Hurling & Camogie

Very National Camogie League: Galway defeat All-Ireland champions while Derry and Cavan also record wins

Very Camogie League Division 1, UMPC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny 25/2/2023   Kilkenny vs Galway Kilkenny's Grace Walsh challenges Ailish O'Reilly of Galway Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher
Very Camogie League Division 1, UMPC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny 25/2/2023 Kilkenny vs Galway Kilkenny's Grace Walsh challenges Ailish O'Reilly of Galway Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher Very Camogie League Division 1, UMPC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny 25/2/2023 Kilkenny vs Galway Kilkenny's Grace Walsh challenges Ailish O'Reilly of Galway Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Very Ireland National Camogie league

Division 1A

ALL-IRELAND champions Kilkenny lost their second game of the new Division 1A of the Very Camogie League on Saturday, going down by four points to league holders Galway at UPMC Nowlan Park.

Galway made the early running and led by 0-10 to 0-7 at the interval. They stretched that lead to six points with a goal from Ailish O’Reilly two minutes into the second half. However Kilkenny hit back and Julianne Malone’s goal midway through the second half edged the home side into the lead.

However Galway knuckled down and three points from Carrie Dolan and one from O’Reilly put them back in front and they held out for a 1-17 to 1-13 victory.

Tipperary followed up their opening day victory over Galway with a comfortable enough win over Dublin at Parnell Park. Second-half goals from Caoimhe Maher and Casey Hennessy enabled Tipp to pull away for a 2-13 to 1-6 success.

Cork also were comfortable winners in Páirc Uí Rinn with captain Amy O’Connor bringing her tally in two games to 2-15 after hitting a goal and eight points in the Rebels’ 2-19 to 1-10 win against Clare.

Cork led by 0-12 to 0-5 at the change of ends with former Down star Sorcha McCartan in excellent form. O’Connor scored her goal and it was followed by an own-goal from Doireann Murphy as Clare were brought back to earth with a bang after last week’s win over Kilkenny.

Division 2A

DERRY picked up their second victory in the Very Camogie League Division 2A after this hard fought battle in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar on Saturday.

The visitors’ work-rate and team-play was excellent throughout particularly during the opening half when Westmeath played with the aid of the breeze. That was the period when their defence was under most pressure and they all stood tall with Sinéad McGill the stand out player.

Derry would have been happy enough to be on 0-3 each after Mary Hegarty got their first score from play in the 24th minute. They conceded two more points before the break and Megan Dowdall pointed for the fourth time on the resumption of play.

From then onwards however it was all about the Ulster side. Máiréad McNicholl pointed a free in the 34th minute and Dara McGuckin put them ahead for the first time with a goal four minutes later.

Áine McAllister and McGuckin added points before Dowdall tapped over a free in the 51st minute for what turned out to be Westmeath’s last score.

Derry finished strongest with three points from McNicholl, the last the pick of her six points.

Derry are on the road again next Saturday with a trip to Laois who have yet to pick up a point in the group.

CAVAN bounced back from defeat in their opening game in Division 2A by making home advantage count in a tight encounter with Laois in Kingspan Breffni.

Cavan were surprise winners of Division 3 last year and expected to struggle in the higher league this season. However goals from Niamh Keenaghan in the 15th and 22nd minutes did enough damage for them to pick up their first victory.

Niamh’s sister Clodagh scored the opening point, but Laois then went ahead and were 0-3 to 0-1 up after 11 minutes. Four minutes later Sinéad McKenna pointed and within 30 seconds Niamh Keenaghan had the ball in the net.

Although Aimee Collier hit back with her third point of the game, Keenaghan’s second goal gave Cavan a clear lead of 2-3 to 0-4.

Again Laois hit back and Collier’s point on the re-start closed the gap to a single point at 2-3 to 0-8. However Cavan’s defence tightened and after 11 minutes Sinéad McKenna pointed on the break and they were able to maintain that advantage of two points through to the end.

In the other Division 2A game, Kerry came from six points down at the break to beat Meath in Trim by 1-12 to 0-12. Captain Patrice Diggin hit the only goal of the game five minutes into the second half and Kerry drew level in the 49th minute before finishing strongly with the last three points.

Cavan now have to travel to the Kingdom this weekend for their third round game.

Very Ireland National Camogie League

Division 1A

Dublin 1-6 Tipperary 2-13

Cork 2-19 Clare 1-10

Kilkenny 1-13 Galway 1-17

Division 1B

Limerick 1-11 Antrim 2-17

Down 0-13 Offaly 0-9

Waterford 0-19 Wexford 0-7

Division 2A

Westmeath 0-7 Derry 1-9

Division 2B

Cork 4-20 Tipperary 0-2

Kilkenny 3-16 Galway 0-7

Division 3B

Dublin 4-21 Offaly 0-1

Limerick 1-5 Antrim 0-10