McBrearty’s penalty decisive as Donegal edge out Cork

CORK’S hopes of a third All-Ireland Vocational SFC title in four years were dashed in an exciting final at Pearse Stadium, Galway yesterday.

But Donegal will feel justice was done in a cracking encounter after being denied victory in the drawn game after an apparent mix-up of scores.

They made no mistake in the replay yesterday where full-forward Patrick McBrearty was the hero as he blasted home a penalty to secure their sixth All-Ireland vocational senior crown.

McBrearty’s goal at the end of the third quarter proved to be the decisive score. The Donegal minor, who hit 2-6 in the drawn game, was hauled down when they led by 0-9 to 0-8 after 44 minutes, and he stepped up to fire the penalty to the net. Cork, the champions, never recovered from that blow and while Jeff O’Donoghue, Gary Farrell and Michael Vaughan found the range, Donegal tacked on points in between from Shaun Boyle and skipper John O’Malley to lift the crown for the first time since 2002.

Aside from the penalty, all bar one of the remaining scores from both teams came from play in a high quality game which saw Cork race into a three-point lead in the opening eight minutes, but by half-time Donegal reduced the margin to 0-6 to 0-5. The sides were level twice in the second half before McBrearty decided the tie with his penalty.

Scorers for Donegal: P McBrearty (1-1, 1-0 pen); S McGarvey (0-3); S Boyle (0-2); J O’Malley (0-2); L Barrett (0-1); B McNeilis (0-1); D White (0-1).

Scorers for Cork: J O’Donoghue (0-4); J Corkery (0-2); D Harrington (0-2); M Vaughan (0-2); G Farrell (0-1, 0-1f).

DONEGAL: C McGlynn; J Campbell, A Blair, A McCloskey; M Reilly, P Doherty, N Breslin; D White, L Barrett; S McGarvey, J O’Malley, R McHugh; B McNeilis, P McBrearty, S Boyle.

Subs: S Ellis for Breslin, (38).

CORK: S Masters; J Ryan, E Delaney, N McCarthy; L O’Neill, D O’Connell, TJ Brosnan; G Farrell, M Howard; M Sugrue, M Vaughan, D Harrington; S Ryan, J O’Donoghue, J Corkery.

Subs: G Barry for O’Neill, (42); C Flanagan for Harrington, (50); A Goold for J Ryan, (58).

Referee: D Corcoran (Mayo).