Cork Player Ratings: Sorcha McCartan and Laura Hayes immense in Croke Park against Galway

Amy Lee (Na Piarsaigh): Galway largely sat off on puck-outs which meant Lee was tempted to go short regularly. There was more variety to her restarts in the second half when the middle-third options were more aggressive. Both goals came from long deliveries. 8.

Izzy O’Regan (Ballygarvan): In the thick of the action from the throw-in, though Galway were extremely dangerous up top. 

Settled well, as did the rest of the younger guns. 7.

Libby Coppinger (St Colum’s): Niamh Niland and Caoimhe Kelly clipped some super first-half points but there was little their markers could do as Galway were finding them in pockets of space. Had to make some last-gasp tackles, and fouls, coming down the stretch. 7.

Meabh Cahalane (St Finbarr’s): Captain and one of the most experienced Rebels on the big stage. Like the rest of the Rebel rearguard, made her presence felt as the game wore on, distributing cooly under fierce pressure. 7.

Ava Fitzgerald (Sarsfields): Rookie wing-back has serious pace and drove out with possession effectively time and again. 

Involved in three scores by breaking past the halfway line. Disciplined defensively as well. 8.

Meabh Murphy (Ballinora): The young centre-back took a while to find her feet, with Galway spreading the play out wide. Very effective as the sweeper in the closing 35 minutes. 8.

Isobel Sheehan (Éire Óg): Worked hard. First half shot at the posts drifted just wide. Like the rest of the defence, came to the fore in the second half when Cork got a firm grip on the breaks for long spells. 7.

Ashling Thompson (Milford): Typical leadership around midfield from the veteran in her 11th senior All-Ireland. Moved up to centre-forward in the second half to squeeze Galway and was rewarded with a remarkable seventh medal despite all her injuries. 7.

Laura Hayes (St Catherine’s): Put in and took some monster hits in the first half, getting fouled for two converted frees. Scored a neat point after the break and was an absolute warrior to the end. 9.

Emma Murphy (Glen Rovers): Shot the lights out in the semi-final against Tipp but had to operate too deep initially to be a scoring threat. Opened the second half with a classy point and tackled ferociously. 7.

Saoirse McCarthy (Courcey Rovers): Nailed a huge free and showed flashes of her class early on without imposing herself. Completely upped the ante from there, including a sensational goal after an audacious bounce off the ground before shooting. Quality point to push Cork six ahead late on which turned out to be match-winning. 8.

Millie Condon (Ballinascarthy): Another newcomer, she was fouled for a free that could have seen Carrie Dolan sent off. Very energetic and ran herself to a standstill. 7.

Amy O’Connor (St Vincent’s): Clinical from frees but on the fringes from play early, largely due to the excellence of Galway sweeper Ciara Hickey. Had some key involvements in the second half. 7.

Orlaith Cahalane (St Finbarr’s): Set up a point and fouled for a free in the first half but too often starved of ball. Ice-cool finish for Cork’s second-half goal after a terrific first touch and also clipped a lovely point. 8.

Sorcha McCartan (St Finbarr’s): Bagged a pair of exceptional points in the opening 30 minutes when scores from play were very hard to come by. Lanced two even better efforts from by the 65 in the second period. Her flick led to Cahalane’s goal and was fouled for two frees. My Player of the Match. 9.

Subs: Orlaith Mullins and Hayley Ryan on late.