Cork Senior Ladies Reach Final of DIV 1 Suzuki League

Cork
6:11
Waterford 2:06

A
pleasant but blustery Fraher Field, Dungarvan
was the venue for this eagerly awaited semi-final
of the Div 1 Suzuki National League between old
rivals Cork and Waterford. Waterford elected to
play with a swirling breeze in the first half
but it was the Cork girls who took the game to
their opponents. Playing a very neat short passing
game Cork kept a disciplined approach and were
not giving valuable possession away. A great save
in the first minute of the match by goalkeeper,
Elaine Harte, set the scene for Cork and they
never quite looked back from there. Sinead O’Reilly
was playing some lovely football from wing back
and her soaring runs at the Waterford defence
were causing all sort of problems for the Deise
girls. Her sister, Deirdre capitalised on one
of these runs with a great opening point for Cork
in the 7th minute. This was soon followed up with
a goal by the same player in the 9th minute. Waterford
soon began to settle and were rewarded in the
10th minute through a Mary O’Rourke point. Three
minutes later the match was tied when Fiona O’Reilly
broke from centre back and crashed the ball to
the back of the Cork net. Marian Ryan then put
Waterford into a one point lead when she struck
in the 11th minute from a close in free. Geraldine
O’ Flynn restored parity between the side in the
15th minute when she scored a great point despite
intense pressure from the Waterford defence. Cork
took the lead in the 18th min through Valerie
Mulcahy and went two points clear through Caoimhe
Creedon in the 20th but Mary O’Rourke again edged
Waterford closer in the 23rd minute with a close
in free. Neither side was giving ground and indeed
very good defensive work by Angela Walsh, Ciara
Walsh , Niamh Keohane, Briege Corkery & Sinead
O’Reilly kept the Waterford forwards at bay. The
last few minutes of this half turned the match
completely on its head and pointed the way to
an eventual Cork victory. Three fortunate goals
in the 29th,30th & 31st min from V Mulcahy, D
O’Reilly & C Creedon struck a huge psychological
blow for the Cork girls and they retired at half
time 7pts clear. The mood in the stands was positive
but those who knew Michael Ryan & his charges
waited for the expected Waterford fight back.

Waterford
switched Fiona O’Reilly to midfield in the second
half and put Mary O’Donnell in at centre back
in an attempt to curb the Cork attack and to gain
an upper hand in midfield where Juliette Murphy
& Norita Kelly were getting through Trojan work.
Those who feared a Waterford come back were not
disappointed as M Liston scored a goal inside
the opening minute of the second half and this
was soon followed by a point from Mary O’Rourke.
However the Rebels refused to be intimidated and
in the 37th min Amanda Murphy struck with a point.
Geraldine O’Flynn added to her tally with a close
in free in the 40th minute. A point from Amanda
Murphy in the 41st min & a peach of an Aishling
O’Connor goal in the 46th minute meant that the
Rebels were almost home and dry. Cork continued
to take the game to Waterford and further scores
from Deirdre O’Reilly Aishlin O’Connor put respectable
daylight between the sides. The match was sealed
for Cork in the 49th min when the Waterford goalkeeper
was ‘ sin binned’ for a body check on Valerie
Mulcahy. The latter dusted herself down and slotted
the ball into the right hand corner of the net.
Two further points from the same player ensured
a famous victory & an April 17th National League
Final meeting with Galway. Manager Mary Collins
was upbeat after the final whistle and said that
she was happy with a good Cork performance. It
was disciplined in approach and the team upped
the work ethic when required. Cork are now in
the enviable position of being 60 minutes away
from the ‘ holy grail’ of a Div 1 National League
title. Nothing soft will come their way from Galway.
They will know this and often that is all that
is required!!

Cork:
E Harte , N Keohane, A Walsh, R Buckley, B Corkery,
C Walsh, S O’Reilly J Murphy, N Kelly, D O’Reilly
(2.01), A O’Connor(1.01), G O’Flynn,(0.2 (1 f)
V Mulcahy (2.04, (1 pen,2ff) C Creedon (1.01),
A Murphy (0.2)

Subs:
L Power for S O’Reilly (52nd min), R Curtin for
G O’Flynn (52nd Min) S O’Connell for N Keohane
(53rd min) C Donoghue for E Harte( 54th min) S
O’Callaghan for B Corkery (55th min)

Waterford
M Hayes, D Frost, C Raher, M Troy, L Whelan, F
O’Reilly(1.00), M Liston,(1.00) M O’Donnell, M
Ryan (0.01), L Wall, M Ryan(0.01), C O’Keeffe,
M McGrath,A Murphy, M O’Rourke (0.04,2ffs)

Subs:
B Hannigan for C O’Keeffe (HT), M Foley for L
Whelan (46) N Briggs for M McGrath ( 26th min)

Referee:
J Flood (Wexford)

Terry
O’Brien Asst PRO Cork Ladies Football