Quirke and Keating sparkle as Cork see off Galway in gripping All-Ireland Minor A semi-final

All-Ireland Minor A Final

Cork 3-13  
Galway 1-13

By James Hayden at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh

KATIE Quirke collected 1-7 and Fiona Keating added 1-4 as Cork dethroned Galway in an absorbing All-Ireland Minor A semi-final at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh, on Sunday.

Despite the windy and rainy conditions, this was a superb contest as the 2017 and 2018 finalists clashed at the penultimate stage

Playing with the aid of a gusting breeze, Cork, managed by former intercounty star, John Cleary,  thundered into this clash with an early brace from player of the match Keating, coupled with a 14th minute Claudia Keane goal, providing the platform for a promising Rebelette start.

Galway struggled to contain the Leesiders in many areas in the opening quarter, managing to put just two points on the board before a second Cork goal on 17 minutes from the boot of  the excellent full-forward, Katie Quirke had the champions in all sorts of bother, 2-03 to 0-2.

Kieran Collins’ charges fought hard though to hold on to Cork’s coat tails with successive points from Andrea Trill (free) and Aoife O’Rourke before a tremendous Emma Glynn save in the 23rd minute denied the Munster representatives an almost certain third goal.

With the rain cascading down and making for difficult underfoot conditions, Galway rallied in the closing stages of the half with Lorraine Meehan and Aoife O’Rourke reducing the deficit to seven, 2-7 to 0-6. Katie Quirke responded with a close-range free before Galway were afforded a huge fillip right on the stroke of when Meehan netted with aplomb to boost Galway’s chances of a second-half comeback, 2-8 to 1-6 at the break.

And that comeback materialised in style with five unanswered Galway points bringing the girls in maroon back on terms by the 38th minute, 2-8 to 1-11.

Cork stemmed the haemorrhage of scores though and the sides were level on two further occasions before a goal and a point within 60 seconds from the excellent Fiona Keating rocked Galway back on their heels, 3-11 to 1-13, with just eleven minutes remaining.

Galway battled hard to get back on terms but a resilient Cork side thwarted the best they could offer and added two further points from Fiona Keating and Katie Quirke (free) to dethrone the reigning champions and book their spot in this year’s hugely anticipated decider against Monaghan on Monday, August 5.

Scorers:

Cork: K. Quirke 1-7 (0-5f); F. Keating 1-4; C. Keane 1-0; J. Murphy 0-2.

Galway: L. Meehan 1-2 (0-2f); A. Trill 0-4f; A. O’Rourke 0-3; N. McPeake, S. Healy, M. Hynes and A. Morrissey 0-1 each.

Teams:

Cork: S. Murphy, R. Ni Chorcora, E. Baker, R. Sheehan; E. O’Shea, I. Sheehan, C. Keane; E. Mullins, A. O’Mahoney (C); F. Ahern, J. Murphy, C. Dooley; E. Jack, K. Quirke, F. Keating.

Subs: A. Twomey for Dooley (53); R. Fraher for Jack (57); A. Keating for Mullins (60).

Galway: E. Glynn, S. Fahy, C. Crowe, H. Reddington; H. Noone, K. Geraghty (C), S. Healy; N. McPeake, L. Aherne; A. O’Rourke, C. Miskell, M. Hynes; L. Meehan, A. Trill, A. Morrissey.

Subs: A. Lynagh for McPeake (49); C. Murray for Hynes (57).

Ref: K Phelan (Laois)

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