Niamh Mallon enjoying busy schedule on and off pitch with Galway

Michael Bolton

A key part of the Galway side which won the All-Ireland camogie title, it is fair to say that Niamh Mallon's move to Galway has worked out.

From Co Down, Mallon has lived in Galway since 2018, and is a sports scientist with Orreco, as well as a nutritionist with Padraic Joyce's footballers.

With the Centra National League getting underway this weekend to add to the busy schedule, Mallon would not have it any other way.

"Ultimately, we all have jobs, and we're not full-time athletes, and mine just happens to be working in sport.

"That's part of it, I may be flying to a game, there may be other girls flying to work in a restaurant, and there may be nurses going to start their shift at 6 pm, and I'm no different.

"It's busy, but it's good. It's an environment that I'm very fortunate to be in. As I said, it's good but busy a lot of the time."

Galway will go into this season as the team to beat after winning the All-Ireland final in 2025 against Cork last August.

Putting a stop to Cork's three-in-a-row charge, Galway were fueled by losing the final 12 months previously, and played at an intensity Cork could not live with.

“Cork are a super team, super ball players, and if you give them the time, the space and let them out of defence easy, you’re going to pay for that.

“That’s something we probably identified that we were going to have to do, and we were able to bring a huge intensity to the game. That gave us the platform, then to push on and perform.

“There was a huge hurt there that we wanted to put right. Yes, it was Cork in ’24 and Cork again in ’25, but we were also destroyed in the league final by Cork as well. So it was more about ourselves and getting over the line for Galway, as opposed to stopping Cork.

“Probably the experience of the year before stood to us, our younger players had the experience of 12 months before, and that probably stood to us coming down the stretch, because we managed the game a little bit better.”

As time goes on, Mallon admitted to missing her home in Down, but is grateful to the Galway management for making the transition a successful one.

"It’s class, and I've been very fortunate for the opportunity that Cathal Murray gave me to be part of it.

"I think the opportunities to get better and challenge yourself they're unlimited really, and that's something I'll never be able to take for granted.

"I'm just hugely fortunate and hugely grateful for the opportunity I've had over the past couple of years."