EAMONN Ryan’s remarkable Cork are through to a tenth TG4 All-Ireland ladies senior football final in eleven years.
The Rebels saw off Munster rivals Kerry by 13 points at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday evening to set up a September 27 clash with Dublin or Armagh.
It will be Cork’s fifth successive final appearance as they go in search of a tenth Brendan Martin Cup success – and the five-in-a-row.
And this revenge victory over Kerry continues Cork’s brilliant record in the All-Ireland series over the past ten years.
In the past decade, Cork have lost just once in the All-Ireland competition – a quarter-final clash with Tyrone in 2010.
Two years ago, Cork lost the Munster final to Kerry but hit back to win the All-Ireland semi-final clash between the counties.
Cork's Marie Ambrose tackles Caroline Kelly of Kerry. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
Unfortunately from Kerry’s perspective, history repeated itself here as Cork unloaded with an avalanche of second half scores.
Four points ahead at half-time, 2-5 to 0-7, Cork upped the ante after the break to blow Kerry away.
Valerie Mulcahy bagged her second goal midway through the half to put the end result beyond any doubt and sub Eimear Scally bagged Cork’s fourth goal late on.
And yet Kerry had been a point clear, 0-3 to 0-2, when Cork struck for their opening goal.
The Rebels pounced on Edel Murphy’s kickout to claim a vital score just moments after Valerie Mulcahy pulled a free wide.
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Captain Ciara O’Sullivan was alive to the restart and as Kerry cheaply lost possession, she placed Áine O’Sullivan for an open goal.
Kerry’s response was good, however, and they remained very much in touch before Cork netted a second goal.
Three minutes before half-time, ace corner forward Valerie Mulcahy pulled a rabbit out of the hat when she deftly chipped Murphy.
That piece of individual genius put Cork 2-5 to 0-5 clear but Kerry scored a couple of cruciate late scores to remain in touch at the break.
Sarah Houlihan kicked two points approaching the interval and the final score of the half sailed over the bar just a few seconds before the half-time hooter.
Four points down at half-time, Kerry were still very much in the hunt but they will have been annoyed to concede two goals after working desperately hard early in the game to turn over Cork when the Leesiders looked to attack.
It was another good day for Eamonn Ryan. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
But Cork took over in the second half as Kerry had Emma Sherwood and Bernie Breen sinbinned.
Sherwood was followed to the line by Cork’s Ciara O’Sullivan and Kerry finished the game with 14 players when Breen was yellow-carded with six minutes left.
Cork finished the game with ten different scorers as Lorraine Scanlon and Sarah Houlihan battled valiantly to the finish for Kerry.
Ireland rugby star Louise Galvin came off the bench at half-time but could do little to stem Cork’s second half momentum.
Scorers for Cork: V Mulcahy 2-2 (0-1f), E Scally 1-2 (0-1f), A O’Sullivan 1-1, D O’Sullivan (1f) & A Hutchings 0-2 each, B Stack, R Buckley, C O’Sullivan, A Walsh & O Finn 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: S Houlihan 0-4 (1f), L Scanlon 0-3, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh & P Dennehy 0-2 each, M O’Connell & L Galvin 0-1 each.
Cork
1. M O’Brien
2. M Ambrose
3. B Stack
4. A Barrett
5. V Foley
6. D O’Reilly
7. G O’Flynn
8. R Buckley
9. B Corkery
10. C O’Sullivan
11. A Hutchings
12. A Walsh
13. V Mulcahy
14. Á O’Sullivan
15. D O’Sullivan.
Subs: E Scally for Á O’Sullivan (43), O Finn for Walsh (52), O Farmer for Hutchings (55), R Ní Bhuachalla for D O’Sullivan (56).
Kerry
1. E Murphy
2. G Crowley
3. A Desmond
4. A Leonard
5. C Kelly
6. C Lynch
7. M Quirke
8.B Breen
9. L Scanlon
10. E Sherwood
11. S Houlihan
12. D Hallissey
13. P Dennehy
14. M O’Connell
15. L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.
Subs: L Rogers for Crowley (half-time), L Galvin for O’Connell (half-time), E O’Connor for Leonard (47), A Brosnan for Houlihan (55).
Cork make light work of Kerry to advance to another All-Ireland final
Cork 4-14
Kerry 0-13
EAMONN Ryan’s remarkable Cork are through to a tenth TG4 All-Ireland ladies senior football final in eleven years.
The Rebels saw off Munster rivals Kerry by 13 points at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday evening to set up a September 27 clash with Dublin or Armagh.
It will be Cork’s fifth successive final appearance as they go in search of a tenth Brendan Martin Cup success – and the five-in-a-row.
And this revenge victory over Kerry continues Cork’s brilliant record in the All-Ireland series over the past ten years.
In the past decade, Cork have lost just once in the All-Ireland competition – a quarter-final clash with Tyrone in 2010.
Two years ago, Cork lost the Munster final to Kerry but hit back to win the All-Ireland semi-final clash between the counties.
Unfortunately from Kerry’s perspective, history repeated itself here as Cork unloaded with an avalanche of second half scores.
Four points ahead at half-time, 2-5 to 0-7, Cork upped the ante after the break to blow Kerry away.
Valerie Mulcahy bagged her second goal midway through the half to put the end result beyond any doubt and sub Eimear Scally bagged Cork’s fourth goal late on.
And yet Kerry had been a point clear, 0-3 to 0-2, when Cork struck for their opening goal.
The Rebels pounced on Edel Murphy’s kickout to claim a vital score just moments after Valerie Mulcahy pulled a free wide.
Captain Ciara O’Sullivan was alive to the restart and as Kerry cheaply lost possession, she placed Áine O’Sullivan for an open goal.
Kerry’s response was good, however, and they remained very much in touch before Cork netted a second goal.
Three minutes before half-time, ace corner forward Valerie Mulcahy pulled a rabbit out of the hat when she deftly chipped Murphy.
That piece of individual genius put Cork 2-5 to 0-5 clear but Kerry scored a couple of cruciate late scores to remain in touch at the break.
Sarah Houlihan kicked two points approaching the interval and the final score of the half sailed over the bar just a few seconds before the half-time hooter.
Four points down at half-time, Kerry were still very much in the hunt but they will have been annoyed to concede two goals after working desperately hard early in the game to turn over Cork when the Leesiders looked to attack.
But Cork took over in the second half as Kerry had Emma Sherwood and Bernie Breen sinbinned.
Sherwood was followed to the line by Cork’s Ciara O’Sullivan and Kerry finished the game with 14 players when Breen was yellow-carded with six minutes left.
Cork finished the game with ten different scorers as Lorraine Scanlon and Sarah Houlihan battled valiantly to the finish for Kerry.
Ireland rugby star Louise Galvin came off the bench at half-time but could do little to stem Cork’s second half momentum.
Scorers for Cork: V Mulcahy 2-2 (0-1f), E Scally 1-2 (0-1f), A O’Sullivan 1-1, D O’Sullivan (1f) & A Hutchings 0-2 each, B Stack, R Buckley, C O’Sullivan, A Walsh & O Finn 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: S Houlihan 0-4 (1f), L Scanlon 0-3, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh & P Dennehy 0-2 each, M O’Connell & L Galvin 0-1 each.
Cork
1. M O’Brien
2. M Ambrose
3. B Stack
4. A Barrett
5. V Foley
6. D O’Reilly
7. G O’Flynn
8. R Buckley
9. B Corkery
10. C O’Sullivan
11. A Hutchings
12. A Walsh
13. V Mulcahy
14. Á O’Sullivan
15. D O’Sullivan.
Subs: E Scally for Á O’Sullivan (43), O Finn for Walsh (52), O Farmer for Hutchings (55), R Ní Bhuachalla for D O’Sullivan (56).
Kerry
1. E Murphy
2. G Crowley
3. A Desmond
4. A Leonard
5. C Kelly
6. C Lynch
7. M Quirke
8.B Breen
9. L Scanlon
10. E Sherwood
11. S Houlihan
12. D Hallissey
13. P Dennehy
14. M O’Connell
15. L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.
Subs: L Rogers for Crowley (half-time), L Galvin for O’Connell (half-time), E O’Connor for Leonard (47), A Brosnan for Houlihan (55).
Referee: C McManus (Meath).
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Ladies Football Rebel Roar Cork Kerry