Sorcha McCartan came off the bench for injured goal scorer Katrina Mackey to hit two huge points as Cork staved off a gritty Galway to win their 30th Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie title and second in a row.
An official attendance of 27,811 turned up at Croke Park for the triple header and McCartan’s scores were pivotal, coming either side of a brilliant point by another sub, Clodagh Finn.
They proved the difference in the end as the Rebels completed a senior/intermediate double, after Galway had responded to Cork’s burst for home at the start of the second half by reeling in the six-point difference to draw level thanks to among others, the inspirational Aoife Donohue, who finished with four points from play.
Those that believe in momentum as an irresistible force would have been all-in on the Maroons kicking on, but it was Cork’s depth that told down the stretch to turn fortunes back in their favour.
All the Cork forward line scored in the first half but Galway would have been delighted with how they had shut out the goal chances after the Rebels had threatened in the early exchanges and by the final whistle, four of the sextet were watching from the sideline.
What’s more, Cathal Murray’s side were causing problems, having thrown a bit of a curve ball at their opponents by locating Niamh Hanniffy and Carrie Dolan into the full-forward line, with the competition’s leading scorer from play prior to throw-in, Niamh Mallon moving from the edge of the square to wing-forward.
The teams were level eight times in the first half, with never more than two points separating them in that period apart from Cork’s initial start, and after that, their final definitive thrust..
The defending champions moved ahead with a point after 21 seconds by Mackey and another from Saoirse McCarthy.
That opening score had its genesis in Laura Hayes winning the first battle with Mallon but this was just one of countless fascinating tussles all over the pitch.
Mallon, who captained Down to win the intermediate title at Croke Park ten years ago and was a teammate of McCartan’s when the Mourne women repeated that success in 2021, would score a fantastic point later on, while her danger kept Hayes from making her trademark forays into opposition territory.
Carrie Dolan had five of her eight points in the first half, with Donohue and Ailish O’Reilly slotting two and Galway led by 0-10 to 0-9 at the change of ends.
Their supporters would have been delighted at the interval but by the 41st minute, Cork had turned the one-point deficit to a six-point advantage.
Just like the first half, Ger Manley’s team had two points in the first two minutes, from Cahalane and the outstanding Ashling Thompson.
Mallon went into full-forward on Izzy O’Regan, with Hanniffy moving out onto Hannah Looney but it was Mackey who goaled in the 36th minute.
It came from good work by Thompson, Aoife Healy and Looney, with the former sending a sweet ball in front of Amy O’Connor. Last year’s hat-trick hero left Rachael Hanniffy for dead with a sidestep and lightning speed, drawing Róisín Black and hand-passing to Mackey.
Mackey attempted to strike to the net but never connected and the sliotar trundled over the line. It was the Douglas legend’s last act of her 16th consecutive season as she picked up a hamstring injury and had to come off, replaced by McCartan.
The score moved Mackey to the top of the championship listings for scores from play and pushed Cork four clear, which soon became six as McCarthy and O’Connor found the target.
If we thought the Leesiders were going to pull away, we did not reckon for Galway’s gumption, the resolution of Dervla Higgins and the enduring brilliance and refusal to yield of Donohue.
Remarkably, Cathal Murray’s crew were level ten minutes after O’Connor’s score and they didn’t need a goal to do it, hitting six consecutive points in an amazing switch of flow.
Ciara Hickey and Donohue came up with some huge scores, while Dolan was unerring from placed balls and Galway started winning the physical exchanges.
But McCartan split the posts from a very tight angle and like a flick of the switch, Cork began to motor once more, though they were constantly tested and Laura Treacy was monumental in the Cork defence.
Finn followed deft footwork with a beautiful finish before sending the delivery towards McCartan that her fellow sub won and finished. And that was that.
