A point from Karin Blair at the end of normal time was the deciding score as Tipperary ended a 20 year wait for Camogie League silverware overcoming Galway in Croke Park. Galway missing a late free for a heart-breaking end to the 1A Final.

Tipp to their credit fought from six points down in the opening half to level the tie early in the second. Eimear McGrath was a huge performer for Tipp in bringing them right back into the tie while Karen Kennedy’s second half goal was a huge turning point in the second half.

Galway fought back as Niamh Mallon who has moved to Galway scored three times coming off the bench, Carrie Dolan was another big performer for Galway but with the final puck of the tie, the forward missed a free to level the contest. Galway will rue some missed chances in this tie.

Hawkeye was needed to award the opening score as Karen Kennedy struck the opening score but the decision to award the point needed some consideration but in the end the Premier had the early lead.

It would last about a minute before Carrie Dolan struck the first of three opening half frees to level the tie after four minutes. Orlaith McGrath had the Tribeswomen ahead soon after but Eimear McGrath converted a free in the seventh minute to level proceedings.

From here on it was all Galway on the scoring front until the 22nd minute. Ailish O’Reilly slotted consecutive points, while Aoife Donohue, a Dolan brace of frees and a strike from Siobhan McGrath had Galway ahead 0-8 to 0-2 by the 21st minute. 

Tipp almost had a sniff of a goal chance just prior to that eight point going over. A long ball dropped inside and McGrath booted the sliotar for goal, the effort saved by Fiona Ryan. McGrath however would be the catalyst in driving Tipperary back into the tie.

Kennedy ended a 14 minute wait for a score slotting over her second as Tipp looked to finish the half in strong fashion. They did so as Galway were punished for giving away frees and the dangerous McGrath who has Ashbourne success with UL, obliged to convert the chances.

Four McGrath frees in succession in the final five minutes of play completely changed the narrative of the opening half. Tipp were six points down by the 21st minute and breaking for the interval, with McGrath deadly accurate at the end of the half they trailed by a single point 0-8 to 0-7.

Momentum stayed with Tipperary early in the second half and as Galway again committed a foul close to goal. McGrath had the range to convert her sixth free of the afternoon and level proceedings for the third time in the contest.

Galway ended a wait since the 21st minute of the opening half to register a score as O’Reilly struck a third point of the afternoon to put Galway back into the lead. Tipp still had that momentum and Captain Karen Kennedy soon struck a blow for Galway.

Kennedy had levelled the tie yet again before her pace saw a long ball inside set the half back moved into the forward line away, putting the afterburners on to race beyond the Galway cover and struck to the net for the opening goal of the contest. Tipp ahead for the first time since Kennedy pointed in the third minute. 1-9 to 0-9 after 38 minutes.

While Carrie Dolan struck a monster to reduce the deficit, Caoimhe McCarthy and McGrath added points to keep Tipp ahead by four points. Time was still  there for some late drama and that certainly was the case.

Niamh Mallon, who transferred from Down to Galway having moved West for work, proved a valuable asset coming off the bench. Three points from the Down woman, along with scores from Dolan and Olwen Rabbitte had Galway level by the 57th minute. 

McGrath had pointed in the 51st minute to keep Tipp ticking over prior to that barrage of Galway scores, cornerback Karin Blair, popped up at the end of normal time to strike a point which proved the winning score.

A late goal by Megan Dowdall ensured that Westmeath would leave Croke Park as Very National Camogie League 2A Champions, Westmeath having to dig deep to get past a stern Derry test.

By the end of the opening quarter it looked like Westmeath would cruise in the tie leading 3-3 to 0-3 but Derry failed to roll over and concede the tie. Aine Barton, their main figurehead in attack, slotted over nine points to keep them constantly ticking on the scoring front.

Westmeath had Dowdall to thank with 2-3 in the tie, 1-1 of which arrived late on to seal the win. 13-15 now for Dowdall in the league this season, while Sheila McGrath was also an inspiration, netting two goals as was Amelia Shaw scoring four important points in the second half.

Westmeath drew first blood when the ever reliable Megan Dowdall pointed in the second minute. Derry replied well however as Dervla O’Kane equalised in the fourth minute before Aine Barton, their danger in attack fired them into the lead a minute later.

At the back Derry had done well to neutralise a Westmeath goal chance prior to Barton putting them into the lead. Two minutes later they could do little to prevent Sheila McGrath scoring the opening goal.

Dowdall kept possession in a ruck shy of the Westmeath penalty area, Hannah Core won the dirty ball from the ruck and fired the sliotar across for McGrath to strike to the roof of the Derry net 1-1 to 0-2 after seven minutes.

Core furthered the lead before Barton from a difficult angle made it a two point game shy of the ten minute mark. Westmeath had their tails up and a long ball inside found Dowdall, using quick feet to evade the Derry marker, Dowdall sent a rasper of a strike to the net for a second goal for Westmeath 2-2 to 0-2 on ten minutes.

Megan Dowdall goal, ball sent in long, Dowdall gathered, slipped by the marker and shot a rasper to the net. Dowdall followed up with a point and as the opening quarter was coming to an end a great save by Derry net minder Niamh Cribben denied Core a chance to add a third goal for The Lake County.

That third goal would arrive in the 15th minute and it was a beautiful well worked move once again. Derry coughed up possession coming out from the back as Westmeath turned it over in the ruck with Core again winning that dirty ball. Dowdall gathered possession and with precise vision spotted McGrath ghosting behind the Derry rearguard and the delivery was signed off by McGrath converting to an empty net. 3-3 to 0-3 as Westmeath were in pole position.

Despite their start, Westmeath failed to score in the final 15 minutes. Play was halted as Lauren McKeanna was down for a time receiving treatment and once play resumed, momentum was with Derry for the minutes which followed. Barton with three frees while Brid Rogers added a point from play, Derry behind by five at the break, 3-3 to 0-7.

Amelia Shaw grabbed a first score for Westmeath since that 15th minute mark as they drew first blood in the second half, settling them after that intense wave of Derry momentum that ended that opening period of the day.

Shaw added a free to further the Westmeath lead before Cribben needed to be alert to deny Megan Dowdall a chance at goal in an energetic opening ten minutes to the second half. The Oakleaf County would find their rhythm once again as O’Kane, Aoife Shaw and Rogers waved the white flag to cut the gap to four after 46 minutes. 3-05 to 0-10.

As the clock ticked into the final quarter Barton tacked on another free to the tally as the gap was down to just three points. Westmeath had not scored since the 39th minute and again needed to settle themselves, Shaw converted two frees for a five point game.

Derry again to their credit never backed down as we headed for the final ten minutes of normal time. Shaw added a second point of the afternoon from a free and two more inch perfect Barton frees cut the gap to two points after 53 minutes 3-07 to 0-14.

In the end Megan Dowdall would seal the 2A title for Westmeath. Striking a point to extend the lead to three, minutes later she added her 13th goal of the league campaign. Dowdall breaking clear and the first shot was saved well by Cribben, the rebound fell to Dowdall to strike home for a big insurance score in the final minutes.

Derry fought until the end, Barton and Rogers cutting the gap but when they needed goals they failed to arrive. Westmeath took the spoils in a strong performance to end the league campaign on a high.