Ladies Football: Galway advance to last four

All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship Quarter-Final

Galway 1-18 Waterford 1-12

By Darren Kelly at Tuam Stadium

Galway are through to the All-Ireland senior semi-final following this six point victory over Waterford.

A Kate Slevin first half penalty laid the platform for Daniel Moynihan’s charges as they went nine points clear, but Lauren McGregor’s strike early in the second period breathed new life in the Deise challenge.

Galway got off to the perfect start with Eva Noone pointing after 45 seconds. The hosts followed that up with three more for Olivia Divilly, Ailbhe Davoren and a Slevin free.

The Tribeswomen created their best chance when Chellene Trill blasted wide on 10 minutes. But Galway got their goal just two minutes later after Davoren fed Slevin.

The Claregalway forward found Eva Noone, who won a penalty which Slevin converted. Galway were 1-4 to 0-0 clear but Waterford nearly made a breakthrough when Chloe Fennell and Áine O’Neill were denied by a double save from keeper Dearbhla Gower and Bronagh Quinn.

McGregor put the rebound over before Divilly restored Galway’s seven point cushion. The sides shared the next four white flags before the break leaving it 1-7 to 0-3 at half-time. Galway maintained the momentum after the restart with Divilly adding two points. But McGregor and Bríd McMaugh reduced arrears to 1-9 to 0-5 on 34 minutes.

Galway pulled 1-12 to 0-6 clear as Slevin (2) and Davoren tallied against McGregor’s sole response. The latter brought Waterford back to life when she struck her seventh goal of the championship after good play down the middle through Hannah Power and Aileen Wall.

Waterford put Galway on the back foot as points for McMaugh (2) and McGregor left the Munster finalists just 1-14 to 1-9 behind. Eva Noone and Slevin got the Galway minors but two more added through Divilly and Slevin restored a seven point cushion on 51 minutes.

After McGregor added a Waterford free, substitute Roisin Leonard landed two between the posts to effectively secure Galway’s semi-final date with Dublin. Waterford finished with McMaugh and McGregor picking off points, but it was just too late.

Scorers for Galway: K Slevin 1-6 (1-0 pen, 4fs), O Divilly 0-5; E Noone, A Davoren, R Leonard 0-2 each; L Coen 0-1.

Scorers for Waterford: L McGregor 1-7 (2f); B McMaugh 0-4; C Walsh 0-1.

Galway: D Gower; B Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, K Geraghty; H Noone, N Ward, C Trill; L Ward, S Divilly; L Coen, O Divilly, A Davoren; E Noone, N Divilly, K Slevin.

Subs: K Thompson for N Divilly (41), L Noone for Coen (41), R Leonard for Davoren (52), A Molloy for Trill (55), M Banek for Slevin (55).

Waterford: K Gardiner; C Murray, R Casey, L Mulcahy; A Murray, E Murray, K McGrath; H Power, E Power; B McMaugh, K Murray, Á O’Neill; L McGregor, C Walsh, C Fennell.

Subs: A Wall for O’Neill (19), Á Power for A Murray (50), L Ní hArta for Fennell (50), O’Neill for Walsh (54), M Dunford for K Murray (55).

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).