BORD GÁIS ENERGY NATIONAL LADIES FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1 SEMI-FINAL

CORK 4-11

DUBLIN 0-8
DEFENDING champions Cork produced a powerful second half display against Dublin to power into the Bord Gáis Energy National Ladies Football League final.

The reigning League, Munster and All-Ireland champions ran riot after half-time against outclassed Leinster kingpins Dublin at Semple Stadium.

Rhona Buckley bagged 2-3 for the Rebelettes but the player of the match award went to corner forward Deirdre O’Reilly, who chipped in with 1-1.

At half-time, Cork led by 1-6 to 0-7 before outscoring their shellshocked opponents by 3-5 to 0-1 in the second half to record a 15-point win.

O’Reilly netted Cork’s first half goal after 17 minutes, a deflected effort at the Town End, while Dublin goalkeeper Clíodhna O’Connor did well to keep out two other goalbound efforts.

Five unanswered points after half-time sent Cork 1-11 to 0-7 clear and into the comfort zone before the floodgates opened with Buckley (53) and Valerie Mulcahy (55) adding quickfire goals.

In stoppage time, Buckley put the icing on the Cork cake when she lashed home a stunning goal from 18 metres past O’Connor.

Cork, who lost to Dublin in the group stages of the competition, will meet the winners of Sunday’s other semi-final between Mayo and Laois in the showpiece Bord Gáis Energy final.
Cork scorers: R Buckley 2-3, V Mulcahy 1-2 (0-2f), D O’Reilly 1-1, B Corkery, M O’Connor, C O’Sullivan, J Murphy (f) & N Cleary (f) 0-1 each.
Dublin scorers: S Aherne 0-3 (2f), A-Marie Murphy 0-2, N McEvoy, M Nevin & N Hurley 0-1 each.