Latest news with #NiamhMallon
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Into the west: Niamh Mallon at home with Galway after year of 'overthinking'
Mallon in maroon. A more comfortable fit than last year. On-field contributions are better for that improved fit. It's amazing what stirs unseen beneath the surface. Niamh Mallon made her Galway debut 45 minutes into last year's Camogie League final. She rose three white flags in the quarter of an hour she was on the field. Her debut campaign in adopted colours concluded with All-Star selection at right corner-forward. It was a selection heavily influenced by an All-Ireland semi-final display where she top-scored with 1-3 from play and won the 59th minute free that triggered their decisive late scoring burst. A seamless switch into new colours and new environs. Well, to those on the outside looking in anyway. After her latest semi-final heroics on Saturday, the Portaferry native opened up on a difficult maiden voyage in maroon. A sports scientist at Galway-based firm Orreco, where she conducts the company's Redox testing, essentially a point-of-care blood test for oxidated stress levels, Mallon commuted from Galway to continue lining out for Down following her move west in 2018. The commuting ceased last year. She took on the challenge of trying to make the cut in one of the most competitive camogie dressing-rooms around. That challenge was quickly conquered. The challenge that stumped her was she herself feeling comfortable in maroon. 'Last year was a huge challenge,' she began. 'It probably was quite stressful from my own perspective, a new environment, something I wasn't used to in 12, 13 years in terms of a camogie dressing-room. I have definitely got more comfortable around the group, I have definitely got more comfortable around the environment, and that is leading to a lot more enjoyment. I couldn't be happier, to be honest with you.' The western welcome was there from the first moment she joined Cathal Murray's group. The issue was Mallon convincing herself she belonged. That took time. 'It was completely my own doing. It was nobody else. Cathal and the girls were super, and they did everything in their power to integrate me into the group. But it was something new to me and something I grappled with, and probably overthought a lot, whereas this year, I am completely comfortable in the group and it has led to a more enjoyable experience.' It has also led to a series of outstanding showings. For the second semi-final running, Mallon was Galway's top-scorer from play, albeit she shared the title on this occasion with Ailish O'Reilly. Along with her 1-2 tally, she won the Tipperary puckout for Galway's sixth point, was fouled for their first score after half-time, and had the assist for Aoife Donohue's final quarter white flag. With 1-17 across five games, she heads into the decider as their leading contributor from play. 'Last year was about finding my feet and probably me feeling the need to deliver, whereas this year I feel completely at ease and yeah, it has led to better performances and a more enjoyable experience overall,' continued Mallon, who serves as the nutritionist to Pádraic Joyce's Galway footballers. The Down sharpshooter was one of seven starters from Saturday's team that didn't feature in the 2023 semi-final defeat to Cork. Last year, so, was about returning to the final. This year is about traveling the whole distance. 'Today was definitely a stepping stone on what we want to do. Last year, there was huge euphoria and joy after the semi-final, such was the nature of how we won the game, whereas today, it felt like we had a job to do, and we did it. We are just delighted to be heading back to Croke Park in two weeks' time. That was ultimately the goal. 'I think the team as a whole has matured massively over the past 12 months. Last year, Ciara Hickey and Olwen Rabbitte probably hadn't been involved in games like this, whereas now, a year under the belt, 12 months of training, 12 months of being used to the players around them, the environment, they have huge aspirations and ambitions of getting back to the biggest day. That probably all contributed to the performance today. 'Cathal has done a brilliant job of bleeding players into the group over the last 12-18 months, myself included. It has been hugely important. We are in the final, but we have a lot of work to do if we are going to pull it off.' Mallon was held to a point in the '24 decider defeat to Cork. Now more at ease in maroon, the Galway import is striving for improved final involvement.
The Journal
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Journal
Mallon goal helps Galway shake off Tipperary and return to All-Ireland camogie final
The 42 Updated at 19.49 Galway 1-18 Tipperary 1-11 A BRILLIANT goal in the 39th minute by Niamh Mallon was the key score as Galway returned to the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie final with a deserved victory over Tipperary. The westerners were the better side, but they certainly did not have things their own way. Tipp fought right to the end, and it took a sensational block by the outstanding Dervla Higgins to deny Jean Kelly a goal that might have made it nervy. But there was no questioning the merit of Galway's win, Higgins, Shauna Healy and Róisín Black forming a most obdurate full-back line that provided the platform for the triumph. Up front, Mallon's goal might have earned the plaudits, but Ailish O'Reilly, who is in pursuit of a fourth All-Ireland medal, contributed four points as well as drilling a wonderful pass to Mallon for the definitive major. It was a strange sort of a game, and when Mallon pointed off the stick via Laura Leenane's hurley in the 25th minute, Galway seemed to be moving inexorably towards a Croke Park return. They were 0-8 to 0-2 in front, full value for that, and there seemed a real danger of the game drifting to an inevitable conclusion. Neither side had excelled, and even with their eight points, Galway shot some poor wides, but Tipp were particularly disjointed and wasteful from the few good positions they had created. When they lost Karin Blair with what looked like symptoms of concussion at the end of the first quarter, it only added to the sense of doom. But a shot by Karen Kennedy in the 26th minute was mis-controlled uncharacteristically into the net by Sarah Healy. The leaders were suddenly shaken, and the Premier were shaken from their torpor. The result was that somehow, they went in level at the break, 0-9 to 1-6 and all the momentum with Denis Kelly's side. Casey Heffernan and Eimear Heffernan pointed, and Grace O'Brien brought her tally to four from placed balls. Advertisement The interval probably came at the wrong time for them, while Cathal Murray welcomed the opportunity to recalibrate. All the evidence after the resumption was that the Galway players had recovered their composure, but Tipp would thankfully not return to their early ineptitude. But once O'Reilly placed Mallon, who carried to the edge of the square before firing a rocket to the far corner of the Tipp net, the Tribeswomen were able to keep their valiant opponents at arm's length. Kelly followed a pointed free by O'Brien with a smart score to keep Tipp interested. Mairéad Dillon added to her first-half brace, however, and was promptly hauled ashore, Sabina Rabbitte having been stripped and ready to go, and the Athenry attacker justified the decision by splitting the posts within seconds. There would be no way back for Tipp from there. SCORERS FOR GALWAY: C Dolan 0-6(4fs); A O'Reilly 0-4; N Mallon 1-2; M Dillon 0-3; C Kelly 0-2; S Rabbitte 0-1 SCORERS FOR TIPPERARY: G O'Brien 0-7(fs); K Kennedy 1-1; E Heffernan (f), C Hennessy, J Kelly 0-1 each GALWAY: Sarah Healy, Shauna Healy, R Black, D Higgins, R Hanniffy, A Starr, E Helebert, C Dolan, A Donohue, O Rabbitte, A O'Reilly, C Hickey, N Mallon, M Dillon, C Kelly. Subs: S Gardiner for Helebert (42); S Rabbitte for Dillon, A Hesnan for Starr (52); N Niland for Kelly, J Hughes for O Rabbitte (60+1) TIPPERARY: L Leenane; J Bourke, K Blair, C McCarthy, E Loughman, M Eviston, S Corcoran, K Kennedy, C Maher, E Heffernan, C Hennessy, G O'Brien, M Burke, R Howard, C McIntyre. Subs: E Carey for Blair inj (20), J Kelly for Burke (44), A McGrath for Maher (55) REFEREE: Justin Heffernan (Wexford) Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here Written by Daragh Ó'Conchúir and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here .
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Galway prove too strong for Tipperary to book place in All-Ireland camogie decider
All-Ireland camogie semi-final: Galway 1-18 Tipperary 1-11 A brilliant goal in the 39th minute by Niamh Mallon was the key score as Galway returned to the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie final with a deserved victory over Tipperary . The westerners were the better side but they certainly did not have things their own way. Tipp fought right to the end and it took a sensational block by the outstanding Dervla Higgins to deny Jean Kelly a goal that might have made it nervy. But there was no questioning the merit of Galway's win, with Higgins, Shauna Healy and Róisín Black forming a most obdurate full-back line that provided the platform for the triumph. Up front, Mallon's goal might have earned the plaudits but Ailish O'Reilly, who is in pursuit of a fourth All-Ireland medal, contributed four points as well as drilling a wonderful pass to Mallon for the definitive major. READ MORE It was a strange sort of a game and when Mallon pointed off the stick via Laura Leenane's hurley in the 25th minute, Galway seemed to be moving inexorably towards a Croke Park return. They were 0-8 to 0-2 in front, full value for that, and there seemed a real danger of the game drifting to an inevitable conclusion. Neither side had excelled and even with their eight points, Galway shot some poor wides. But Tipp were particularly disjointed and wasteful from the few good positions they had created. When the lost Karin Blair with what looked like symptoms of concussion at the end of the first quarter, it only added to the sense of doom. But a shot by Karen Kennedy in the 26th minute was miscontrolled uncharacteristically to the net by Sarah Healy. The leaders were suddenly shaken and the Premier County were shaken from their torpor. The result was that somehow they went in level at the break, 0-9 to 1-6 and all the momentum with Denis Kelly's side. Casey Heffernan and Eimear Heffernan pointed and Grace O'Brien brought her tally to four from placed balls. The interval probably came at the wrong time for them, while Cathal Murray welcomed the opportunity to recalibrate. All the evidence after the resumption was that the Galway players had recovered their composure but Tipp would thankfully not return to their early ineptitude. But once O'Reilly placed Mallon, who carried to the edge of the square before firing a rocket to the far corner of the Tipp net, the Tribeswomen were able to keep their valiant opponents at arm's length. Kelly followed a pointed free by O'Brien with a smart score to keep Tipp interested. Mairéad Dillon added to her first-half brace, however, and was promptly hauled ashore, Sabina Rabbitte having been stripped and ready to go, and the Athenry attacker justified the decision by splitting the posts within seconds. There would be no way back for Tipp from there. GALWAY: Sarah Healy; Shauna Healy, R Black, D Higgins; R Hanniffy, A Starr, E Helebert; C Dolan (0-6, 4f), A Donohue; O Rabbitte, A O'Reilly (0-4), C Hickey; N Mallon (1-2), M Dillon (0-3), C Kelly (0-2). Subs: S Gardiner for Helebert (42 mins); S Rabbitte (0-1) for Dillon, A Hesnan for Starr (52); N Niland for Kelly, J Hughes for O Rabbitte (60+1). TIPPERARY: L Leenane; J Bourke, K Blair, C McCarthy; E Loughman, M Eviston, S Corcoran; K Kennedy (1-1), C Maher; E Heffernan (0-1, f), C Hennessy (0-1), G O'Brien (0-7, 7f); M Burke, R Howard, C McIntyre. Subs: E Carey for Blair (20 mins, inj); J Kelly (0-1) for Burke (44); A McGrath for Maher (55). Referee: Justin Heffernan (Wexford).
The 42
4 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Mallon goal helps Galway shake off Tipperary and return to All-Ireland camogie final
Galway 1-18 Tipperary 1-11 GALWAY HAVE RETURNED to the All-Ireland senior camogie final after eventually shaking off the challenge of Tipperary in Nowlan Park. A second-half goal from Niamh Mallon helped steer Galway to victory in the 38th minute when there was just one point between the sides. Player of the Match Ailish O'Reilly finished with five points from play while for Tipperary, it is a seventh All-Ireland semi-final defeat in eight attempts. Cork and Waterford are currently in action in the other semi-final, with the winners facing Galway on 10 August. Advertisement More to follow…
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Camogie: Galway in All-Ireland final after win over Tipperary
Galway are in the All-Ireland senior Camogie semi-final after their win over Tipperary. Niamh Mallon scored 1-2, while Ailish O'Reilly scored five points to bring Galway to their second consecutive final. Advertisement Galway got off to a quick start, as they opened up a 0-8 to 0-2 lead after 24 minutes. However, Tipperary eneded the half strong and scored the first goal of the game through Karen Kennedy. Further points from Grace O'Brien, Eimear Hefferenan, and Casey Hennessy meant the teams went in level at 0-9 to 1-6 at the interval. It was Galway who once again started the half stronger, and had their goal through Mallon in the 39th minute. Points from O'Reilly and Carrie Dolan meant Galway opened up a six point lead in the 46th minute. Galway's momentum continued until the final whistle, and they ran out seven point winners to book their place in Croke Park.
