Cork 3 Carlow 2 

TWO late goals ensured Cork went through to the Gaynor Cup U15 Plate final after an exciting game at Lakewood. 

They will either meet Midlands or Innishowen in the final scheduled in two weeks in Athlone after late goals from Ellie O'Brien and Heidi Macken.

Cork struck twice in added time to deny Carlow victory in a game where the hosts dominated play and possession and got their just reward.

Carlow took an early lead from a penalty kick when Sinead Thompson was fouled in the area and was duly converted by Aoife Kelly.

Cork looked for an equaliser with Carlow keeper Ciara Kelly gathering the ball from Lauren Healy’s cross and did likewise from the winger moments later at the near post.

They scored from a corner when the ball fell to Ellie O’Brien and rebounded into the back of the net. They almost had a second moments later when the keeper had to be brave to clear from an advancing Healy.

Two long-range Heidi Mackin free kicks were gathered by the Carlow keeper while she also did well to save point-blank from a corner. Chloe Atkinson had a chance in the 37th minute while moments later a Cork corner kick flashed right across the Carlow goalline.

Totally against the run of play Carlow took the lead in the 51st minute when Aoife Kelly stabbed the ball into the net. It started a period of dominance from Carlow who were buoyed by their second goal.

Yet the home side managed to get back on top.

With less than two minutes remaining Cork’s Ellie O’Brien weaved through the Carlow defence and slammed the ball off the crossbar and into the net from 20 yards for the equaliser. 

She had a chance moments later from a free outside the area only to see her effort skim off the top of the Carlow crossbar.

Cork were looking for the all-important winner in the final few added-on minutes. 

They were duly rewarded with a goal in the third minute of extra time when Heidi Mackin’s 25-yard free bounced in front of the Carlow keeper and into the back of the net.

CORK: Emer O’Sullivan, Caoimhe Russell, Lena Henry, Heidi Mackin, Ailbhe O’Donovan, Niamh Cotter, Meave O’Leary, Ellie O’Brien, Chloe Atkinson, Lauren Healy, Olivia Greaney, Muireann Deasy, Kayleigh Still, Caoimhe Golden, Holly McCabe, Aine Griffin, Aine Sheridan, Shauna Cashman, Julie Bowdren.

CARLOW: Ciara Kelly, Rose Fasakin, Eva Doyle, Emma Doyle, Sarah Nolan, Sinead Thompson, Grainne Thompson, Megan Townsend, Maeve O’Neill, Aoife Kelly, Orla Woods, Kathlyn Timmons, Sophie McConomy, Lily O’Neill, Genevieve Sherlock, Aoife Smithers, Ella Meyler, Millie Cope, Kayla Fields. 

Referee: John Corcoran