Cork Ladies Football: Éire Óg move past St Val's into fifth successive final
Isobel Sheehan of Éire Óg goes past Ciara Hughes of St Vals during their Ladies' Senior A FC semi-final clash at Ovens. Picture: David Keane.
Éire Óg qualified for their fifth Cork Credit Unions Cork Ladies Football final in a row thanks to a nine-point win over St Val’s in Ovens last Sunday.
Having lost on free-kicks to Aghada in last year’s decider, the Ovens club made sure of another county final appearance courtesy of Emma Cleary’s 1-2 and a terrific defensive effort.
St Val’s, semi-finalists for a third consecutive season, gave their all but relied too heavily on Ciara McCarthy to keep them in the game.
Éire Óg’s reward is a rematch with reigning county champions Aghada next weekend.
In a repeat of last year’s semi-final, the hosts began positively. Shauna Cronin soloed through and split the posts inside the first minute.
Lisa Murphy had a goal chance blocked and fired the rebound wide before St Val’s swept down the opposite end for Ciara McCarthy to equalise.
A day after losing to St Catherine’s in the Camogie county semi-finals, Éire Óg continued to press. Three consecutive wides were punished however, once Ciara McCarthy notched Val’s second point after seven minutes.
Aislinn O’Mahony extended the advantage shortly after before Shauna Cronin responded to make it 0-3 to 0-2.
Briege Corkery, Aileen Corkery and Lily O’Shea repelled a series of Éire Óg attacks and the score remained unchanged at the 17-minute mark.
Unseasonably sunny weather saw both teams drop the tempo after a frantic start. St Val’s continued to boss possession as a Lily O’Shea point attempt rebounded off the crossbar.
That narrow escape kickstarted a dominant Éire Óg spell as Orlaith Cahalane (two) and Emma Cleary points made it 0-5 to 0-3.
A pivotal moment occurred after 22 minutes when St Val’s defence, previously impenetrable, conceded a goal. Cork Senior Emma Cleary forced her way through and sent a low shot to the net.
Things got even better for the Ovens club when consecutive Cleary, Lisa Murphy and Méabh Cahalane scores extended that lead, 1-8 to 0-3, coming up to half time.
Laura Cleary (two) exchanged points with Ciara McCarthy and Anna Keane to end a dominant Éire Óg half.
Down 1-10 to 0-5, St Val’s had little choice but to commit numbers forward. It was their opponents who struck first in the second half however, as Aoife Rodgers split the posts.
Then, after 33 minutes, Orla Cremin released Meabh McGoldrick only for the full forward to be dragged down in the square. Sadbh McGoldrick took responsibility for the resulting penalty but goalkeeper Chelsea Love produced a superb stop to keep St Val’s in the game.
Boosted by that save, St Val’s conjured up a goal via a terrific Ciara McCarthy turn and shot into the bottom corner.
McCarthy walloped over a long-range point immediately after to make it 1–11 to 1-6 heading into the final quarter.
That would be as good as it got for St Val’s however, as a dominant Éire Óg reassumed control from that moment onwards.
Lisa Murphy, Méabh Cahalane, Laura Cleary, Shauna Cronin and Ciara O’Brien scores solidified a merited Éire Óg semi-final victory.
E Cleary 1-2, S Cronin, L Cleary 0-3 each, O Cahalane, L Murphy, M Cahalane 0-2 each, A Rodgers, C O’Brien 0-1 each.
C McCarthy 1-5 (0-1 f), A O’Mahony, A Keane 0-1 each.
R Halligan; G Young, J O’Gorman (c), I Sheehan; S Cronin, M Cahalane, E Crowley; S McGoldrick, L Cleary; E Cleary, O Cahalane, L Murphy; O Cremin, M McGoldrick, A Rodgers.
K Cahalane for O Cremin (46), E Healy for M McGoldrick (47), C O’Brien for L Murphy (50), R Sheehan for A Rodgers (55, inj), D Walsh for G Young (58).
C Love; C Ambrose, A Keane; N McNabola; E O’Shea, A Corkery, L McMahon; C Hughes, L O’Shea; A O’Mahony, M Corkery (captain), A Sheppard; C Kelleher, B Corkery, C McCarthy.
M Kelleher for C Kelleher (ht), B Cotter for A O’Mahony (50), M Cotter for M Corkery (58).
Pa Beausang (Midleton).
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