Ladies Football: Cork produce the goods in the second half to beat Galway in All-Ireland series by two points

Cork 1-12

Galway 1-10

THE Cork ladies footballers are through to a home TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final tie following a super win over Galway at MTU Cork on Saturday.

A superb second half goal from substitute Hannah Looney paved the way for Cork to defeat Galway.

Looney was introduced in the 40th minute and nine minutes later she showed all her experience to drill an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net against the stubborn Galway defence.

Full forward Katie Quirke finished with a seven point tally with 16 year old Ava McAuliffe contributing three points from play.

It only took Cork 25 seconds to get up and running when Ava McAuliffe fisted the ball over the bar following a good move.

The Rebels playing against the wind added two more points in the opening seven minutes from Katie Quirke and McAuliffe.

To be fair Galway looked strong going forward and points from Nicola Ward and Emma Reaney brought the minimum between the teams.

Cork responded with consecutive points but they had a golden chance to raise the opening green flag in the 12th minute.

Some neat play in the build-up saw the ball fall into the path of Emma Cleary but somehow she failed to find the target with a goal at her mercy.

Cork were opening up the Galway defence with ease but the westerners were good at crowding them out but they should have done better with 10 minutes remaining to the interval.

Following yet another good move the Cork captain Maire O’Callaghan was left in on a one on one with the goalkeeper but her shot came back off the left post.

In fairness Galway refused to wilt and when Emma Reaney kicked a monstrous point in the 23rd they led for the first time 0-6 to 0-5.

The problem the Cork forwards were encountering was their failure to release the ball when going forward that saw them turn it over on a number of occasions.

Indeed the home side got punished for wasting opportunities in the 27th minute with a superb Galway goal.

Following a Cork turnover Galway went up field and a superb run by Roisin Leonard saw her assist a fabulous pass to Olivia Divilly whose thunderous shot hit the roof of the net.

Not to be fazed Cork did finish with consecutive points from placed balls by Katie Quirke but it was Galway who went in at the break commanding a three point lead 1-7 to 0-7.

Cork were punished in the opening minute but Roisin Leonard’s free went wide of the posts before Cork responded with a Katie Quirke placed ball that reduced the deficit to two points.

The match referee was punishing minimal contact and Cork were on the end of some dubious decisions that saw Galway restore a three point lead six minutes into the half.

The introduction of Hannah Looney certainly brought life to the Cork attack and her goal nine minutes later certainly had the Cork fans in rapture.

In the closing Cork added three more points and despite Galway putting in a serious shift it was Cork’s day and a place in the All-Ireland quarter final.

Scorers for Cork: K Quirke 0-7 (0-5f), H Looney 1-0, A McAuliffe 0-3, D Kiely, R Leahy (0-1 each.

Galway: O Divilly 1-2 (0-1f), L Coen 0-2, E Reaney 0-2, N Ward, R Leonard, A Morrissey, A Donovan (0-1each).

Cork: S Murphy; M Duggan, S Kelly, S Leahy; S McGoldrick, A Healy, D Kiely; M O’Callaghan (capt.), A O’Mahony; E Cleary, L O’Mahony, A McDonagh; A McAuliffe, K Quirke, R Leahy.

Subs: S Cronin for S McGoldrick (h-t), H Looney for A O’Mahony (40), E Kiely for E Cleary (46), A Ryan for D Kiely (53).

Galway: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ní Loingsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, N Ward, A Ni Cheallaigh; M Glynn, A Davoren (capt.); O Divilly, L Ward, N Divilly; E Reaney, L Coen, R Leonard.

Subs: A Morrissey for E Reaney (45), A Trill for N Divilly (49), C Cleary for A Davoren (55).

Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford).

Scorers for Cork: K Quirke 0-7 (0-5 f), H Looney 1-0, A McAuliffe 0-3, D Kiely and R Leahy 0-1 each.

Galway: O Divilly 1-2 (0-1f), E Reaney and L Coen 0-2 each, N Ward, R Leonard (0-1f), A Morrissey and A Davoren 0-1 each.

CORK: S Murphy; M Duggan, S Kelly, S Leahy; S McGoldrick, A Healy, D Kiely; M O’Callaghan (capt.), A O’Mahony; E Cleary, L O’Mahony, A McDonagh; A McAuliffe, K Quirke, R Leahy. 

Subs: S Cronin for McGoldrick (ht), H Looney for O’Mahony (43), E Kiely for Cleary (46), A Ryan for Kiely (53), K Smith for McDonagh (59).

GALWAY: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ní Loingsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, N Ward, A Ni Cheallaigh; M Glynn, A Davoren (capt.); O Divilly, L Ward, N Divilly; E Reaney, L Coen, R Leonard. 

Subs: A Morrissey for Reaney (45), S Hynes for Ní Cheallaigh (45), A Trill for N Divilly (49), C Cleary for Davoren (55).

Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford).