Galway and Kilkenny have joined champions Cork and Very League Division 1A winners Tipperary in the knockout stages of the All-Ireland senior camogie championship as a result of convincing victories on Saturday.
The identity of the last pair will not be confirmed until next weekend’s final round of group games and though last year’s runners-up Waterford and League Division 1B victors Dublin are in pole position, that could easily change.
Clare made the trip to Kenny Park, Athenry to take on their neighbours harbouring their own hopes of emerging from Group 2 but while they remain in contention for a quarter-final berth after their 3-19 to 0-7 loss to the Niamh Mallon-inspired Galway, they are up against it now.
John Carmody’s young squad battled well in the first half but were still 1-12 to 0-5 in arrears at the short whistle. Mallon provided 1-4 of the home team’s tally, all from play, the newly minted Sarsfields sorceress raising a green flag in the 11th minute, after taking a pass from Niamh Kilkenny.
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Mallon grabbed her second goal seven minutes into the second half, this time finishing from close range after being set up by Ailish O’Reilly, before being substituted with the result assured, to link up with the Galway senior footballers, who avail of the Down native’s expertise as a performance nutrition scientist. O’Reilly struck for the third goal in injury time, finishing up with 1-5 of her own.
Galway will travel to Páirc Uí Chaoimh next week to do battle with long-time rivals Cork and while a draw will do the Rebels, a win would see Cathal Murray’s crew supplant them as group winners and move directly to the last four. Much may depend on the fitness of Carrie Dolan, who departed the fray late on after taking a heavy blow to her left quad.
Cork will go into that in buoyant form after dismantling Dublin by 4-22 to 0-5 at the aforementioned headquarters of Leeside GAA. The thoughts of many in attendance would have been on Sarah-Kate O’Meara, a Glen Rovers clubmate of some Cork panellists, whose funeral took place earlier in the day after the 18-year-old died suddenly during the week when becoming ill on the way to sitting a Leaving Cert exam.
Ger Manley’s players rose to the occasion with a stunning performance and if the victory was not a surprise, the margin absolutely was. Cork had nine different scorers, with Amy O’Connor (2-7) and the ageless Katrina Mackey (1-5) the headline acts.
The defence shone too, however and Dublin failed to score from play. Laura Treacy’s excelled on her return from injury centre back, flanked to good effect by Laura Hayes and Hannah Looney.
The Dubs are still in third and while Wexford and Clare are in their wing mirrors, Bill McCormack’s charges play basement dwellers Down next week and anything other than a triumph would be a surprise, even after this chastening reverse.
RESULTS
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Group 1
Antrim 1-8 Waterford 3-18
Limerick 0-6 Tipperary 7-18
Kilkenny 4-17 Derry 0-7
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Group 2
Cork 4-22 Dublin 0-5
Galway 3-10 Clare 0-7
Wexford 7-12 Down 0-7
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