Noonan, O’Leary crucial for Cork
LADIES FOOTBALL
Daire Walsh
CORK………………………. 2-19
DUBLIN……………………… 4-9
SAOIRSE NOONAN and Sadhbh O’Leary amassed a combined haul of 2-10 at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park yesterday, when Cork held off a gallant final-quarter surge by Dublin to claim back-to-back All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Ladies Football Championship crowns.
John Cleary’s charges suffered a major set-back just over a minute into the contest, as Dublin corner-forward Rachel Douglas fired emphatically beyond the reach of Cork netminder Mairead O’Sullivan.
However, the champions displayed no signs of panic, and following points from Noonan (free) and O’Leary, the former secured Cork’s opening major of the tie by kicking through the legs of onrushing Dublin custodian Katie Ronan on eight minutes.
This helped Cork to firmly settle into their stride, and Kinsale’s O’Leary increased her personal tally to 0-3 with points either side of another placed-ball effort by her attacking partner.
U17 international soccer star Noonan grabbed her second goal of this showpiece encounter on the stroke of 15 minutes. They maintained this momentum when the action resumed, but Dublin received a potential lifeline courtesy of Buckley’s 37th-minute goal. Unanswered points by O’Leary, skipper Laura Cleary (two) and Ciara McCarthy settled Cork once again, though, and additional points by Culloty and the outstanding Noonan (0-2) arrived in response to Dublin scores by Clara O’Sullivan and Hannah O’Neill.
This placed the holders in a commanding position, but when quickfire three-pointers by Erica Byrne and Buckley were supplemented by a Jade Sweeney Knott single, Dublin’s deficit had been dramatically reduced to two points with eight minutes remaining.
Yet, Cork remained calm and composed throughout, and late scores from McCarthy and the excellent O’Leary eventually helped them over the line.
Scorers for Cork: Saoirse Noonan 2-5 (0-2f), Sadhbh O’Leary 0-5, Ciara McCarthy 0-3, Laura Cleary, Grace Culloty 0-2 each, Ciara Ryan, Abbie Scannell 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Julia Buckley 2-1, Rachel Douglas 1-3 (0-3f), Erica Byrne 1-0 (pen), Jade Sweeney Knott, Mia Jennings, Hannah O’Neill, Danielle Lawless, Clara O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
CORK: Mairead O’Sullivan; Emma Spillane, Aisling O’Sullivan, Sorcha Phelan; Aideen Lynch, Beatrice Casey, Ciara Hughes; Niamh Murphy, Ciara McCarthy; Ciara Ryan, Laura Cleary, Abbie Scannell; Grace Culloty, Saoirse Noonan, Sadhbh O’Leary.
Subs: Jenny Brew Dinan for Lynch (46), Lorraine O’Neill for Scannell, Sophie Hurley for Phelan (both 50), Christine Moran for McCarthy (60).
DUBLIN: Katie Ronan; Siabh Hannigan, Tarah O’Sullivan, Sinead Moran; Muireann O’Gorman, Laura McGinley, Emily Flannagan; Jade Sweeney Knott, Erica Byrne; Mia Jennings, Hannah O’Dea, Hannah O’Neill; Danielle Lawless, Julia Buckley, Rachel Douglas.
Subs: Jennifer Dunne for Jennings (h-t), Clara O’Sullivan for Douglas (43), Shannon Murtagh for Flanagan, Aoife McGrath for Lawless (46), Heather Bolger for Moran (50).
Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).