Heartbreak for Cork as they lose out to Dublin in All-Ireland quarter-final to two late goals

Dublin 3-11 Cork 2-13

Heartbreak for Cork as they lost out to Dublin in their TG4 All-Ireland ladies football championship quarter-final clash at Parnell Park on Saturday night.

Cork didn’t deserve to be beaten. It was a late defensive mistake that cost the Rebels, gifting Dublin their third goal to put them in front. Cork did pull a late point back but it was too late. 

It's a game Joe Carroll's side know they deserved to win. That defensive mistake will haunt them for some time.

Kate Sullivan put Dublin in front in the first minute, but the Rebels responded in style.

A quick free from Grace Murphy ended with Leah Hallihan taking on the Dublin defence.

She beat several defenders before blasting to the back of the net, giving Abby Shiels no chance of saving.

Orlagh Nolan pointed for Dublin with their next attack, to make it 1-0 to 0-2 after four minutes.

Three minutes later and the sides were level when Jodi Egan scored Dublin’s third point.

The home side had a chance to retake the lead, but Nolan shot narrowly wide from a free, one she would be expected to score.

Aine Terry pointed for Cork, but Dublin retook the lead after 11 minutes.

Niamh Hetherton picked up the ball in front of the Cork goal and gave Sarah Murphy no chance of saving with a shot to the top corner, to make it 1-3 to 1-1.

Melissa Duggan made it a one-point game after making one of her trade mark runs from defence to point after 13 minutes.

Egan got her second point when she fisted over the bar, but it should have been a goal as she had it at her mercy after Murphy had come off her line to tackle her.

With 15 minutes gone Katie Quirke pointed from a free for Cork, with Sullivan replying at the other end, to make it 1-5 to 1-3 in favour of the home side.

Cork then enjoyed their best spell of the first half, with Maire O’Callaghan reducing the deficit to one.

Aine O’Sullivan had the sides level, and she put Cork in front with two minutes to half time.

Sullivan equalised for Dublin, but on the stroke of half time Emma Cleary put Cork back in front, as they led by 1-7 to 1-6 at the break.

Nolan had the side level again two minutes into the second half as Dublin were now playing with the wind in their favour.

Sullivan added another to make it 1-8 to 1-7 in Dublin’s favour after 33 minutes.

Grace Murphy replied for Cork to see them level for the fifth time, 1-8 apiece.

Laura Grendon scored from a tight angle for Dublin, with Hallihan replying.

Cork thought they had a second goal when Hallihan palmed to the net, but it was ruled out for square ball.

However, the ref was playing advantage, and Quirke pointed the free to put the Rebels back in front, 1-10 to 1-9.

Quirke added another from a free after she was fouled herself, to put two points between the sides. Nolan responded at the other end from a free to make it a one-point game again with 12 minutes to go.

Quirke replied at the other end to make it a two-point game before Cork deservedly got their second goal.

Dublin were back in contention when Hetherton took on a two point effort which fell short. Nolan and Michelle Davoren were in around the square and between them they found the back of the net, to make it 2-10 to 2-12.

From the restart a mistake in the Cork defence let Dublin in again and Sullivan got their third goal in a killer blow for Cork.

Kate Donaghy added a point to put two between the sides, before Quirke scored for Cork.

But it came on the hooter as Dublin advance and Cork bow out of the championship.

Scorers for Dublin: K Sullivan 1-4, O Nolan 1-3 (0-1 f), N Hetherton 1-0, J Egan 0-2, L Grendon, K Donaghy 0-1 each.

Cork: L Hallihan 1-1, A Ring 1-0, K Quirke 0-5 f, A O’Sullivan 0-3, M Duggan, S McGoldrick, E Cleary, G Murphy 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: A Shiels; N Crowley, R Hartnett, H Leahy; S McIntyre, H McGinnis, N Donlon; N Hetherton, L Magee; A Timothy, O Nolan, C O'Connor; L Grendon, J Egan, K Sullivan.

Subs: M Ní Scannaill for R Hartnett (ht), E Kearney for A Timothy (46), M Davoren for J Egan (50), K Donaghy for L Grendon (55), C Rowe for S McIntyre (58).

CORK: S Murphy; M Duggan, S Kelly, S Callanan; A Corcoran, M O'Callaghan, R Corkery; S McGoldrick, K Redmond; A O’Mahony, G Murphy, E Cleary; L Hallihan, K Quirke, Á O'Sullivan.

Subs: A Ring for L Hallihan (52), R O’Regan for A O’Sullivan (57).

Referee: Eoghan O’Neill, Kildare.