Galway 3 - 12  Dublin 0 - 11

Three minutes from the end of normal time, Dublin had cut the Galway girls lead to five points and were pressing hard for a decisive score.  But a questionable lineball went Galway's way from which a crucial point followed from the excellent Aisling Connolly.  The score broke a sequence of four Dublin points without reply and settled the visitors who finished with a goal and a point in the added time to secure a victory margin that was harsh on the Dublin side.

Galway corner forward, Aisling Connolly daughter of famous hurler John was a constant threat and her accuracy from play and placed balls was impressive.

It was the daughter of another Galway great Niamh McGrath (Michael "Hopper" McGrath) who opened the scoring followed by an Aisling Connolly point.  But a Ciara Lucey 45 in the fourth minute brought Dublin into the game.  The score came after a penalty from the same player was saved.

Another Connolly point stretched Galway's lead only for Ciara Lucey to strike another free for Dublin.

Dublin were defending bravely with Anne Kirwan, Tara Corrigan and Jean Murphy performing solidly in the opening 10 minutes.

Galway however managed their best scoring spell in the period from the 8th to the 15 minutes tagging on 1-4 without reply - the goal coming from Aisling Connolly as well as four points and another Niamh McGrath score.

But with Louise O'Hara, Elaine O'Meara, Catriona Power and Ciara Burgess working very hard, Dublin fought back to get two points from a free and 45 from Ciara Lucey to leave themselves 1-7 to 0-4 behind at the break.

Aided by the breeze, Dublin took the game to Galway in the second half and within two minutes two neat points from Ciara Burgess and Joelenne Hoary had reduced the margin.

Throughout the field Dublin grew in confidence but a lapse in the 41st minute allowed Veronica Curtin in for a crucial Galway goal.

Dublin never dropped their heads and immediately from the puck-out Ciara Lucey brought her tally from placed balls to five points.  For the next ten minutes Dublin were on top and scores from Sarah Ryan and three more frees from Ciara Lucey left only five points between the sides as Mairi Moynihan battled bravely to find the way to that crucial goal.

However the Galway defence was strong particularly Sinead Cahallan, Sandra Tannian and Colette Gill and Dublin were to be hit by that late Galway burst.

Stephanie Carthy, Anne Kirwan, Tara Corrigan, Jean Murphy, Catriona Power, Elaine O'Meara, Rachel Costello, Louise O'Hara, Ciara Burgess (0-1), Ciara Lucey (0-8, 6f, 2 45), Sarah Ryan (0-1), Aoife Kelly, Sherry Mannion, Mairi Moynihan, Joelenne Hoary (0-1)

Subs used:  Danielle Smith, Ali Maguire, Kirsten Farrell