Cork retain title in dramatic All-Ireland Ladies SFC

Cork have retained their TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC title in dramatic fashion against Armagh.

Armagh 1-06 Cork 1-07, Croke Park

Cork retained their TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC title in dramatic fashion at Croke Park this afternoon, as they came from behind to secure a 1-07 to 1-06 victory and spoil Armagh’s first ever appearance in a senior final.

The Orchard county girls had looked like winners for much of the first half but their tempo waned after the restart.

With wing forward Nollaig Cleary shooting 1-02, Cork, who were completing a famous ‘double-double’ with a brace of league and championship titles in the last two seasons, clawed their way to the summit.

The Rebelettes trailed by as much as five points during a punchy first half, but, banking on their experience at headquarters, they roared back to outscore the Ulster champions by 1-04 to 0-02 in the second half.

The 33rd Ladies senior final got off to a slow start as both teams, who are noted for their meticulous preparation, cancelled each other. Surprisingly it was Armagh, last year’s JFC winners, who settled earliest as after Cleary’s second-minute point, they cantered out to a 0-03 to 0-01 lead.

The persistence of midfielder Caroline O’Hagan, who kept Cork captain Juliet Murphy quiet throughout the first half-hour, saw Maggie McAlinden clip over Armagh’s opening point from the right edge of the square.

McAlinden then returned the favour with O’Hanlon blazing over and corner forward Aileen Matthews followed suit with a massive score off her right boot in the 13th-minute – Armagh were coming at the champions in wave after wave.

Eamonn Ryan’s side were in danger of sinking without trace, right on the quarter-hour, when Armagh’s lively wing forward Mairead Tennyson was allowed enough space to run at the Cork rearguard and loop a stunning shot, which dipped and deceived ‘keeper Elaine Harte, to the net for a 1-03 to 0-01 score line.

This Cork side have not won their last 24 competitive games for nothing and despite a below par first half performance, they remained in the hunt at the interval, trailing by 1-04 to 0-03.

On 20 minutes, Briege Corkery, one of seven dual stars on the Cork panel, had a goal chance blocked away by Ailish Murphy but the ball was worked back out to Mary O’Connor who slotted over.

Cleary then put a goal between the sides before four minutes before the break, McAlinden drove over an inspirational point. She picked up the ball in midfield, played a lovely one-two with Shauna O’Hagan before thumping over at the Canal End.

As if to pre-empt their comeback, Cork did threaten the Armagh goal on 28 minutes when Orchard stopper Fionnuala McAtamney had to be quick to save a rising shot from Amanda Murphy.

With the determination clearly visible in their eyes, Cork came out for the second half and bossed the first 15 minutes, with their domination topped off by Cleary’s green flag.

Their skipper Murphy came more and more into the game – great foraging by Corkery set her up for a point – and Caoimhe Creedon, accepting Amanda Murphy’s hand pass, also pointed as Cork cut the gap to two.

Armagh were then stung by two body blows in the space of five minutes – they lost right back Caoimhe Marley to a yellow card and then Cleary, whose first effort had cannoned back off the upright, foiled McAtamney and her defence by slotting home her goal at the second attempt. Cork led 1-05 to 1-04, and for only the second time in the tie.

A towering 47th-minute point from workhorse O’Hanlon, Armagh’s first score of the half, briefly levelled the sides and gave her charges hope of becoming the first Ulster holders of the Brendan Martin Cup since 1997, when Monaghan triumphed.

But Cork had a clinical edge to their game now and they moved two points clear – 1-07 to 1-05 – when Amanda Murphy showed excellent pace to rifle over and Geraldine O’Flynn, on a mission from her wing back berth, turned past Rhona O’Mahony, the daughter of Galway’s former All-Ireland winning manager John, and kicked what turned out to be Cork’s last score.

Armagh tried valiantly to hit back but there were no late heroics as all they could muster was a Tennyson point, after substitute Patricia McAvoy had battled to win a turnover.

The final whistle sparked mass celebrations as the red tide won out and it was left to Juliet Murphy to retrace her steps in the Hogan Stand from twelve months ago and officially confirm Cork’s second SFC success.

Special mention must go to four of Cork’s dual players – Rena Buckley, Briege Corkery, Angela Walsh and Mary O’Connor – who were securing a unique ‘double-double’ of their own. All four played on the county’s All-Ireland winning camogie and football teams last season, and they have now achieved the same feat in 2006.

ARMAGH: F McAtamney; C Marley, F Quinn, A Murphy; R O’Mahony, B O’Donnell (capt), S McCleary; A O’Donnell, C O’Hanlon (0-02); M Tennyson (1-01), S Duncan, S O’Hagan; M O’Donnell, M McAlinden (0-02), A Matthews (0-01).

Subs used: P McAvoy for Matthews (41 mins), O Murtagh for Murphy (45), D Toal for M O’Donnell (54), M Moriarty for Duncan (58)

CORK: E Harte; B Corkery, A Walsh, R Buckley; G O’Flynn (0-01), B Stack, S O’Reilly; J Murphy (capt) (0-01), N Kelly; N Cleary (1-02), D O’Reilly, A Murphy (0-01); V Mulcahy, M O’Connor (0-01), C Creedon (0-01).

Subs used: M Kelly for Mulcahy (44 mins), C Walsh for Murphy (48), Murphy for Creedon (52)

Referee: Declan Corrigan (Mayo)