All Ireland Ladies Football Minor Semi Final

All Ireland Ladies Football Minor Semi Final

Cork 5.14 Dublin 3.15 (AET)

 

In a compelling and highly charged All Ireland Minor
semi final Cork emerged victorious over Dublin at Semple Stadium,
Thurles on Sunday. On a pitch that has graced many great Cork victories
, this game went right to the wire. One would point to Cork’s refusal
to bow down to incredible spells of Dublin pressure , coupled with
the self belief that makes champions as one of the major contributory
factors of this victory.

Dublin looked by far the better side in the first half when they
had the Cork defence under constant pressure principly through their
excellent midfield player, Kim Flood. Cork opened brightly and had
1.01 on the scoreboard inside the first six minutes. Dublin’s response
was swift principly through great work from Amy McGuinness at wing
forward and Young Player of the Year in 2005, Lyndsay Davey. At
the short whistle Cork were fortunate to lead on a score line of
3.03 to 1.07 

Dublin reduced the lead to a point in the 34th minute with an
Amy McGuinness score but Cork replied quickly when the ever dangerous
Rhona Buckley goaled at the other end thanks to excellent support
play from Jenny Luddy & Siobhan Forde. At this stage Cork
were in the ascendancy with Laura Power increasing their lead
with a fine point after an excellent carry from her midfield berth.
However the picture was about to change when Cork captain and
full back Anita Thompson was harshly penalised on the 44th min
for a foul on a Dublin forward, and Kim Flood crashed the resultant
penalty kick low to the corner of the Cork goal. Amanda Murphy
began to motor at centre forward despite the attention of two
markers and precious little protection from the referee. Two glorious
points on the 56th & 60th minute from the Cork senior player
saw both teams locked together as injury time approached. Dublin
had at least 3 opportunities to claim victory as 7 minutes injury
time was played due to an injury to Cork keeper Orlaith Murphy.
It was not to be and at the end of 67 minutes of play the score
line read Cork 4.07 Dublin 3.10

The fitness levels of both sides was going to be a key factor
in who emerged victorious as they both faced into an extra time
period of 20 minutes. Laura Power gave Cork a lead on the 62nd
minute but Dublin replied with points through Amy McGuinness &
Kim Flood. With Anita Thompson having a player of the match performance
on Dublin danger woman, Lyndsay Davey, and both Cathy Ann Stack
& Louise Cohalan clearing out any Dublin attacks the match
began to turn in Cork’s favour. On the 76th minute some excellent
ball skills from the Cork half back line saw the ball worked through
to Ballingeary’s Rhona Buckley and once again she lashed the ball
to the Dublin net. Cork were not about to relinquish their crack
at an All Ireland final and despite a never say die attitude from
Dublin time just ran out on them.

 

Cork : R Buckley (5.00 (1.00 pen), A Murphy (0.07 (0.02f),
L Power (0.02)

C O’Sullivan (0.01), D Cotter (0.01),S Forde (0.01),R O’Sullivan
(0.01)

E Healy (0.01),

Dublin: K Flood ( 2.02 (1.00 pen), L Davey (1.02) ,A McGuinness
(0.07 (0.02f)

L Hillery (0.02), A McGovern (0.01), C Murphy (0.01), R Morgan
(0.01)

Cork : O Murphy CA Stack A Thompson E O’Donovan L Cohalan,
C O’Leary

R O’Sullivan, L Power S Forde J Luddy A Murphy A O’Donovan

C O’Sullivan R Buckley D Cotter

Subs: E Healy for A O’Donovan (55), K O’Brien for S Forde
(73)

Dublin: H Tyrell A Deasy A Murphy K Hudson E Bates L Hillery
A Greene

N McEvoy K Flood A McGuinness N Hyland A McGovern F Hudson

L Davey C Murphy

Subs: D McKenna for A McGovern (41),R Morgan for F Hudson
(54)

Referee: G Guinan ( Galway

Terry O’Brien PRO Cork Ladies Football