1. Rebels roar to back-to-back titles
Cork successfully defended their All-Ireland senior camogie title with a hard-fought 1-16 to 0-16 win over Galway this evening.
They secured the victory late on in a thrilling encounter, completing a senior and intermediate double and turning back-to-back decider defeats into consecutive wins.
“They deserve it,” manager Ger Manley said afterwards in the bowels of Croke Park. “This was our aim: to get back, and we got back.”
They Rebels retained the O’Duffy Cup in stunning fashion: in six championship games before the final, their average winning margin was 19 points. Wexford were the only team to get within single digits (nine), while they beat Galway by 12 points at Páirc Uí Chaoimh along the way.
Today, the margin was three.
“I know people will say we weren’t tested, but lookit, we beat what’s in front of us,” Manley reflected.
“Galway have been an exceptional team for the last five or six years, they have some super players. We knew it wouldn’t be easy today. We needed that game to show what we’re made of and I think it really showed there in the last seven or eight minutes when the going got tough.”
2. Helter skelter start to second half
Galway led 0-10 to 0-9 at half time, the sides level eight times through a pulsating opening period. Cork weren’t happy. “The standards weren’t good enough,” said Manley.
They restarted with an unanswered 1-4 and led by six points when Amy O’Connor pointed a free in the 40th minute. The game had tipped their way.
Galway hit back with six on the spin, the outstanding Aoife Donohue and Carrie Dolan leading the charge. Cork weathered the storm and drove on thereafter.
“I thought we were very good in that third quarter, we got a good lead,” Manley assessed, in contrast to some previous outings. “When you’re on top, get the scores.
“The biggest thing [through Galway's response] is we were trying to get them steady. We needed to win a puckout, we played into their hands a small bit. We went back to the process we had, we work the ball so once we get the ball into our hands we’re dangerous, but we were going 50/50 on puckouts which isn’t great.
“They’re going to come, they’re a good team. We stayed steadfast in the end.”
3. Cork’s bench press and experience key
Cork’s Sorcha McCartan scored a brilliant brace from the bench, while fellow substitute Clodagh Finn also chipped in with an important effort.
McCartan’s cameo was eventful, to say the least. The Down native was sprung from the bench for injured goalscorer Katrina Mackey in the 39th minute, she ended a 14-minute scoreless spell for Cork with a huge point in the 54th minute, and then overcame an ankle injury to wrap up a three-point win in the 65th minute.
“Katrina pulled her hamstring before she got the goal, she went on but we had to take her off, then McCartan came on and her ankle is like a balloon inside, she played on,” Manley revealed, recounting how they coped with other injury losses like Libby Coppinger and Méabh and Gráinne Cahalane throughout the year.
The former Cahalane also had an impact off the bench, as she returned in six weeks from an injury that could haven taken three months. Their depth — and fitness — was striking.
Senior players like Ashling Thompson, Laura Treacy and Pamela Mackey stood up, while the team’s work-rate and spirit was repeatedly heralded by Manley and others post-match.
4. Big calls
The standout decision was Katrina Mackey’s 36th-minute goal standing. It appeared to be a throw ball as she failed to make contact with an attempted strike into Hill 16 under pressure from Galway defenders.
Tribe manager Cathal Murray believed that was the case and said he “was told it was a penalty” by an official on the sideline afterwards.
“But I’m not going to make excuses,” he added. “I’m not going to go down that road today.”
Murray largely hailed referee Liz Dempsey, but bemoaned “one or two harsh calls near the finish” and took particular issue with camogie’s charging rule.
Dempsey — refereeing her second All-Ireland final after the 2021 meeting of these counties — had a great first half as she let the game flow, but the Kilkenny official will be questioned for some second-half calls against Galway.
5. Galway hurt
“It’s hard to put into words,” Murray began his post-match press conference. He was overcome with emotion at one point.
“Obviously, bitterly disappointed. It’s gutting. Super proud of the girls. Since the game in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, we’ve been completely written off. There’s been a lot of obituaries written about us. For the last six weeks, we’ve done ourselves really proud.
“It’s a tough dressing room. We put ourselves in a great position, just probably didn’t take our chances down the stretch. That’s going to haunt us for a while.”
Galway hit some poor wides in the closing stages, while Cork generally took their chances and shook their opposition off. Murray said it was “probably one of their best performances,” but it ultimately wasn’t to be as 2024 All-Ireland final disappointment continued for the westerners.
The county lost their third decider in as many weeks today, the camógs joining the men’s and women’s footballers in tasting defeat on the biggest day.
“The best two teams for me get to the final and the best team wins it — and Cork are the best team this year.
“They deserve it,” Murray concluded, echoing his managerial counterpart.
