Eoghan Cormican

In a busy weekend for followers of the maroon and white, the county’s Intermediate camogie side will strive to see out a job they failed to finish two weeks ago when reacquainting with old foes Derry in the All-Ireland Final replay in Ashbourne, Meath, this Saturday (3pm).

Tony Ward’s charges have had to plenty to work on over the past fortnight, after being outscored by 1-8 to 0-4 in the first 20 minutes of the drawn fixture. Many of the Galway women – playing in Croke Park for the first time – were totally overcome by the occasion and had Derry shown a more ruthless streak in front of goal, the contest would have been done and dusted by half time.

But Galway eventually came to the pace of proceedings, delivering a spirited second-half display and even appeared within striking distance of glory but for a 61st Katie McAnenly penalty that well and truly rocked Galway back on their heels. The subsequent composure shown by the Tribeswomen was straight out of the top drawer as possession was worked to sub Rachel Monaghan who won the match-saving free three minutes into injury time.

Assessing Galway chances ahead of the replay, Ward said it was a tense finish, but one where Galway deserve massive credit for refusing to throw-in the towel.

“It was four minutes of three very different emotions; having it won, having it lost and eventually getting the draw. As it was said last week in the paper, these girls really don’t know when they beaten. They always play to the final whistle.

“I think after the game, our girls really believe they can take Derry. Prior to the game all we were listening to and reading was how Derry hadn’t lost a game all year, they were almost made out to be unbeatable. But having played them, we know we can match them.”
 

Central to Galway’s second-half recovery was the introduction of substitute’s Caitriona Cormican and Rachel Monaghan, both of whom had their hand in a number of scores. Cormican, introduced midway through the opening half, steadied the ship in the middle of the field at a time when Galway were being cleaned out by the industrious pair of Sinead Cassidy and Grainne McNicholl. Similarly, Monaghan brought an extra dimension to the attack and along with Kinvara’s Orla Curtin, the duo posed major problems for the Derry full-back line.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.