Cathal Murray delighted with Galway’s turnaround to set up last-four clash with Tipp

That sets up a last-four clash with Tipperary at Nowlan Park on July 27 as part of a semi-final double-header that also includes Cork taking on Dublin.

Murray admitted that the quick turnaround from the 12-point defeat to the Rebels nine days ago might have proved beneficial as there was no time to wallow. They had to get back on the horse.

“It was probably a tough week for us to manage in a way,” Murray began. “It was a really bad defeat in Cork last week. But these girls showed their resilience and showed that character. And look, we did need the performance. It wasn’t me said it, it was the players themselves. They did most of the talk during the week.

“There was no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We really needed to focus on Waterford straight away. The performance wasn’t good enough [against Cork] but that’s not just about us. That’s about Cork, how well they’re playing and how good they are.

“But listen, it wasn’t about Cork this week. It was about Waterford. We always knew they’d probably play a sweeper, probably keep it tight. So it was going to be frustrating at times. But look, at any time you go through to a semi-final by three points, you’re delighted.”

Galway led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the end of a cagey first half. An Aoife Donohue goal 10 minutes after the restart helped the Tribeswomen move five clear but Beth Carton, hampered by a hamstring injury incurred in the third minute, blasted a penalty to the net midway through the final quarter to ensure a grandstand finish.

Though Déise goalie Brianne O’Regan reduced the margin to the minimum with a monstrous point from a free inside her own half, it was Galway that finished the strongest with points by Donohue and Olwen Rabbitte.

Suirside manager, Jerry Wallace bemoaned the injuries to Carton, Lorraine Bray (broken hand), Vikki Falconer (quad) and Mairéad O’Brien (unspecified) and thought there might have been a bit of tension on their return to Croke Park after last season’s heavy All-Ireland final defeat.

The Cork native felt that progress had been made however, in terms of incorporating more of the minor squads that competed in All-Ireland finals this year and last year as well as in conditioning. And he is committed to continuing the journey after his maiden term.

“But I suppose we’re evolving and we’re developing and I think that’s something that we can work on in the future,” he said.

SCORERS – Galway: A Donohue 1-1; C Dolan 0-4 (4f); N Mallon 0-2; D Higgins, N McPeake, A O’Reilly, N Niland, O Rabbitte 0-1 each. Waterford: B Carton 1-4 (1-0 pen, 3fs, 1 ‘45); N Rockett 0-3; B O’Regan (f), O Hickey 0-1 each.

GALWAY: S Healy, R Black, C Hickey, D Higgins, A Keane, N Hanniffy, R Hanniffy, A Hesnan, A Donohue, C Dolan, N McPeake, A O’Reilly, N Kilkenny, N Niland, N Mallon. Subs: O McGrath for McPeake (42), O Rabbitte for Hesnan (57), S Rabbitte for Kilkenny (58).

WATERFORD: B O’Regan, L Forrest, C Carroll, A McNulty, K Lynch, K Corbett, M Power, B Bowdren, L Bray, N Rockett, B Carton, O Hickey, A Flynn, T Power, R Kirwan. Subs: A Fitzgerald for Kirwan (25), S Lacey for T Power (36), R Walsh for M Power (36), M O’Brien for Lynch (44), M Gostl for Bray inj (56).

REF: R Kelly (Kildare).