O’Shea says Cork on guard for Laois test

CORK captain Amy O’Shea is wary of the threat posed by Laois in Saturday’s All-Ireland ladies SFC semi-final in Cashel (TG4, 6pm).

Leinster champions Laois, chasing a first decider since 2001, defeated last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists Tyrone in an epic quarter-final tie that went to extra-time in Birr.

But Cork, five-in-a-row winners from 2005-09, are hot favourites to regain the title after defeating 2010 winners Dublin last weekend. But O’Shea is not underestimating the challenge of a Laois team that pushed Cork all the way in the Bord Gáis Energy National League Division 1 final last May.

With 49 minutes on the watch at Parnell Park, Laois led by a point before an unanswered 1-5 from the Leesiders secured a fourth successive league crown.

O’Shea said: “Laois will bring hunger and determination. They’ll feel they got such a start on us in the league final and they’ll come out with nothing to lose. They overcame Tyrone in extra-time in a superb game and they’re going to say, ‘Cork have just a week to come down and get back up again’.

“That can work to their advantage — we haven’t had two weeks to recover like they’ve had.”

But Cork, despite the seven-day turnaround, will start as favourites after coming from six points down to beat Dublin in a memorable quarter-final.

O’Shea reflected: “We relied on our bench to work so hard when they came on. Everybody questioned our hunger and determination after last year and at six points down, any other team might have given up.

“But every girl from 1-15, and the five that came on, worked so hard and tirelessly.

“There were celebrations and hugs afterwards but people mainly felt physically, emotionally and mentally drained.”

Laois boss Joe Higgins has reported a clean bill of health. The former Laois senior footballer said: “We’ll respect them a lot but we won’t fear them at the same time. We’ll have learned a good bit from the league final.

“It was a great experience for our younger girls and we hope they can carry it through to Saturday.”

“We stayed with them for 50 minutes [in the league] but Cork are very good at pulling away in the last 15 or 20 minutes of games.”