Fairytale ending for never-say-die Rebels

Cork’s dominance of women’s football moved into the realm of fairytale yesterday as they overturned a 10-point second-half deficit to claim an incredible ninth All-Ireland title in 10 years at Croke Park.

Eamonn Ryan’s Unbelievables were dead and buried in the decider, trailing Dublin 2-10 to 0-6 with 17 minutes remaining, but goals from super subs Rhona Ní Bhuachalla and Eimear Scally helped make the impossible possible.

“We were playing badly and gone in my view, but these girls are an astonishing bunch — there won’t be anything like them again,” the veteran Rebels coach said afterwards.

“You take Geraldine O’Flynn, who had kicked a few wides and still popped up and struck the winner. That takes fair character, Even to have the guts to do it. Many players would hedge their bets and not have tried the shot. That’s the kind of gang they are. We sink or swim together.”

Defender Bríd Stack said: “We’ve been involved in a few tight, one-point games, but this was the best ever. The subs who came in made a massive impact.”

Her coach agreed: “That was the kernel of the recovery — that people put aside their own disappointment [at not starting] and worked so hard for the team. That was the difference at the end — it lifted the other players.”

The victorious Cork squad — legends in the women’s game at this stage — will be welcomed back to Leeside tonight, with a special ceremony kicking off on the South Mall at 7pm.

Meanwhile, Paul McGinley became the first Irish man to captain a winning Ryder Cup team as Europe steamed to a 16½-11½ victory over Tom Watson’s USA team at Gleneagles yesterday.