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'No Galway player hid today' | Cathal Murray on winning second All-Ireland in three years

Galway manager Cathal Murray said losing the All-Ireland final last year was their main motivatio...



'No Galway player hid today' |...
Hurling

'No Galway player hid today' | Cathal Murray on winning second All-Ireland in three years

Galway manager Cathal Murray said losing the All-Ireland final last year was their main motivation ahead of their decider with Cork.

His side beat the Rebels 1-15 to 1-12 at Croke Park on Sunday to regain the O'Duffy Cup and win the title for a second time in three years.

Speaking to OTB Sports at full-time he said he wasn't just pleased with the win but also the shift put in by his players; praising their performance.

"It's a magical feeling. It was a really, really good advertisement for camogie.

"That was a brilliant game of hurling. Cork threw everything at us.

"When they got the goal, I'm really proud of our reaction to that.

"I'm really proud of the work rate we brought, the aggression we brought to it, the tackling we brought - that's what wins games and wins finals.

"I'm hugely proud of them, it's a massive achievement."

The win comes just nine months after they lost the All-Ireland to Kilkenny in December 2020 and just a few months on from losing to the Cats again in the league final.

Murray said the loss in last year's All-Ireland final particularly taught them a number of lessons.

"We've worked really hard for this.

"Last December, it's hugely disappointing to lose an All-Ireland, it's not a nice place to be.

"We talked about it at the time afterward, that we wanted to get back here again.

"We got to the league final, lost it but performed really well and we were happy.

"We spoke after the league final and said we need to be back here on the 12th of September and thank god we were.

"We put in a big performance and when this Galway team performs they're just a super team."

Although Galway were contesting their third consecutive final Cork came into the game as favourites.

The game then transpired to be quite nip and tuck, with little between the sides.

The two big moments came in the second half.

Cork got a goal through Katriona Mackey in the 48th minute to go three points ahead.

Galway didn't panic though and got their own with just three minutes of normal time remaining and held on for the win.

Murray said their ability to come from behind highlighted their resilience.

"It's very easy in an All-Ireland final to go a gaol down and people to go hiding.

"There was no Galway player hiding there today.

"We turned over a couple of huge balls in their defence and got a coupld of scores off them.

"I thought the backs were super all the way through, I'm just super proud of them.

"The girls just went out today with the attitude that they wanted to perform and I felt if this Galway team performs it's going to take a really good team to beat them.

"It's brilliant to win two All-Irelands in three years."

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All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final Cathal Murray Croke Park