Douglas Hall make Cork City Women work very hard for their cup quarter final narrow victory

Douglas Hall 0 

Cork City 1 

Cork City Women are into the semi-final of the Club Orange Women’s FAI Cup after a hard fought 1-0 victory over Douglas Hall in Moneygourney on Sunday afternoon.

New signing Yuna Go announced her arrival on Leeside with the winning goal for Derek Coughlan’s side on the half hour mark, but the CWSSL club were unlucky not to take the game to extra time.  They were the better team in the second half, with City struggling to create any real chances.

The Rebel Army are now aiming to qualify for their first final since 2020, their third overall after getting the better of DLR Waves in the 2017 decider at the Aviva Stadium.

Three veterans of that campaign started for Douglas Hall on Sunday - Nathalie O’Brien, Maggie Duncliffe, and the City goalscorer in that final Clare Shine.

They got this far by defeating Whitehall Rangers and Dundalk, during a campaign that has seen the club take control of the Junior Ladies GE HealthCare Premier Division title race, while reaching the finals of the Steve Quinn Cup and Ladies Challenge Cup.

City reached the quarter final by getting the better of DLR Waves at the Munster FA Turner’s Cross Stadium, a huge result for Coughlan as he continues to assert his vision after taking over in May 2026.

The Rebel Army were determined to build on their performance in the previous round. 

This fast start included efforts from distance by Heidi Mackin, Sophia Redmond, and Ellie O’Brien, and neither one was able to test Holly Burton.

Their next chance came from a goal kick that went straight to Go, who volleyed the ball straight back to the goalkeeper.

The Rebel Army continued to attack, this time targeting the right wing with a searing run from Alix Mendez. 

The full-back set in motion a neat passing move that saw Go lay the ball off to Ellie O’Brien for a blistering strike that went narrowly wide at the far post.

Douglas Hall only created two real openings in the first half, starting with a close range shot was pushed out for a corner by Clodagh Fitzgerald.

Kara Lacey then went down and won her side a free-kick. This was taken short to Duncliffe, who had a shot awkwardly cleared by Mendez. 

The resulting corner ended up at the feet of Lacey, for a stunning strike from close range that went well over the bar.

Go’s goal came shortly after in the 30th minute after the striker picked up a pass from Zoe Finnerty. 

The South Korean dribbled through the Douglas Hall defence and rolled the ball in, a cool finish passed the Douglas Hall goalkeeper.

The home side reacted by making two changes at the break, with Rebecca Kearney and Rebeckah Grant replacing Duncliffe and Hayley Dewick.

This almost immediately paid off as Douglas Hall forced Fitzgerald into a stretched save to deny Emma McCarthy from a corner.

Lily O’Keeffe was brought on shortly after, and the teenager added pace in wide positions for her club as they chased an equaliser.

City held Douglas Hall at arm’s length, while pushing for a second. 

Holly O’Hagan went close during these exchanges with a header from a corner, while O’Brien saw a free-kick go agonisingly wide at the back post.

Douglas Hall kept going despite the dangers presented by going forward. 

It looked like Lauren Murphy had done enough with a free to the back post in the 85th minute, but there was no one there and the ball went out for a goal kick.

The game ended with a long ball from Leah O’Leary Callender narrowly missing Heidi Mackin inside the area.

The missed chance did not matter just seconds later, as the full-time whistle confirmed City’s place in the semi-final.

Douglas Hall: Holly Burton; Nathalie O’Brien, Hayley Dewick, Emma McCarthy, Tiffany Taylor; Maggie Duncliffe, Maeve O'Leary, Rebecca Walsh, Lauren Murphy; Clare Shine, Kara Lacey.

Subs: Rebecca Kearney for Duncliffe (HT); Rebeckah Grant for Dewick (HT), Lily O’Keeffe for O’Brien (57).

Cork City: Clodagh Fitzgerald; Alix Mendez, Leah O’Leary Callender, Anna Cronin, Zoe Finnerty; Amy McCarthy, Holly O’Hagan, Heidi Mackin, Sophie Redmond; Ellie O’Brien; Yuna Go.

Subs: Nadine Seward for McCarthy (38); Phoebe O’Shea for Redmond (60), Lucia Lynch for Cronin (60), Emma Hurley for Mendez (90).

Referee: Shane O’Donoghue