JACKIES’ HOPES SUNK BY TRIBES
GALWAY 4-6
DUBLIN 2-6
By Daire Walsh
Dublin suffered a fresh to their LIDL National Football League Division One prospects with an emphatic 4-6 to 2-6 defeat at the hands of Galway in the DCU Sportsgrounds yesterday.
Despite Clann Mhuire’s Carla Rowe once again leading the way with an impressive 1-4 tally – all from placed-balls – Mick Bohan’s side succumbed to a second defeat on the bounce. Ahead of Sunday week’s trip to Waterford, the Jackie find themselves five points adrift of the top-two.
This game was a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland senior decider, when Dublin secured their third national title in succession with a 2-3 to 0-4 victory. Following early traded frees between Galway’s Roisin Leonard and Rowe, Ailbhe Davoren unleashed a powerful 10th-minute strike beyond the reach of Sky Blues netminder Ciara Trant.
The hosts responded to this blow with a three-pointer of their own by full-forward Siobhan Woods, but the Tribeswomen continued to pose a threat at the opposite end. The industrious Davoren released Tracey Leonard in space and the Corofin ace angled a low finish beyond the reach of Dublin netminder Ciara Trant.
The 2019 All-Star has started the season in spectacular style and subsequently added a point to stretch the visitors further in front. While another Rowe effort offered the Metropolitans some respite, Roisin Leonard fired home at the end of a subsequent move to provide Galway with a 3-2 to 1-2 interval cushion.
This substantial lead was extended on the resumption thanks to Andrea Trill’s quickfire two-point salvo and the outcome was effectively placed beyond doubt when fired home her second goal on 41 minutes. A free from Tracey Leonard bolstered her side’s stranglehold on the proceedings, before Rowe fired back with a much-needed point for Dublin.
Jennifer Dunne also cancelled out Trill’s third score for Galway in advance of a strong finish from the 2018 league champions. After converting her fourth free of the day, Rowe coolly slotted a 59th-minute penalty past Dearbhla Gower.
Muireann Ní Scanaill also flicked over a late point, but Galway had already done enough to secure a third successive triumph by that stage.
Scorers – Galway: R Leonard 2-1 (0-1f), T Leonard 1-2 (0-1f), A Trill 0-3, A Davoren 1-0. Dublin: C Rowe 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-4f), S Woods 1-0, J Dunne, M Ní Scanaill 0-1 each.
Galway: D Gower; C Crowe, S Lynch, S Molloy; C Cooney, F Cooney, L Coen; O Divilly, S Divilly; A Davoren, T Leonard, L Noone; L Hannon, R Leonard, A Trill. Subs: S Conneally for R Leonard, A Morrissey for Hannon (both 47), A Molloy for Trill (53), R Ní Flahartha for S Divilly (62).
Dublin: C Trant; É Rutledge, M Ní Scanaill, M Byrne; N Collins, L Caffrey, O Nolan; J Dunne, L McGinley; N Sweeney, C Rowe, L Kane; H O’Neill, S Woods, C O’Connor. Subs: R McDonnell for Kane (25), N Hetherton for O’Connor, L Davey for Sweeney (both h-t), O’Connor for Nolan (39), C McGuigan for O’Neill (47), J Egan for O’Connor, G Kos for Rutledge, C Sultan for McDonnell (all 57).
Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).