doyle, Denise Gaule and Michaela Kenneally all adding points in this period, Kilkenny raced into a 1-11 to 0-9 lead and Galway appeared in all kinds of trouble, both in defence and attack.

Yet, what Doyle could do down one end, Niamh Kilkenny could do at the other and on 40 minutes the Pearses midfielder showed quick turn of foot coming in off the right wing and she, too, struck a fine shot to goal to breathe new life into the Galway challenge.

In the ensuing minutes, Gaule and Dolan exchanged frees and, by the second half water break, Cathal Murray’s charges were incredibly just two points behind, 1-12 to 1-10, despite being outplayed for most of the third quarter.

Galway continued to show resilience in the face of adversity in the final run-in as Siobhan McGrath, Dolan (two frees), Kilkenny and Donohoe all pointed to tie up the game at 1-15 apiece with time up and a victory was certainly there for them.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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