Galway always well positioned to displace champions from throne

Galway 1-12
Wexford 0-6

Wexford's four-in-a-row bid came to an end at the hands of old rivals Galway after this merited victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

Aisling O’Reilly opened the scoring for Galway in the second minute but a couple of points in three minutes from Ursula Jacob put Wexford in front. It was significant though that those two scores came from placed balls as they failed to score from play throughout.

Emer Haverty brought the sides level and Niamh McGrath slotted three points as Galway opened up a gap.

Niamh Kilkenny drove a powerful shot beyond the helpless Mags D’Arcy from 11 metres. An injury-time point from O’Reilly left it 1-6 to 0-2 at half-time.

Hanney and Jacob exchanged points before O’Reilly’s angled drive rose just over the bar and Hanney notched up her second to put nine between the sides.

Wexford showed the mettle of champions by raising their levels in response. Jacob converted a free, before Kate Kelly fired over from 75 metres. But any chance they had was lost when Katrina Parrock received her second yellow card in the 48th minute.

Jacob did send over from another free to leave six between them but Galway remained comfortable and points from Kilkenny, and Noreen Coen, removed any doubt.


GALWAY: S Earner; T Manton, S Dervan, H Cooney; S Cahalan, T Maher, L Ryan; N Kilkenny (1-2), M Dunne; E Haverty (0-1), N McGrath (0-3, 0-2 frees), E Kilkelly; B Hanney (0-2), A Hayes, A O'Reilly (0-3). Subs: N Coen (0-1) for Kilkelly (39 mins); AM Starr for Haverty (60 mins).

WEXFORD: M D'Arcy; C Donohoe, N Lambert, Atkinson; B Curran, Shelly Kehoe, S Sinnott; K Kelly (0-1, free), F Kavanagh; J Dwyer, K Parrock, B Gordon; E O'Connor, F Rochford, U Jacob (0-5, frees). Subs: F Doran for Donohoe (37 mins); Stacey Kehoe for O'Connor (43 mins); S McGivern for Rochford (52 mins).

Referee: C Egan (Cork)