Galway reel in Cork to take ladies football league title at Croke Park
Roisin Leonard of Galway celebrates her goal against Cork at Croke Park. Picture: INPHO/James Lawlor
It wasn’t to be for Cork as they lost the Lidl National Football League Division 2 final to Galway at Croke Park.
It certainly wasn’t for lack of effort on Cork’s part, but they were beaten by a more experienced side overall.
Before the game Cork manager Joe Carroll said that he wanted a good performance with the championship only two weeks away, as much as the win. He would have been happy with their first-half efforts, with the likes of Shauna Kelly, Dara Kiniry and Sarah Leahy leading by example.
Others to impress in that half included Katie Quirke, Laura O’Mahony, Melissa Duggan and Abbie O’Mahony.
However, Cork will be disappointed with their second-half showing where they only managed to score two points.
The first real chance fell to Galway with Ailbhe Davoren played Roisin Leonard in but her effort fell short and Sarah Murphy collected easily.
From their next attack, Cork found the back of the net when Quirke scored. She picked up a long ball in and beat several players to find the corner of the net.
Leonard got Galway off the mark after eight minutes when she pointed from a free, a decision that many felt should have been a free out rather than in.
Quirke added a point for Cork from a free as the Rebels led by 1-1 to 0-1 after 10 minutes.
A great run from dual star Libby Coppinger set up Laura O’Mahony for Cork’s second point as both sides were finding it difficult to break down the respective defences.
Galway had a goal chance after 15 minutes when Nicola Ward played an inch-perfect pass to Ward, but Kiniry blocked superbly to deny her.
Another free from Leonard reduced the deficit as Cork led by 1-2 to 0-3 with 20 minutes gone.
In a low-scoring start, Cork restored their three-point advantage when Quirke was on target again from another free.
This proved to be the last score of the first half, with both sides failing to add to their tally for the last five minutes or so to see the Rebels in front by 1-3 to 0-3 at the break.
Cork would have been the happier of the two sides at this stage as Galway had failed to score from play for the entire half, a stat you don’t say too often about the Tribeswomen.
Manager Daniel Moynihan must have had strong words with his side at half time as they came out after the break far more aggressive and attack-minded.
Davoren got their first point from play after 30 seconds and a minute later they found the back of the net.
From the restart they regained possession and Lynsey Noone goaled, to put her side in front for the first time, 1-4 to 1-3.
Cork regained their composure with Emma Cleary pointing to level it, before another Leonard free had Galway back in front.
Another Quirke free had the sides level again after 40 minutes, 1-5 apiece.
The game turned in Galway’s favour in the 44th minute when a ball in for the Tribeswomen was caught by Murphy, but she was tackled by Kate Slevin.
This saw the ball break loose and it broke to Leonard to get Galway’s second goal.
They added a point through Olivia Divilly as they were now playing the better football. Cork’s hopes weren’t helped when Aoife Healy was sin-binned with 12 minutes left.
But credit to Cork they battled to the end but it wasn’t to be as they now quickly turn their attention to the Munster championship, starting against Kerry in two weeks.
R Leonard 1-5 (0-5 f), L Noone 1-0, A Davoren, O Divilly, H Noone 0-1 each.
K Quirke 1-3 (0-3 f), E Cleary, L O’Mahony 0-1 each.
D Gower; A Ní Cheallaigh, S Ní Loingsigh, K Geraghty; H Noone, N Ward, C Trill; L Ward, S Divilly; O Divilly, S Hynes, A Davoren; L Noone, R Leonard, K Slevin.
E Noone for S Hynes, L Coen for A Davoren (both 41), K Thompson for L Noone (43), B Quinn for C Trill (51), C Cooney for K Slevin (57).
S Murphy; D Kiniry, S Kelly, M Duggan; E O’Shea, S Leahy, R Corkery; A Corcoran, A Healy; A O’Mahony, L O’Mahony, E Cleary; H Looney, L Coppinger, K Quirke.
S Cronin for A Corcoran (38), A O’Sullivan for L Coppinger (42), A Ring for L O’Mahony (48), L Hallihan for E Cleary (57), A Ryan for H Looney (58).
Philip Conway, Armagh.
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