TG4 Munster Ladies Football Senior Championship Final – Kerry 1-16 Cork 1-15

Kerry defeated Cork by 1-16 to 1-15 in the TG4 Munster Ladies Football Senior Championship Final on Saturday July 13th at Castletownroche.

TG4 Munster Ladies Senior Championship Final

By Donal Barry

Kingdom regain Crown and end 10 year famine

Kerry 1-16 Cork 1-15

At Castletownroche

“Everything comes to an end” those were the humble words from Cork Manager Eamon Ryan as his side had to give second best to Kerry in the Munster Senior Final. It was Corks second loss to the Kingdom in a matter of weeks and few would begrudge William’s O’Sullivans team their moment in the sun as they came out in top in an epic Munster Final in which the sides were level nine occasions and were still deadlocked with 2 minutes of play remaining. The temperature on the field was 28 degrees prior to the start of the game but as both sides set about their tasks, the temperature was ratcheted up a few more notches.

The scores came hot and heavy inside the first 13 minutes as both teams were level on 0-5 each after some blistering football. The Kerry forwards were causing trouble and racked up the frees as Ni Mhuirtceartaigh brought her scoring boot s and kicked 3 vital frees, Dennehy and Corridan added one each as nothing separated them. Cork replies coming from Corkery, O’Sullivan, Finn and 2 frees from Mulcahy. It might have taken the defences some time to get the handle on things but they did and the resultant 15 minutes yielded little in scores but plenty in action as Aislinn Desmond, Aoife Lyons and Cait Lynch were flawless in the Kerry full back line as Cork were forced into shooting 8 costly first half wides.

Kerry went to the break ahead by a solitary point (0-7 to 0-6) having never being behind as the teams were level on five different occasions. They were level again inside the first minute of the second half with a Ni Bhuachalla point. Galvin and Houlihan pushed Kerry out to a two point lead by the 36th minute but Cork were level again inside two minutes as Nollaig Cleary and Orla Farmer were causing all types of problems for the Kerry half back line and were rewarded with a point each. Both teams continued to pound each other with hard tackling, fast running and great off the ball support play. It was evident that a special game was playing out as both sets of supporters began to applaud both teams’ scores as they wondered who would give in first.

Cork were first to land a telling blow. Briege Corkery charged through the Kerry defence on the 39th minute to bury her shot low to the Kerry net to give Cork their biggest lead since the game started. In other years that would have been the daylight the rebels needed but Kerry were not going away and they had the lead back to a point as Bernie Breen and Sarah Houlihan added Kerry points. Mulcahy added a pointed free on the 41st minutes as there was no slow down in the pace of the game.

This time it was Kerry who were to up the ante and Patrice Dennehy escaped her marker in the Cork box to shoot past Martina O’Brien and within a minute Deirdre Corridan added her 3rd point of the day to give Kerry a two point lead. Such as the ding dong nature it was not a surprise that the rebels were level again by the 45th minute as Mulcahy and Geraldine O’Flynn both added points.

Cork seemed to get to grips with Kerry during this period and Flynn with 2 pointed frees from distance gave Cork a two point lead. It looked at this stage that Kerry were finally going to succumb to the champions but there was no doubt that this was to be Kerry’s day as Ni Mhuirtceartaigh added two points either side of a double save by the Cork keeper on both Laura Rogers and Patrice Dennehy’s effort. Sarah Houlihan had Kerry ahead on the 57th minute as the game began to open up again and positions meant nothing as players popped up all over the field. Nolliag Cleary a minute later to levelled matters at 1-15 apiece and even with 2 minutes on the clock neither side were looking to settle for a share of the spoils.

Kerry came again for one last effort and Ni Mhuirtceartaigh split the posts to give Kerry that precious lead. Cork were to get one last chance as Geraldine O’Flynn had a 40 Metre free. She had pointed 3 fine efforts but this time the Liscarroll player saw her effort hit the crossbar and bounce out into play. In the scramble that ensured Aoife Lyons emerged with ball and won a free for her troubles.

Seconds later the hooter went and signalled the end to Corks great reign as Munster champions. It truth both sides could have won the game. Cork will be reflective of the fact that they contributed 13 wides while Kerry were more accurate with only 7 wides. However Kerry did open Cork up twice for two great goal chances but two super saves by debutant Martina O’Brien kept them at bay. So its Kerry that march on through the front door as Cork will take the less familiar route on the qualifiers. However no team will relish that draw. There is a strong possibility that both these sides could meet later in the year as the Kerry/Cork rivalry has taken on a new form.

Kerry : E Murphy, C Lynch, A Desmond, A Lyons, B Lane, C Kelly, D Hallissey, E Sherwood, B Breen 0-1, S Houlihan 0-4(2F), D Corridan 0-3, L Rogers, P Dennehy 1-1, L Galvin 0-1, L Ni Mhuirtceartaigh 0-6 (4F)

Subs: M O’Connell for D Corridan (51), J Brosnan for P Dennehy (55), SJ Joy for B Lane (55)

Cork : M O’Brien, A M Walsh, B Stack, D O’Reilly, B Corkery1-1, A Walsh, G Flynn 0-3(3F), A Walsh, R Buckley, N Cleary 0-2, D O’Sullivan 0-1, O Farmer 0-1, V Mulch 0-4(4F), R Ni Bhuachalla 0-1, O Finn 0-2

Subs: C O’Sullivan for A Walsh (40), E Farmer for O Finn(40), Aisling Barrett for A M Walsh(57)

Ref: Michael Duffy (Tipperary)

Main Player: Louise Galvin may have only contributed one point to the scoreboard but the Finuge/St.Senans players was stuck in everything good in the Kerry attack

Match Reaction (Bernie Breen Captain)

Greatest day ever

“The greatest day ever” was how captain Bernie Breen described the feeling of collecting the Diarygold Munster Cup. She was the first Kerry captain since 2003 to do so and only the third in 23 years such has been the long wait. “Our team were fantastic, they gave everything they had and I think we really deserved this win today”. Reflecting on the recent good form of Kerry, Breen feels that nothing has come overnight “We have been building over the last 4 years and we’re getting a little closer each year, so it’s not been an overnight success or anything. It’s been a long road and we have had plenty hard days but today made up for it all”. Breen (who like all her team mates was swept away after the game with the many family members and friends) was adamant that more is to come with this team. “I think this result will bring us on a lot now”. Having already 2 cups collected when asked about a possible third in September, Breen was happy just to celebrate this one. “One step at a time we’ll celebrate this one first and see what happens”

Kingdom see off champs

By Maire de Faoite for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Kerry 1-16 Cork 1-15

A late Louise Ní Mhuirceartaigh point saw Kerry deny All-Ireland champions Cork a 10th successive Munster SFC title on Saturday in Castletownroche. The reigning champions had been bidding to match Kerry’s record, however the Kingdom had other ideas in front of the 1,100-strong crowd, having garnered confidence from beating Cork in the opening round of the championship in Cahersiveen last month (3-10 to 3-8).

A delighted Kerry captain, Bernie Breen, noted the experience of losing last year’s All-Ireland final in Croke Park had helped them over the line in their last two encounters with the champions. “Coming into the game we were hoping to push on from the win in Cahersiveen and that really stood to us in the final minutes because we knew we could do it,” he said. “I suppose the difference between last year and this year is that we experienced the hype of Croke Park and we’re finding it easier now to play in front of big crowds and in getting over the line in big games.”

Kerry led at half time, 0-6 to 0-7, in a cracking encounter that saw the sides level 11 times throughout. “They were the worst conditions I ever played in,” said player of the match Louise Galvin of the fierce heat. “There wasn’t even a puff of air out there, and I know that’s good for the game itself, but it was just so, so hot.”

Cork started the better in the second half with Corkery goaling in the 40th minute, only for Kerry’s Patrice Kearney to cancel it out in the 44 minute with a goal of her own. In the last 10 minutes both teams went on runs, with Cork’s Geraldine O’Flynn slinging over three frees before Ní Mhuirceartaigh popped up with the lead point with just two minutes remaining — 1-16 to 1-15. O’Flynn had a chance to level matters from a long distance free inside the final minute, only for the ball to hit the crossbar and land into the hands of a Kerry defender. For the first time in the history of the qualifiers, Cork will now have to go through the back-door, with the draws being made today in Croke Park.

Scorers for Cork: V Mulcahy (0-4, 0-3f), G O’Flynn (0-3 frees), B Corkery 1-1, N Cleary and O Finn 0-2 each, R Ní Bhuachalla, D O’Sullivan and O Farmer 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: L Ní Mhuirceartaigh (0-7, 0-3f), S Houlihan (0-4, 0-2f), D Corridan 0-3, P Dennehy 1-1, B Breen 0-1.

CORK: M O’Brien; AM Walsh (c), B Stack, D O’Reilly; B Corkery, Angela Walsh, G O’Flynn; Annie Walsh, Rena Buckley; N Cleary, D O’Sullivan, O Farmer; V Mulcahy, R Ní Bhuachalla, O Finn.

Subs: C O’Sullivan for Annie Walsh and Emma Farmer for O Finn (45), A Barrett for AM Walsh (56), S Kelly for R Ní Bhuachalla (59).

KERRY: E Murphy; C Lynch, A Desmond, A Lyons; B lane, C Kelly, D Hallissey; E Sherwood, B Breen; S Houlihan, D Corridan,L Rogers; P Dennehy, L Galvin, L Ní Mhuirceartaigh.

Subs: M O’Connell for D Corridan (52), J Brosnan for P Dennehy and L Mangan for B Lane (53).

Referee: M Duffy (Tipperary)

TG4 Ladies football round-up

Compiled by Jackie Cahill

KERRY ended Cork’s hopes of ten in a row in Munster with a sensational victory in Saturday’s TG4 provincial ladies senior football championship final in Castletownroche. The Kingdom were crowned Munster champions after scoring a 1-16 to 1-15 victory over the All-Ireland champions. It was Kerry’s second victory over Cork in this summer’s championship, after they won by 3-10 to 3-8 in the first round.

Cork had the chance to equalise at the death but Geraldine O’Flynn’s free bounced agonisingly off the upright and William O’Sullivan’s Kerry survived to book their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. Cork must regroup through the qualifiers in their quest for a third successive All-Ireland crown and other would-be challengers now realise that the Rebelettes are beatable. Kerry started well and were 0-7 to 0-5 clear after 20 minutes, before Cork missed a host of chances.

At half-time, a point from Orla Finn brought the Leesiders to within touching distance, as they trailed by 0-6 to 0-7. The sides were neck and neck during the early second half exchanges before Briege Corkery netted for Cork. But Kerry went ahead again when Patrice Dennehy netted and they would hold out for a famous win.

Match Preview

Ladies previews

By Jackie Cahill

CORK wing-back Geraldine O’Flynn admits that Kerry are “on a roll” as the sides prepare to do battle in Saturday’s TG4 Munster ladies senior football final (3.45). The neighbours collide in Castletownroche and Cork have revenge on their minds after Kerry beat them by two points in the first round of this year’s provincial competition. The Leesiders bounced back with a comfortable victory over Clare before Kerry’s victory against the Banner County set up a heavyweight Munster final clash – and another repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final.

Allstar O’Flynn said: “We’re definitely looking forward to it. We had a very tough match in Caherciveen and we’re expecting nothing less again this Saturday. “Kerry had a great League and won (Division 2) silverware, which they had come very close to over the last couple of years. They’ve been to Croke Park, done all that, added the League title and then beat us in the championship. They’re on a roll really and they should be very good again on Saturday.”

Cork are going for a tenth successive Munster title but O’Flynn admits that last month’s defeat to Kerry led to plenty of soul-searching. It was Cork’s first championship defeat since the 2010 All-Ireland quarter-final against Tyrone and O’Flynn revealed: “It did take a few days to sink in. Reflecting on it, we looked at areas where we needed to improve on. We got ourselves together a bit and while we were slightly under against Kerry, they were well up for it on the day.”

Team News

Kerry have announced their starting 15 for Saturday’s TG4 Munster ladies senior Football Final with Cork. There are 4 changes from the side which defeated Clare last weekend.

Aoife Lyons, Denise Hallissey, Emma Sherwood,and Deirdre Corridan come back into the starting line up. Gina Crowley, Julie Brosnan, Megan O Connell and Mags Fitzgerald drop to the bench.

The team in Full is……

Edel Murphy, Laune Rangers

Cait Lynch, Castleisland Desmonds

Aislinn Desmond, Rathmore

Aoife Lyons, Castleisland Desmonds

Breeda Lane, Listowel Emmets

Caroline Kelly, Southern Gaels

Denise Hallissey, Inbhear Sceine Gaels

Emma Sherwood, Firies

Bernie Breen, Laune Rangers

Sarah Houlihan, Laune Rangers

Deirdre Corridan, Southern Gaels

Laura Rogers, Austin Stacks

Patrice Dennehy, Laune Rangers

Louise Galvin, Finuge/St Senans

Louise Ni Mhuirtceartaigh, Corca Dhuibhne

Subs – Julie Brosnan, Scartaglin, Amanda Brosnan, Dr Crokes, Gina Crowley, Inbhear Sceine Gaels, Rosie Young, Abbeydorney, Maria Quirke, Na Gaeil, Claire O Sullivan, Inbhear Sceine Gaels, Megan O Connell, Southern Gaels, Margaret Fitzgerald, Scartaglin, Sarah Jane Joy, Laune Rangers, Cassandra Buckley, Spa, Leanne Mangan, Castleisland Desmonds.