Camogie: Dolan comes up trumps at the finish as Galway deny Cork for fifth All-Ireland senior title

August 10, 2025

Galway's Roisin Black and Ailish O'Reilly celebrate with the O'Duffy Cup ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Galway 1-14
Cork 1-13

by Daragh Ó Conchúir at Croke Park

Carrie Dolan denied 14-player Cork an improbable comeback that had life breathed into it by Orlaith Cahalane’s 60th minute goal, pointing a free from tight to the Cusack Stand and almost 60m out in the second minute of injury time, to secure the O’Duffy Cup for Galway.

The skipper was ice in fire in a cauldron that felt unbearable just watching, not to mind in its midst. Who could be calm? How could you be calm?

Dolan has always been preternaturally mature. She has had great days from placed balls and the odd not so good, including in this environment.

But her teammates would not have wanted anyone else over the ball in the second minute of injury time. And as she struck the ball and you turned to look at Amy Lee, the Cork goalie never moved, only to look directly upwards. The aim was spot on, the strike true.

There was another minute and a half to play. Cork gave it everything. They won ball they had no right to. But Galway prevailed. And you couldn’t say they didn’t deserve it. Your heart went out to Cork, who fought as champions do. But they had left themselves just that bit too much to do.

On a scintillating day of action at Croke Park, with 28,795 people watching, Galway flourished in the chaos but it felt as if they created it.

A brilliantly taken goal in the 14th minute by Mairéad Dillon edged Galway in front after a frantic opening, where the teams had traded points to go three each before Saoirse McCarthy pointed a free to edge Cork ahead, momentarily.

The madness continued right to the end.

Galway were helped by the dismissal of Hannah Looney on a straight red card, just before half-time, with the midfielder adjudged to have struck Dolan in the face.

By then, Cork were struggling, with Ashling Thompson their greatest attacking threat.

Having the likes of Shauna Healy back in the fold after having a baby last year added significantly to the defensive effort this term. Siobhán Gardiner was outstanding on McCarthy in the first half.

Amy O’Connor struggled, having pulled her hamstring last week and Katrina Mackey’s lack of training with hip and shin splints didn’t help her either.

And yet the pair combined for a penalty award in the tenth minute, with Mackey sending a most sumptuous stick pass into O’Connor’s paw without the former All-Ireland final hat-trick scorer having to break stride.

She was unceremoniously dumped by Aoife Donohue but Mackey’s shot was brilliantly saved by Sarah Healy.

Donohue excelled, the smallest player on the pitch combining her pace and finishing with a trademark spikiness that comes with living life on the edge. It is what Cathal Murray brought to Galway, when he took over the reins in 2019.

They pushed hard up on Cork from the get-go, working like dervishes, and the Leesiders could never get their running game going.

It was 1-9 t 0-7 at the break and it was hard to see how even a side as good as Cork, with the calibre of characters they had, could come back.

And while they chipped away with points, for most of the game, it still felt that Galway were managing it well.

McCarthy came deeper and was phenomenal in the second half, hurling a remarkable amount of ball and firing over frees from everywhere. Emma Murphy grabbed her second point, Laura Hayes fired a monstrous score.

But Ailish O’Reilly and Donohue split the posts quick as a flash and you wondered if the surge Cork wanted had been ended.

You didn’t think much about it, as McCarthy launched two frees over the Galway bar from around 70m. One score game, but Cork hadn’t looked like creating a goal chance.

But then, right on the hour, a McCarthy long ball bounced once. Orlaith Cahalane grabbed and turned. The angle wasn’t promising but it wasn’t the time to pop a point. All duck or no dinner.

Cahalane drove with blinding power and speed. The net shook. So did Croke Park.

But there was four minutes of injury time. Minimum. Countless rucks. Tussles. Tackles. Justin Heffernan blew for that free. Carrie Dolan took her breaths, struck her sliotar.

And went to collect the O’Duffy Cup.

SCORERS FOR GALWAY: C Dolan 0-7(fs); A O’Reilly 0-3; M Dillon 1-0; A Donohue 0-2; N Mallon, C Kelly 0-1

SCORERS FOR CORK: S McCarthy 0-4(fs); A Thompson, A O’Connor (2fs, 1 45) 0-3 each; O Cahalane 1-0; E Murphy 0-2; L Hayes 0-1

GALWAY: Sarah Healy; Shauna Healy, R Black, R Hanniffy, S Gardiner, C Hickey, D Higgins, A Starr, O Rabbitte, N Mallon, A O’Reilly, A Donohue, M Dillon, C Dolan, C Kelly. Subs: S Rabbitte for Kelly (41); J Hughes for O Rabbitte (53); E Helebert for Hickey (60); A Hesnan for Dillon (60+1)

CORK: A Lee, P Mackey, L Coppinger, M Cahalane, A Healy, L Treacy, L Hayes, H Looney, A Thompson, E Murphy, A O’Connor, S McCarthy, K Mackey, S McCartan, O Cahalane. Subs: C Finn for K Mackey (37); O Mullins for McCartan (41); C Healy for O’Connor (49); M Murphy for Healy (57); K Wall for E Murphy (51)

REFEREE: Justin Heffernan (Wexford)


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