COULD CORK MAKE it back-to-back titles and their 26th in total or would Galway win just their third O’Duffy Cup? We had all the minute-by-minute action from Croke Park.
Hello and welcome to today’s coverage. The junior and intermediate deciders are in the bag and we’re moving on to the showpiece between Cork and Galway.
Cork have done well to reach the final considering they lost a host of experience at the start of the season. That showed in a lacklustre performance in the round-robin stage of this competition but they showed their class in defeating Kilkenny in the semi-final.
Galway have the benefit of knowing they’ve already beaten the Leesiders twice this season and will look to Niamh McGrath for their scores today.
Throw-in is at 4pm.
Here are the teams as they were named during the week. We’ll update you on late changes if there are any.
Cork
1. Aoife Murray
2. Pamela Mackey
3. Laura Treacy
4. Leanne O’Sullivan
5. Rena Buckley
6. Gemma O’Connor
7. Meadbh Cahalane
8. Julia White
9. Ashling Thompson
10. Orla Cotter
11. Orla Cronin
12. Hannah Looney
13. Breige Corkery
14. Amy O’Connor
15. Katrina Mackey
Galway
1. Susan Earner
2. Therese Manton
3. Sarah Dervan
4. Heather Cooney
5. Siobhan Coen
6. Shauna Healy
7. Lorraine Ryan
8. Niamh Kilkenny
9. Clodagh McGrath
10. Aoife Donohue
11. Niamh McGrath
22. Finola Keeley
13. Catherine Finnerty
14. Molly Dunne
15. Ailish O’Reilly
1 mins – Cork 0-0 Galway 0-0:
Galway won the toss and they put Cork in to play into the Hill in the first half.
The game is under way.
2 mins – Cork 0-1 Galway 0-0:
Cork’s Ashling Thompson takes advantage of Galway’s failure to clear their lines and points the first score of the game with ease.
4 mins – Cork 0-2 Galway 0-0:
Hannah Looney hits the first wide of the game for Cork from an acute angle. It’s been a lively opening to the game though and Orla Cotter doubles her side’s advantage moments later.
5 mins – Cork 0-2 Galway 0-1:
Another wide for Looney from a similar angle as the last. Cork very much on top so far.
Galway get on the scoreboard with a fine point from Niamh McGrath halving the deficit.
6 mins – Cork 0-3 Galway 0-1:
Orla Cotter adds a second point to her tally, this time from a free and Cork’s lead is two points again.
8 mins – Cork 0-4 Galway 0-1:
Orla Cotter adds another free. Her place-ball technique may be unique but it’s certainly proving to be accurate so far.
10 mins – Cork 0-4 Galway 0-1:
After some confusion over whether or not it was a line ball or a free, Niamh McGrath pointed a free but the referee called it back for a throw-ball.
10 mins – Cork 0-4 Galway 0-1:
After some confusion over whether or not it was a line ball or a free, Niamh McGrath pointed a free but the referee called it back for a throw-ball.
12 mins – Cork 0-4 Galway 0-2:
Cork’s Laura Treacy picks up the game’s first yellow card and Niamh McGrath adds her second point from close range.
14 mins – Cork 0-5 Galway 0-2:
The game’s a little scrappy now with lots of scoreable frees being given away. Orla Cotter makes no mistake again, that’s her fourth point.
15 mins – Cork 0-5 Galway 0-3:
Galway reduce the gap to two again, Niamh McGrath with another free.
19 mins – Cork 0-6 Galway 0-3:
Orla Cronin gets the first point from play in some time.
20 mins – Cork 0-7 Galway 0-3:
First Galway booking of the game as Sarah Dervan charges into Ashling Thompson. Orla Cotter takes the free and, as she has three times previously, Orla Cotter points the free.
25 mins – Cork 0-8 Galway 0-3:
Breige Corkery takes advantage of the acres of space she’s afforded by the Galway defence to point her first score of the day.
27 mins – Cork 0-8 Galway 0-4:
Niamh McGrath adds her and Galway’s fourth point, again from a free. Galway really need to find some more scorers if they want to win their second title in three years.
It’s been a frustrating first half from a neutral point of view. Both sides have been guilty of giving away far too many easy frees to the opposition.
Cork look likely to retain their title if Galway can’t find scores coming from players other than Niamh McGrath.
Second half is under way.
Half time change for Galway.
(21) Jessica Gill has replaced Catherine Finnerty.
31 mins – Cork 0-8 Galway 0-5:
Niamh McGrath with a long range free gives Galway the first score of the second half.
33 mins – Cork 0-8 Galway 0-6:
Niamh McGrath with her sixth point, and fifth from a free, as the gap is closed to just two points.
35 mins – Cork 0-8 Galway 0-7:
Cork nearly score the game’s first goal but Amy O’Connor’s effort is disallowed because of a square ball.
Niamh McGrath adds her seventh point down the other end.
(18) Eimear O’Sullivan is on for Hannah Looney as Cork make their first change.
40 mins – Cork 0-8 Galway 0-7:
The Leesiders haven’t got going in the firs ten minutes of the second half and Galway have made them pay up until now.
Galway’s Lorraine Ryan and Cork’s Breige Corkery involved in a nasty clash their but they’re both up.
43 mins – Cork 0-9 Galway 0-7:
Cork are finally off the mark in the second half and Orla Cotter points a brilliant score from play while under huge pressure.
47 mins – Cork 0-10 Galway 0-7:
This is really Orla Cotter v Niamh McGrath and the Cork woman is now level with her Galway counterpart with seven scores.
43 mins – Cork 0-9 Galway 0-7:
Cork are finally off the mark in the second half and Orla Cotter points a brilliant score from play while under huge pressure.
50 mins – Cork 0-10 Galway 0-7:
Ten minutes to go and Galway have hit back-to-back wides with their last two attacks.
52 mins – Cork 0-10 Galway 0-8:
With eight minutes to go, Aoife Donohue becomes just the second Galway scorer of the afternoon.
55 mins – Cork 1-11 Galway 0-8:
Is that the game? Corkery makes makes no mistake when through on goal. Amy O’Connor follows up with a point.
59 mins – Cork 1-13 Galway 0-9:
Cork’s captain Aisling Thompson with the best point of the game and it’s swiftly followed by a Katrina Mackey score and the O’Duffy Cup is heading back to Cork.
60+2 mins – Cork 1-13 Galway 0-9:
Another nasty clash to finish the game but, again, both players get up.
And that’s it. For the 26th time, Cork are the All-Ireland senior camogie champions.
It’s fair enough. Class act as he is, he’s getting on and going against arguably the most physical nation in rugby. Don’t want to be carrying around injured men because he would be targeted almost every game. Only way I could have forseen him going is playing out/managing the last 20 of a game.
@Ultan Corcoran: Yeah you’re right, and even someone who would be a test bench player has to be up to starting. With Johnny I can see whenever he came on (start or after 55 mins) some monstrous SA back rower or lock trying to ‘test his durability’. Plus I expect the training games to be pretty full on as well as everyone tries to stake their claims. Lions tours are always tough so this might actually extend his career too. Along with giving him an extra chip on the shoulder to add to his motivation next season.
@Paddy Kennedy: Stating facts on everything man, nearly every Saffa forward would be out to paste him from the get go. Think every tour is different and being SA this time around, thats why the bruisers are being called up rather than the less physical lads. A shame but definitely could elongate his careers in both Blue and Green.
@Ultan Corcoran: every forward wants to paste the 10. Sexton is one of the strongest defenders playing 10 arround. He’s not fit so doesn’t go and that’s fair enough but there’s far flakier 10′s about
@Chris Mc: nothing to do with flakieness it’s about durability why risk having your starting 10 injured 15 min into game 1 and having to re make a game plan plan the rest of the series and bring in a extra player.
Think you might see him called up yet. If there are injuries at fly-half, you’d certainly expect Sexton to get the nod over Ford say. Other than that, he’s not played much since the 6N so it’s arguably the right call by the selectors.
@Carmine Lorenzo: If they’re worried about his durability today, that’s not gonna change in 4 weeks’ time. Ford goes before Sexton based on the comments of Jenkins. No doubt.
@Ricky Wright: I’d be surprised if Gatland picked Ford even as a replacement due to his lack of physicality.
@Ricky Wright: I get what you’re saying, but if the test week is approaching with a few of the club games out of the way, I could see them opting for Sexton ahead of Ford for example if there were injuries. If this squad was picked at the end of the 6N, there’s no doubt in my mind that they’d have selected him.
@Carmine Lorenzo: Agreed. I think he travels if the squad was picked the night after we beat England. But if the squad was picked in January, maybe he wouldn’t have. For Sexton, he needs game time to prove he’s fit, not on form. He’s not gonna get that. I thought they’d bring him and use him sparingly until the first test. Easier to do with a shorter schedule.
Tom Brady, I’ll just leave that there.
@Aidan Kearney: i dont follow NFL, but how many times has Brady gone off injured this season?
@Gar: he hurt his knee in 2008 missed a season I think. Missed 4 games in 2016 because he let some air out of a football
@Aidan Kearney: god forbib someone should have an ambition.
@Aidan Kearney: if sexton was made of the same stuff as Brady he might of been on plane , Brady has rarely been injured
@Aidan Kearney: good lad I’m sure we would be embarrassed with your sporting or rugby cv
@Aidan Kearney: Larry Bird!
Who’s got next in naming old US athletes in sports that have nothing to do with rugby?
@Aidan Kearney: ha…if brady had got the same treatment as sexton, he’d have retired at 24…
‘roughing the passer’ ill just jeave that there
Wow 4 nations and they get to pick 3 no.10′s….. they mustn’t listen to Newstalk radio or to iiam toland. That’s some reflection of how those outside Ireland see sexton.
@Kevin O’brien: are opinions outside of Ireland more valid than those in Ireland
Off the ball are at it right now. It’s so funny to listen to them moan. They are the Johnny Sexton fan club. It’s so funny to hear them make up excuses.
There’s a lot of training and warmups before the tests .Not wishing any injuries on any player but there will be a few for sure.
Plays against LaRog and goes. Shame for him, would have been a nice cherry on top of the twilight of his career, always more that go out so hope for a few yet. Some mad selections in there, Saffies will steam roll it.