Cork 1-12
Galway 1-10
INSPIRED by player of the match Laura O’Mahony, Cork cemented a home All-Ireland senior football quarter-final following a stirring comeback against Galway.
The Rebels found themselves 1-7 to 0-5 behind to a resurgent Galway heading towards half time of this Group 3 clash at MTU Cork on Saturday.
Digging deep, Shane Ronayne’s side fought their way back into the heavyweight clash and moved 1-9 to 1-8 ahead when super sub Hannah Looney netted.
Utilising Laura O’Mahony, Katie Quirke, Melissa Duggan and Máire O’Callaghan’s never-say-die attitude, the Rebels held off their opponents to deservedly win by two points.
Having already beaten Laois, this outcome confirmed Cork’s placing at the top of Group 3 irrespective of what happens between Galway and Laois in Ballinasloe this weekend.
Skibbereen's Laura O'Mahony receives the player of the match award from National Treasurer Geraldine Carey. (Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile)
The result marked a notable turnaround for a Cork senior management team and panel that suffered relegation to Division 2 earlier this year. Now, manager Shane Ronayne and his players have an All-Ireland quarter-final on home soil to look forward to. Armagh, Kerry and Mayo also booked their last-eight spots last weekend.
It was far from straightforward for the Rebels, and Cork needed their best display of the season to hold off Galway. The outcome was fully merited even if it was in doubt right up to the final hooter.
‘I’m still in shock, I think, just having watched it from the back line,’ Dohenys’ Melissa Duggan told The Southern Star.
‘It probably wasn’t our best performance today. Galway are a serious team, they never give up and we know that from playing them so many times. They always bring it down to the wire. It was a tough game out there.’
Duggan admitted the introduction of Hannah Looney and her subsequent goal was crucial to Cork eking out a two-point victory.
‘Hannah is an All-Star and to have her coming on as an impact substitute was exactly what we needed,’ Duggan explained.
‘Following the Munster final (defeat to Kerry), that’s something we looked at, having an impact off the bench. Hannah came on, scored a vital goal and made an important block at the end. That just shows the strengths Hannah brings to the team.
‘I knew a goal would change the game and we missed a good few of them today. Thankfully, we got one and it changed the game for us.’
Hannah Looney celebrates her goal. (Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile)
Galway trailed a fast-starting Cork 0-4 to 0-2 despite Nicola Ward and Emma Reaney finding their range. Newcomer Ava McAullife (two), Katie Quirke (free) and Daire Kiely scored for a confident Rebels.
Consecutive Olivia Divilly and Leanne Coen scores made it 0-4 apiece. Ava McAuliffe restored Cork’s lead only for Coen to level matters once again. Play became stretched heading towards the break with Cork’s Máire O’Callaghan racing through and hitting a post.
The Connacht champions regrouped and moved in front for the first time thanks to Emma Reaney and Róisín Leonard (free) scores. Then, Olivia Divilly arrowed a shot into the top corner to make it 1-7 to 0-5. Cork refused to buckle however, and reduced the deficit to three points when Katie Quirke converted two consecutive frees.
It was 1-8 to 0-8 early in the second half after Quirke and Divilly swapped frees. Then, Cork used Hannah Looney’s introduction to assume control. The dual star was on the field four minutes before firing into the net. Another converted Katie Quirke free saw a resurgent Cork move 1-10 to 1-8 ahead.
Ailish Morrissey and Rachel Leahy scored at either end before a superb Quirke effort made it 1-12 to 1-10 in the dying embers. The Tribeswomen pushed hard for a late goal but were denied by a marvellous Hannah Looney block.
Both teams wasted possession and chances during a frantic injury-time period and it was Cork who emerged two-point winners.
Cork manager Shane Ronayne, right, celebrates the win with selector Tomás Mac a' tSaoir. (Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile)
‘I think we closed the game out well,’ Shane Ronayne commented.
‘We worked on our defensive shape during the national league. I think that came to our benefit today. You bide your time and get the ball back.
‘Near the end, I suppose we had a few three versus ones up front and we should have taken them. Look, we didn’t.
‘Our battling qualities came through. This squad has been working incredibly hard since last November. All the stuff we have been doing in the gym and on the pitch, the tactical stuff, the bit of cynicism – which has to be done – is coming to fruition now.’
Scorers - Cork: K Quirke 0-7 (5f); H Looney 1-0; A McAuliffe 0-3; D Kiely, R Leahy 0-1 each. Galway: O Divilly 1-2 (1f); E Reaney, L Coen 0-2 each; N Ward, R Leonard (1f), A Morrissey, A Davoren 0-1 each.
Cork: S Murphy; M Duggan, S Kelly, S Leahy; S McGoldrick, A Healy, D Kiely; M O’Callaghan (captain), A O’Mahony; E Cleary, L O’Mahony, A McDonagh; A McAuliffe, K Quirke, R Leahy. Subs: S Cronin for S Mc Goldrick (ht), H Looney (1-0) for A O’Mahony (43), E Kiely for E Cleary (46), A Ryan for D Kiely (53), K Smith for A McDonagh (59).
Galway: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ní Loingsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, N Ward, A Ní Cheallaigh; M Glynn, A Davoren (captain); O Divilly, L Ward, N Divilly; E Reaney, L Coen, R Leonard. Subs: A Morrissey for E Reaney (45), S Hynes for A Ní Cheallaigh (45), A Trill for N Divilly (49), C Cleary for A Davoren (55).
Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford).
