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Hurling

Galway's defence and Kilkenny's intensity sees them through to All-Ireland Camogie final | Mags D'Arcy

For the second successive year, the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Camogie final will be contested...



Hurling

Galway's defence and Kilkenny's intensity sees them through to All-Ireland Camogie final | Mags D'Arcy

For the second successive year, the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Camogie final will be contested by Galway and Kilkenny. 

Holders Galway were 1-11 to 0-8 winners against Tipperary at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday afternoon while Kilkenny edged out Cork by two-points in the other semi-final.

Former All-Ireland winner Mags D'Arcy joined us on Off The Ball this evening to review both last-four encounters and the ex Wexford 'keeper feels Kilkenny's battling qualities helped them come back from six-points down early on to see off the Rebelettes by 2-10 to 1-11 on Leeside.

"They took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second-half. Cork will know they had chances themselves to kick on and win the game but in fairness to Kilkenny, their intensity in the tackle was surreal.

"They were pushing Cork's running game out to the sideline and almost using that sideline as an extra defender, they were physical in the tackle and were winning rucks and able to turn Cork over in the middle third."

D'Arcy believes Cork's missed scoring chances were "uncharacteristic" of Paudie Murray's side and that "the execution just wasn't there on the day".

"I don't know if they'll put that down to the round-robin section where they might feel they weren't tested. Even the free taking was quite poor which was uncharacteristic of their players. You need to be converting around 90 per cent of your frees in order to be able to get to a final.

"Their shot selection in terms of range was dropping short and that gives great confidence to the opposition.

"Cork had possession but they weren't capitalising on it. Kilkenny grew in confidence and quietly went about their business and took their scores."

 

8 September 2019; Catherine Finnerty of Galway in action against Edwina Keane of Kilkenny during the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final match between Galway and Kilkenny at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

 

Galway come through "dull" clash with Tipp

D'Arcy thought the second semi-final between Galway and Tipperary was "well contested" but a "dull affair.

"The story of the game was really Galway's defence and of course Sarah Dervan's performance.

"As well coached as Tipperary are, their hurling ability was great and they were spraying around passes, they ran directly into Galway's defence.

"Tipperary ran into traffic and didn't use the width of the pitch enough. I feel if they had brought that width into the game then they would have been able to drag around Galway's defence a lot more.

"Galway were solid in a lot of areas but it'll be a different ball game in two weeks time."

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All-Ireland Camogie Camogie Galway Kilkenny Mags Darcy