Cork 1-12
Galway 2-7
Daragh Small reports from Parnell Park
SAOIRSE NOONAN WAS the super sub once again for Cork as they were crowned Lidl NFL Division 1 champions for the 12th time beating Galway at Parnell Park.
Ephie Fitzgerald had already inspired his players to two victories over champions Dublin in the league, and this was a huge win for last season’s beaten TG4 All-Ireland finalists.
Noonan finished her goal brilliantly when she was presented with her chance in the 48th minute and that killed off the Galway challenge.
Captain Martina O’Brien had saved a Roisin Leonard penalty and although Charlotte Cooney and Louise Ward did find a way past the Cork goalkeeper, Galway were second best in this divisional final, their sixth reversal in the decider.
There was 6-30 scored in the earlier Division 2 final but this was a much tighter affair while both sides flooded their defences and then attacked methodically looking to exploit any weakness.
Galway dominated the opening quarter but Cork worked their way into the game and took a narrow 0-7 to 0-5 lead into the half-time break.
Tracey Leonard scored her first point in the fourth minute, but she missed her two other attempts from frees, with her cousin Roisin Leonard unerring.
Orla Finn tied things up for the first time before Roisin Leonard tapped over her opening free, and Ciara O’Sullivan hit back for Cork.
The Munster outfit took the lead for the first time in the 16th minute when Libby Coppinger manipulated an opening and scored for a 0-3 to 0-2 advantage.
Finn scored her second to make it a double-scores lead in the 20th minute and that came just after Mairéad Seoighe was awarded a yellow card, when the Galway attacker collided with Hannah Looney off the ball.
Galway were down to 14 players but they scored the next two points through Megan Glynn and a wonderful Roisin Leonard point when she dropped the shoulder and sent over a sweetly struck effort off her right boot. But those scores were soon cancelled out by Finn and Eimear Scally.
Cork had Aishling Hutchings yellow carded in the 29th minute when she fouled Roisin Leonard. And it was Roisin Leonard who halved the deficit as well but Cork scored last in the half, Ciara O’Sullivan’s second secured a two-point interval lead.
Leanne Coen was a half-time substitute for Galway and she was hauled down for a penalty six minutes after the restart. Roisin Leonard stepped up but her shot was the perfect height for O’Brien to batt away.
Hutchings returned just after Niamh Cotter scored a brilliant Cork point and Scally scored another stunning point after she combined with Hannah Noonan. Cork were 0-9 to 0-5 in front and Finn’s fourth meant for another double-scores lead in the 42nd minute.
Six minutes later Ciara O’Sullivan played in Noonan and she was calm enough to pass the ball past Lisa Murphy for the crucial Cork goal – a stunning finish with a side-foot volley from the substitute.
What a finish to the corner of the net!
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) May 5, 2019
Ard-chríoch agus cúl ag Noonan do @CorkLGFA #serioussupport #ProperFan #20X20@20x20_ie @LadiesFootball pic.twitter.com/qrvZ5dFxDp
But Galway hit back when Charlotte Cooney blasted to the net in the 52nd minute, while Niamh Cotter and Ciara O’Sullivan both saw yellow for Cork.
Galway scored late with points from Tracey Leonard and Lucy Hannon, and after Sinéad Burke was sent to the sin-bin Louise Ward scored a magnificent goal. But there wasn’t enough time for the comeback and Cork held on for a deserved win.
Scorers for Cork: O Finn 0-5 (0-3f), S Noonan 1-0, E Scally 0-3, C O’Sullivan 0-2, L Coppinger 0-1, N Cotter 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: C Cooney 1-0, L Ward 1-0, R Leonard 0-3 (0-2f), T Leonard 0-2 (0-2f), M Glynn 0-1, L Hannon 0-1.
Cork: M O’Brien; C O’Shea, H Looney, M Duggan; M O’Callaghan, E Kiely, S Kelly; N Cotter, A Hutchings; C O’Sullivan, O Farmer, D Kiely; E Scally, L Coppinger, O Finn.
Subs: E Meaney for D Kiely (39), for S Noonan for O’Callaghan (39), R Ní Bhuachalla for Coppinger (47), E Spillane for E Kiely (50),
Galway: L Murphy; S Molloy, F Cooney, S Lynch; O Murphy, S Burke, C Cooney; L Ward, B Hannon; O Divilly, T Leonard, M Glynn; M Seoighe, S Conneally, R Leonard.
Subs: L Coen for Seoighe (half-time), Á McDonagh for Conneally (44), L Hannon for Glynn (50), M Coyne for B Hannon (58).
Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).
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She was lucky to be Born in the USA
@Observer: near Atlantic City i think
@Brian Dunne: hopefully the Glory Days aren’t behind her yet.
@Observer: like it
@Conor Egan: as long as she maintains a Hungry Heart she should be ok
@Brian Dunne: She’s a Jersey girl!
@Adam O’Sullivan: My hometown
@Larry Betts: She’s a Nyaaaaaavan girl now hi
Bruce lying again, he said she was born to run!
@Gerry from the Block: She’s mad about tidiness and hygiene. That’s why she wants to visit Co.Kildare. She heard it’s naas and clane there.
@Brian Dunne: nope. She was born on the streets of Philadelphia, down by the river.
@Larry Betts: she sure is prosperous
Strange she is doing the equisterian…. You’d have thought she’d be born to run….
I Believe she Can Fly
I knew she’d be ok, she’s Tougher Than The Rest.
She’s Solid, Solid As A Rock
Ohhhh.oooh..she’s on fire!
I’ll get.me coat.
That Don’t Impress-a-me Much
Everyone racking their brains for the titles of Bruce’s albums and songs so they can come up with atrocious puns! I’m just jealous that I got here late and was beaten to it. ‘Born to pun…’
@William Tallon: I once submitted ten puns for a Funny Pun competition. I thought at least one of them would win,but no pun in ten did.
@Larry Betts: Now that’s an oldie…
@Larry Betts: morto for ya
@Mary Paget: Sad. For you.
Not one comment so far about the actual story! Must be a record even for the Journal…
@William Tallon: people are probably just Waiting on a Sunny Day
@William Tallon: Makes a change I suppose. It’s usually about a girl singer while her daddy’s out riding. Vice versa in this case
@William Tallon: what’s to say about the fact that somebody won a medal in the Olympics in an obscure and relatively elite sport. Well done?
That said, I’d like to point out to the journal that there are other countries in the Olympics as well as Ireland and the US.
@john smith iv: Obscure?? Elite?? Give me patience!
She’s the one. Chasin’ wild horses. Dancing in the dark on the streets of Philadelphia tonight,though there may be a little darkness on the edge of town.
@Larry Betts: she’ll feel like she’s in the Promised Land tonight
@Brian Dunne: I have a reason to believe if there’s an incident on 57th Street it’ll be a long walk home
@Larry Betts: just dont get Lost In The Flood
@Brian Dunne: I’ll try not to get blinded by the light. Even if I do,there will be better days
@Larry Betts: thats what i like about you Larry, its the Human Touch
@Brian Dunne: Don’t be fooled. It’s a brilliant disguise
@Larry Betts: well i guess you are from the Badlands…
He will be happy
He’ll do his crying in the rain
Started taking lessons on the Backstreets if I’m not mistaken?
@Paul Keane: Yeah,Thunder Road. She would drive all night to get there
She’ll drive like A Bat Out Of Hell
Hope they go ” Down to the river “
The’ll go Down To The River To Pray
God almighty you lot, would think that you could do better than that.. a simple congratulations and well done would be great. Maybe she will be dancing in the dark after this. Couldn’t resist that!! just couldn’t..
Sinne Fianna Fáil, a tá fé gheall ag Éirinn.
She was working on a dream for a long time.
@Twitruser2021: She was waiting for a sunny day
Now she’s Walking On Sunshine
Born to ride
True She Rides The Finest Horse …. I’ve Ever Seen
They’ve been waitin’ on that sunny day for a while. Fair play!
She is The Sunshine Of his Life
‘a great leaper ….as Ted would say.
A Lovely Lovely Lovely Horse
She was actually the horse. It was a brilliant disguise.