Late drama as Cork ladies footballers beat Galway in Division 1 league final
REBELS ABÚ: The Cork players and coaching staff celebrate with the cup after their side's victory at TUS Gaelic Grounds. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Cork were crowned Lidl Ladies NFL champions at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Saturday evening after their win over Galway.
For long periods, it looked like Galway were going to come out on top, but Cork finished superbly to take the title for the first time since 2019.
Massive credit to the Rebels when they looked out of it they dug deep to come out on top, helped by two late goals in a dramatic finish.
The goals, one from Katie Quirke and the other an own goal ensure the cup was heading to Leeside to the delight of their travelling supporters.
Galway had the first chance of the game when Niamh Divilly played Nicola Ward in on goal, but her short was well saved by Caoimhe Richmond.
Cork had a chance to open their account two minutes in from a Quirke free, but her effort went just wide as she was shooting into a strong wind.
The Rebels came close again to opening the scoring when Abbie O’Mahony sent the ball in towards Leah Hallihan but Riona Quinn intercepted the pass to clear the danger.
Galway, aided by the wind, got the game’s first score eight minutes in when Siobhan Divilly pointed and from the re-start her sister, Niamh, doubled their lead.
Quirke had another chance to score for Cork, but again her effort went just wide, before Emma Cleary got them off the mark.
With 12 minutes played Kate Slevin increased Galway’s lead, before another Divilly sister – this time Olivia – made it 0-4 to 0-1 in the Tribeswomen’s favour.
Eva Noone stretched their lead further to make it 0-5 to 0-1, as Cork were finding it hard to get out of their own half, with the wind being a major factor.
Cork had a chance to reduce the gap but another effort from Quirke went narrowly wide from a tight angle.
The Rebels got their second point 23 minutes in when Melissa Duggan burst forward to set up Aimee Corcoran to score.
Niamh Divilly replied at the other end to see her side lead 0-6 to 0-2. Slevin pointed in the final minute of the half as Galway were deservedly in front by 0-7 to 0-2 at the break.
Despite playing against the wind Galway got the first score of the second half, with Noone on target again. The Tribeswomen had a chance to go further ahead, but a last-minute interception from Duggan denied them a goal.
Quirke reduced the qap as she split the posts after 38 minutes as Cork were now starting to come into the game more.
Before that they looked like they were in on goal but Áine O’Sullivan was deemed to have overcarried the ball and the referee gave a free out.
Aoife Healy pointed for Cork, after 41 minutes, as they tried to get back in contention, to make it 0-8 to 0-4.
Three minutes later and Cork looked like scoring the goal they needed.
O’Sullivan intercepted a pass, found Quirke and she played Rachel O’Regan in. But as he closed in on goal Leah O’Halloran was quickly off her line to deny her a green flag.
Quirke pointed from a free to put only three between the sides as Cork were enjoying their best spell of the tie.
Nicola Ward increased Galway’s lead to four again with 10 minutes to go.
Five minutes later, the Rebels were back on level terms when they pounced on a Galway defensive mistake, with Quirke finding the back of the net, 1-6 to 0-9.
With two minutes to go Cork took the lead for the first time in unusual circumstances. O’Regan fisted the ball towards goal and had it gone straight to the net it would have been disallowed. It was touched by Chellene Trill as she scrambled to clear her lines and the green flag was raised after the ref consulted with his umpires.
Quirke and O’Sullivan added late points to see the Rebels run out winners by 2-8 to 0-9.
K Quirke 1-3 (0-1 f), 1-0 own goal, A O’Sullivan 0-2, E Cleary, A Corcoran, A Healy 0-1 each.
E Noone, N Divilly, K Slevin 0-2 each, S Divilly, O Divilly, N Ward 0-1 each.
C Richmond; M Duggan, D Kiniry, S Kelly; A Corcoran, S McGoldrick, R Corkery; A Healy, A O’Mahony; R Leahy, G Murphy, E Cleary; A O’Sullivan, K Quirke, L Hallihan.
M O’Callaghan for G Murphy (ht), R O’Regan for L Hallihan (37), A Ring for E Cleary (55).
L O’Halloran; R Quinn, S Ni Loingsigh, K Geraghty; H Noone, N Ward, B Quinn; N Divily, S Divily; O Divily, K Slevin, L Noone; E Noone, L Coen, A Trill.
L Ward for L Noone (42), C Trill for R Quinn (50), A Ni Ruairc for K Geraghty (51), R Leonard for E Noone (55).
Jonathan Murphy, Carlow.
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