by Kevin Egan

Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny and Clare are the four teams that will play in Croke Park next weekend in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship quarter-finals, while 2025 finalists Galway and Cork secured automatic passage through to the last four with impressive home wins this afternoon.

O’Duffy Cup holders Galway took on Tipperary at Kenny Park in Athenry, and they set themselves on course for a comprehensive 3-17 to 0-15 win by making a fast start despite playing into a deceptively strong wind.

Sarsfields teenager Caoimhe Kelly was one of two changes made by Galway manager Cathal Murray, and she made an immediate impact with 1-1 in the opening minutes.

Eimear Heffernan and Kelly traded points before one of those ‘sliding doors’ moments went firmly Galway’s way. Tipperary hit the post, and from the next possession, Niamh Niland had a goal-bound shot saved by Laura Lennane, and Kelly was on hand to hit the net from the loose ball.

Niamh McPeake got the second green flag for the hosts, as she made a trademark run from centre forward and delivered a pinpoint finish at pace to push the Tribeswomen six points clear after 24 minutes.

Eimear McGrath shot 0-11 in all for Tipperary, including nine frees, and two of those dead-ball scores reduced the gap before the turnaround, but 1-4 without reply from Galway after the restart, comprised of a second goal from McPeake and four Carrie Dolan points, effectively settled the contest.

Kelly finished with 1-4 in total, adding yet another attacking threat to an already stellar Galway forward line.

Cork were no less impressive at Páirc Uí Rinn against Waterford, but it’s in defence where the Rebels have been excellent this year, and they will go into their semi-final on 25 July on the back of conceding a mere 1-36 in three games against elite opposition, at an average of 13 points per game.

The return from injury of Ashling Thompson was the other big news from the Ballintemple stadium, and perhaps the biggest cheer of the afternoon was in the eighth minute of stoppage time when the five-time All-Star powered through from midfield to take a pass and stroke the sliotar over the bar from 40 metres out, emphatically confirming her fitness and her value to this Cork side. That was the final score in a 1-13 to 0-10 win.

It was Cork who had the breeze behind them in the opening half, and while Waterford would have been the happier team after five minutes when Mairéad O’Brien levelled the game at 0-1 each, the visitors backed off the subsequent puckout and paid a heavy price.

Amy Lee went short and took the return pass before putting full force behind a 100-metre clearance, and the sliotar dropped on the hard ground and bounced over the head of her counterpart, Brianna O’Regan and into the net.

Waterford continued to battle with intensity and commitment, and a 1-5 to 0-5 half-time scoreline suggested the game was in the balance.

Beth Carton got the first point of the second half for the Déise, but four points in six minutes from Cork sucked the life out of the underdogs.

Amy O’Connor hit 0-7 in all, including three frees in that run, and a tough afternoon for Waterford got even worse deep into stoppage time when half-time substitute, Niamh Rockett, attempted a shoulder challenge on Laura Hayes but caught the Cork defender in the head, drawing a straight red card from referee Donnacha O’Callaghan.

In Saturday’s action, Clare picked up a 0-16 to 1-8 win over Offaly in Birr, Limerick landed a stoppage-time equaliser to force a 3-12 to 1-18 draw against Dublin, and Kilkenny overcame a slow start to beat Wexford, despite making 11 changes to their starting team.

Those results mean that Dublin and Wexford will contest the relegation final, Clare and Kilkenny will go into the quarter-final draw, and they will each play one of either Tipp or Waterford, with Waterford almost certainly without their star attacker (Rockett) due to suspension.

The two quarter-finals will take place next Saturday and Sunday in Croke Park, each game serving as the first leg of a double header with the All-Ireland senior hurling semi-finals.

The draw will take place tomorrow morning (Monday) on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland.

RESULTS:

GLEN DIMPLEX SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 1
Cork 1-13 Waterford 0-10
Galway 3-17 Tipperary 0-15

GLEN DIMPLEX SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 2
Offaly 1-8 Clare 0-16
Kilkenny 1-12 Wexford 1-7
Limerick 3-12 Dublin 1-18

GLEN DIMPLEX PREMIER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Cavan 1-11 Tyrone 1-9
Armagh 1-14 Roscommon 1-8
Kildare 6-21 Wicklow 1-5

GLEN DIMPLEX JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS
Mayo 0-16 Louth 1-5
Monaghan 3-11 Donegal 1-6

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