Galway 1-14; Cork 1-13
Yes, Cork played for over a half a player down but such was the way they were written up that even that seemed like it wouldn’t stop the Rebelettes completing a three-in-a-row of Duffy Cup victories at Croke Park on Sunday.
However Galway’s dander was up the way they were written off and the way they failed in the same game the previous year - the result was a resolute display from the Westerners who came out of the blocks with a plan to bring huge energy in the middle third against a class southern outfit.
Even with all that working for them, and even when they were four points down going into the last five minutes, you knew that Cork would attempt a Lazarus-like second coming.
Entering added time, they had equalized with a great Orlaith Cahalane goal on the hour mark.
The big question then was - who would blink first?
The answer was the holders as Carrie Dolan sent over a free from a mile out under the Cusack Stand to claim victory in the most dramatic of circumstances in front of 28,795 and in the 63rd minute of play.
That was her seventh point of the game and it gave Galway their fifth All Ireland title. Aoife Donohue was central to the success as MVP as was skipper Dolan but we must also factor in the huge loss to Cork after star midfielder Hannah Looney saw red late in the first-half.
Remarkably, Cork’s fighting character saw them win the scoring stakes in the second half. Galway had started the better and when rookie Mairead Dillon struck the all-important goal and Ailish O'Reilly picked off three points from play, it gave their side a cushion which ultimately they would need against a never-say-die Cork outfit who refused to bow the knee, even when 1-9 to 0-7 in arrears at the break.
Dillon’s goal came in the 14th minute after she was fed by Donohue, who scored two first-half points to settle her team.
Galway: S Healy; S Healy, R Hanniffy, R Black; S Gardiner, C Hickey, D Higgins; A Starr, O Rabbitte; N Mallon (0-1), M Dillon (1-0), A Donohue (0-2); A O'Reilly (0-3), C Dolan (0-7f), C Kelly (0-1) Subs: S Rabbitte for Kelly 41, J Hughes for O Rabbitte 53, E Helebert for Hickey 59, A Hesnan for Dillon 62.
Cork: A Lee; L Coppinger, P Mackey, M Cahalane; A Healy, L Treacy, L Hayes (0-1); H Looney (0-1), A Thompson (0-2); E Murphy (0-2), A O'Connor (0-3f), S McCarthy (0-4f); K Mackey, S McCartan, O Cahalane (1-0) Subs: C Finn for KMackey 37, O Mullins for McCartan 41, C Healy for O'Connor 49, M Murphy for Healy 57, K Wall for Murphy 59.
Ref: J Heffernan (Wexford).
RESULTS
Sunday, Aug. 10
Camogie All-Ireland Senior Championship final
Galway 1-14, Cork 1-13, Croke Park
Camogie All-Ireland Intermediate Championship final
Offaly 0-14, Kerry 0-11, Croke Park
Camogie All-Ireland Premier Junior Championship final
Laois 2-15, Armagh 0-12, Croke Park
