Cork Prove Too Strong For Waterford In Munster Final

Waterford’s wait for a first Munster Senior Ladies Football title for the first time since 2002 continues as a fancied Cork side proved too strong for in this year’s Provincial Final at Fraher Field on Sunday evening, running out winners with 11 points to spare over a Waterford side that never gave up.

Ciaran Curran’s side will take plenty from this game going forward. When the sides clashed at the Cork IT Grounds three weeks previously the Rebellettes recorded a 3-22 to 0-7 victory which would have suggested that Waterford had no hope going into this game, but had lady luck shone on Waterford a few times in this game, the outcome could well have been much different.

In the second half of this game Katie Murray saw a goal bound shot come off the bottom of the post five minutes into the second half after she was played in by Karen McGrath and when the ball came back out to the Waterford attack, winning a free on the 21 metre line but Maria Delahunty saw her effort come crashing off the crossbar when struck dead straight in front of goal, and just three minutes later Róisín Tobin played in  a ball in front of the Cork goal which looked to be going just wide of the upright, but Michelle Ryan managed to keep it in play, but her fisted effort hit the post and went wide.

It should be pointed out that Waterford in this game were without six players that would normally be considered for selection from the start, as they were without Rebecca Casey, Megan Dunford, Caragh McCarthy, Liz Devine, Aisling Mullaney and Katy Hayes.

Waterford played with the aid of the stiff breeze which blew towards the road goal in the first half and early on it looked as if they were really going to test Cork as the side hit the opening two scores inside two minutes.

Maria Delahunty opened the scoring with 45 seconds on the clock and just over a minute later when Waterford won a free out on the bank side of the field the Abbeyside player stood over it. Her effort looked to be sailing over the Cork crossbar but fell short at the last second, but Michelle Ryan was on hand using her height to full advantage to punch the size four over the bar.

Cork opened their count on five minutes when Niamh Cotter split the Waterford post and two minutes late Orla Finn levelled matters from a free.

But Waterford would hit back with the next two scores first from Chloe Fennell and then Kelly Ann Hogan to open up a two point advantage for the second time in the game with 11 minutes played.

The visitors to Fraher Field broke through a backed Waterford defence on 14 minutes when Aishling Hitchings played in the brilliant Saoirse Noonan who slotted past Rosie Landers to give her side a 1-2 to 0-4 advantage.

Two points from Maria Delahunty within a minute of each other put Waterford back in front, before Eimear Kiely levelled matters with 11 minutes of the first half remaining.

Two minutes later Maria Delahunty sent Katie Murray through on a one on one with Cork goalkeeper Martina O’Brien but the Comeragh Rangers player saw her effort rise just over the Cork crossbar when it looked as if a goal was on the cards.

Cork however would finish the half the stronger of the two sides as points from Orla Finn, Saoirse Noonan and Daire Kiely were registered  to give the eventual winners a 1-6 to 0-7 advantage at the break.

With the wind at their backs in the second half Cork proved to be too strong for Waterford.

Points from Orla Finn, Saoirse Noonan and Niamh Cotter were hit in the first three minutes of the second half to stretch the Cork lead to five.

When the ball went to the other end of the field Katie Murray saw the ball come back off the blue stripe at the bottom of the upright at the Country end of the ground and when the side playing in a changed Navy strip for this game won a free just seconds later Maria Delahunty saw her effort come crashing back off the cross bar.

Daire Kiely extended Cork’s lead to six on 38 minutes and they stretched that to nine on 41 minutes when Niamh Cotter, Libby Coppinger and Saoirse Noonan all combined before the latter palmed to the Waterford net.

Libby Coppinger got her name on the score sheet on 43 minutes and just seconds later it looked as if the Rebellettes would hit a third goal when Ciara O’Sullivan bore down on goal. The Mourneabbey player collided with the advancing Rosie Landers and with both players on the ground it the ball went in the direction of the Waterford goal, but Katie Murray.

Orla Finn extended Cork’s lead with a free nine minutes from time before Maria Delahunty opened Waterford’s account for the second half four minutes from time when she put over a free.

Ciara O’Sullivan and Saoirse Noonan pointed for Cork within sixty seconds of each other and while Waterford would hit a point inside the last minute of the game from another Maria Delahunty free it proved to be but a mere consolation score for Ciaran Curran’s side.

Waterford: Rosie Landers; Kate McGrath, Caoimhe McGrath, Mairead Wall; Róisín Tobin, Karen McGrath, Shauna Dunphy; Emma Murray, Katie Murray; Kelly Anne Hogan, Chloe Fennell, Maria Delahunty; Eimear Fennell, Michelle Ryan, Aileen Wall.

Subs: Lauren McGregor for Eimear Fennell (44), Brigita Valuntaite for Róisín Tobin (53).

Scorers: M Delahunty 0-5 (3f), K Murray 0-1, KA Hogan 0-1, C Fennell 0-1, M Ryan 0-1.

Cork: Martina O’Brien; Hannah Looney, Eimear Meaney, Melissa Duggan; Shauna Kelly, Aishling Hutchings, Eimear Kiely; Niamh Cotter, Orlagh Farmer; Ciara O'Sullivan, Eimear Scally, Daire Kiely; Libby Coppinger, Saoirse Noonan, Orla Finn.

Subs: Marie O'Callaghan for Orla Farmer (h-t), Áine O'Sullivan for Niamh Cotter (43), Emma Spillane for Daire Kiely (43), Rhona Ní Bhuachalla for Libby Coppinger (45) Claire O'Shea for Shauna Kelly (55).

Scorers: Saoirse Noonan 2-3, Orla Finn 0-4 (2f), Daire Kiely, Niamh Cotter 0-2 each, Eimear Kiely, Ciara O'Sullivan, Libby Coppinger 0-1 each.

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).