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Irish Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
‘We knew intensity would get us there': Niamh Mallon on how Galway won the O'Duffy Cup
It's fair to say Niamh Mallon's journey to winning her first All-Ireland senior camogie title with Galway has had its ups – and 'Downs'. Mallon, originally from Portaferry, won an All-Ireland intermediate camogie title with her native Down in 2020. One of her team-mates that afternoon against Antrim was Sorcha McCartan. Mallon scored 2-3 in the decider against the Saffrons while McCartan registered 0-2. Both were involved in last Sunday's All-Ireland senior camogie decider too – but this time as opponents, Mallon playing for Galway and McCartan representing Cork . READ MORE A college work placement took McCartan, daughter of former Mourne footballer Greg, to Leeside. While she initially commuted to keep playing for Down, the talented forward transferred to St Finbarr's in 2021 and made her Cork debut in 2022. Mallon has been living and working in Galway since 2018, but only transferred to play camogie with the county last year, a season that ended with an All-Ireland senior camogie final appearance and an All Star. It also led to Mallon coming up against her former Down team-mate in last year's final, but it was McCartan who finished 2024 with an All-Ireland senior title. After Galway's 1-14 to 1-13 victory over Cork on Sunday , Mallon now also has a senior medal on her CV. Niamh Mallon: 'We really went after stopping their running game at source.' Photograph: Bryan Keane/INPHO 'Cathal [Murray], the management team, the players, they were all brilliant [to me when I joined],' Mallon says. 'I think the experience of playing my first senior All-Ireland final was something I needed to work through, so the experience of last year stood to me. 'I'm just delighted for the group and delighted for Cathal. They put a massive effort in. 'It's easy for people to have pops at management teams and the way they set teams up, but the time and effort that the group has put into us has been massive since the turn of January. 'And they got their just rewards. I'm just delighted to be part of the group and very grateful.' But it was not such a memorable day for McCartan, who was replaced in the 41st minute without a score. She had come off the bench in last year's final and scored two points in the second half as Cork won by three. McCartan also hit 1-1 in the 2023 final victory over Waterford. Mallon played a significant role in Sunday's Galway victory, scoring a point and helping lead the charge in terms of work rate and intensity brought by the Tribeswomen in squeezing and putting pressure on the Cork defenders. Galway's Annmarie Starr, Niamh Mallon and Rachael Hanniffy celebrate winning the O'Duffy Cup. Photograph: Bryan Keane/INPHO 'We really went after stopping their running game at source. If they get out, they're a fierce dangerous side, so we were trying to not let them build from the back and give them a platform, particularly in that middle third,' she says. 'That's where they got us last year. They hit 1-3 or 1-4 without reply building solely from the back. We knew we couldn't let that happen if we were going to win and thankfully we managed the game better in that third quarter this year.' Sunday's contest was an extremely physical affair and the sides produced one of the best All-Ireland camogie finals in years. Mallon, who has been performance nutritionist for Pádraic Joyce's Galway senior footballers for the last two years, was aware of the ferocity as the game developed. 'It was fierce intense, to be honest. But we kind of knew that coming into the game if we were going to turn Cork over it was going to be intensity that was going to take us there. 'We brought a massive intensity this time last year; we just didn't have the composure to see it out. Galway's Niamh Mallon, right, and Cork's Laura Hayes. Photograph: Tom O'Hanlon/INPHO 'I think the experience of last year really stood to us, particularly coming down the stretch. We managed the game a whole lot better than this time last year. We're just delighted to get over the line.' Afterwards Cork manager Ger Manley was critical of referee Justin Heffernan – questioning some decisions made against his side, including the red card shown to Hannah Looney in the closing stages of the first half. However, Mallon says the Wexford official helped create the environment for an entertaining All-Ireland final. 'He let the game go and it really contributed to a really good game. There were a few questionable decisions last year coming down the stretch on both sides. I think he did a great job to let the game flow. You got a spectacle out of it,' she says. Mallon, whose father Martin captained and managed the Down hurlers, has had quite the few months: she got married to Cushendall hurler Dominic Delargy in March. Which was better, though: tying the knot or lifting the O'Duffy Cup? 'Don't ask me that,' she says with a laugh. 'It's been a mad year. It's been great.' With more ups than downs.
Irish Examiner
08-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Skort survivor McCartan just happy everyone has choice
She might be in the minority, but you will find Sorcha McCartan donning a skort in Sunday's All-Ireland senior camogie final. The issue was the subject of much controversy in the springtime. And this week Camogie President Brian Molloy urged the multitude of people who rowed in on the debate to come out and back up their words by supporting the women on the biggest stage of all. The Down-now-Cork forward appreciates having the option to wear a skort or shorts. 'The vote was for choice,' she says. 'I think the skorts are just more comfortable, they flatter me a bit more and give me a bit more coverage. I like the look of them and the feel of them a bit more than shorts. 'The choice was brilliant and that is what players wanted. I don't like to be superstitious but that is a part of it as well. I've always worn a skort in matches. I wear shorts at training.' The former Mourne star, who will come up against her old teammate and now Galway leading light Niamh Mallon in GAA headquarters, is daughter of 1994 All-Ireland football medallist Greg. Read More Watch: Meabh Cahalane carrying on the family tradition of captaining Cork She relocated south four seasons ago on an UUJ placement to MTU and upon the completion of her studies is currently enjoying downtime by working at Sam's Coffee (Sam Ryan) in Togher. She scored 1-1 in the 2023 All-Ireland decider against Waterford and following her second-half introduction against Galway in 2024, the impact sub fired a pair of crucial points. Competition for places meant she wasn't in from the start, and even though her contribution was pivotal in a tight game, it's only natural the Castlewellan native felt it was a missed opportunity. 'Last year was hugely disappointing for me and that drove me when I came on in the final. I had a bit of grit between my teeth and I wanted to prove myself. 'I took that into the club season (won a county championship with St Finbarr's) and then Ger (Manley) rang me at the start of the year and told me he could see a place for me if I would be willing to put in the work. 'I did put in the work and I got a bit of an injury (a leg fracture in the league final) but I got myself back and thankfully he's given me the jersey back. 'But look, Orlaith Mullins came on and made such an impact against Waterford, I'll definitely be training hard right up to the final and see how I get on.' She mentions coach Liam Cronin - now part of John Kiely's backroom team with the Limerick senior hurlers - as somebody who had a positive influence on her career after manager Matthew Twomey invited her to join the senior panel in 2022. Two years previous she secured an All-Ireland intermediate medal with Down, but the move up the ranks would prove to be a formidable challenge. 'I never expected to be asked to join the Cork set-up. I was just testing how good I could get or how I fared out amongst the Cork players. What got me through it for the first two or three years was sort of ignorance. I was just throwing myself into training. 'Liam Cronin coached me properly and he taught me how to play. It wasn't just winning a ball and fling it over your shoulder, it was using your brain and movement and stuff. So I feel like I've come on coaching wise since I've moved down to Cork.' As the game evolves, the physical exchanges do too and they have become more intense. As a result, her role, she believes, can be self-sacrificing at times. 'To be fair, I give it as good as I get so I can't complain about that,' she laughs. 'I throw my body anywhere and sometimes I would pick up a bit more of the niggles and stuff. I think I use it as my strength. It makes me different from the Amy O'Connors. Katrina Mackeys and the Orlaith Cahalanes that I can use a bit of physicality in a positive way. I suppose that is what management sees. 'It is a bit of a selfless one as well when you hold the ball up and you are not the one getting the scores or the fancy stuff. But I don't mind as long as I do the job for the team. Sometimes it is about getting the job done.'
