Champions turn on the style to book semi-final spot

All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship Quarter-Final
– Mayo 1-11 Cork 1-07

Champions
turn on the style to book place in semi-final

Mayo were simply too strong for a young Cork team
at O’Connor Park, Tullamore in the first of the
All-Ireland quarterfinals. Inspired by the accuracy
of Cora Staunton, Mayo dismissed a fancied young
Cork side to book a place in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Mayo had been written off as tired and lacking
in hunger but they started like they meant business
and went into a three points to no score lead
courtesy of two points from Cora Staunton and
one from Ciara McDermott.

Cork did not register a score until a Valerie
Mulcahy free on 13 minutes as the Mayo backs totally
dominated their opponents. Fiona McHale scored
another point for Mayo before Cora Staunton was
taken down while heading in on goal for a penalty
which was coolly converted by Yvonne Byrne after
20 minutes. A free from Ger O’Flynn and point
for Rena Buckley threatened to keep Cork in touch
before two points form the brilliant Staunton
left the sides at 1-6 to 0-3 at the break, with
Mayo very much in command.

Staunton and Mulcahy traded frees before Rena
Buckley was sin binned for taking down Cora Staunton
who pointed from the resulting free. Despite having
a Cora Staunton goal disallowed, Mayo added more
points through Kelly Colleran and two more from
Staunton. Cork in fairness did not lie down and
a point from Norita Kelly and a well taken goal
by Aishling O’Connor left the score at 1-10 to
1-6 with 5 minutes remaining.

Who else but Cora Staunton scored another free
to put the game beyond Cork’s reach and Brid Conway
got a consolation point for the rebels with time
running out. This was by far the most accomplished
Mayo performance to date and they have announced
their intentions in emphatic fashion. They dominated
midfield with player of the game Claire Egan impressive
and their backs were superb. Staunton contributed
a fantastic 8 points but Mayo will need others
to start scoring if they are to go all the way
to claim a magnificent three-in-a-row.

For this young Cork side the occasion seemed to
get the better of them but they will be there
or thereabouts for the next few seasons.

Scorers

Mayo: C Staunton, 0-8 (6 f), Y Kelly 1-0,
(penalty), F McHale 0-1, K colleran 0-1, C McDermott
0-1
Cork: V Mulcahy 0-3 (3f), A O’Connor 1-0,
G O’Flynn 0-1 (f), N Kelly 0-1, B Corkery 0-1
(f), R Buckley 0-1

Mayo: L Connolly, N O’Shea, H Lohan, M.T.
Garvey, C O’Hara, Y Byrne, E Reilly, C Egan, C
Heffernan, K Colleran, T McNicholas, F McHale,
C McDermott, M Heffernan, C Staunton
Substitutions – E Biggins for T McNicholas
(45 mins), D O’Hora for C McDermott (50 mins)
, M Carter for F McHale (58 mins)
Cork: E Harte, N Keohane, B Stack, L Power
, B Corkery, A Walsh, A O’Connor, J Murphy , R
Buckley , N Cleary, V Mulcahy, G O’Flynn, M O’Connor,
R Curtin , A Murphy
Substitutions – N Kelly for L Power (Half
time), S O’Reilly for M O’Connor (50 minutes),
M Kelly for G O’Flynn (50 minutes)