Match Report - Dublin v Cork

  • Mar 10,2014

Tesco Home Grown NFL - Dublin v Cork

by Sinead Farrelly 

Dublin came into this division one match unbeaten, looking for a result different to that of when the sides last met in the All-Ireland quarter final in August 2013.

The game started with a quick pace right away as both sides took shots that went wide until Cork’s Valerie Mulcahy got the first blood of the game with a point.

Carla Rowe played well in Dublin’s half-forward line as she fed the ball through to Sarah McCaffrey who got the equaliser and just moments later Dublin pushed into the lead with a point from Siobhan Woods.

However Cork did not let the ball settle with some good play from Ciara O’Sullivan got the ball to Orla Finn who scored the equaliser. Cork were then awarded another free and Mulcahy put her side back into the lead.

Cork backs played well to keep Dublin from scoring but Dublin were awarded a free and Rowe shone again to get the ball to Lyndsey Davey who brought the scores level again.

Dublin had a free awarded to them and the half forwards and forwards battled well to try and get near the goal but Cork's defence was strong with some of their forwards playing as backs as they try to stymie the Dublin strong attacking line up but Aherne took a long range shot and it sailed over the bar as Dublin took the lead again in this very tight game.

Cork won the possession back again and it travelled the length of the pitch and they took the lead with the opening goal of the game coming from Grace Kearney.

Two successive points for the home side from Sinéad Aherne and Siobhán Woods brought the sides level once more. However; Cork took the lead again with points from Mulcahy and Geraldine O’Flynn.

Noelle Healy scored Dublin's first goal to put Dublin back in front by one point with the ball that was fed to her beautifully by her team mates. The Cork attack fell apart after the kick out and Healy got the ball back and she passed it through to Sinead Aherne who scored Dublin's second goal in as many minutes.

Cork replied with a free that was pointed by Geraldine O'Flynn and a goal lay between the two sides
at half time. 

Once more Cork waste no time in getting the half underway and just a minute in Grace Kearney scored her second goal of the game, followed quickly by a point from Orla Finn.

The battle for the lead went back Dublin’s away again however with a point each from Aherne and Noelle Healy. However the sides were brought level or the sixth time with a pointed Geraldine O’Flynn score.

A substitution for each side saw Dublin bringing on Nicole Owens for Siobhán Woods and Cork brought on Maire Ambrose in place of Ann Marie Walsh.

Ambrose made an impact right away as she was instrumental in getting the Dublin attack away from the goal, but Dublin kept up the pressure and Lyndsey Davey pointed the ball to bring her side ahead again.

Sinéad Aherne continued her impressive run of play by getting the ball to Carla Rowe who scored to edge Dublin two points in front. The gap was reduced to one point straight away though with a point from Ciara O’Sullivan.

Both teams made substitutions with Cork introducing Orlagh Farmer and Eimear Scally by taking off Shauna Kelly and Doireann O’Sullivan and Dublin replaced Sarah McCaffrey with Lucy Collins.

Some great defending from Siobhán McGrath kept Valerie Mulcahy from scoring but as Cork kept the pressure up Ciara O'Sullivan fisted a point to bring the sides level.

Cork were awarded two stoppage time frees, both taken by Valerie Mulcahy, however they both went wide. Dublin won the kick out and they played well to get the ball to Lucy Collins who took the shot but it was forced early by the Cork backs and it went wide.

The full time whistle blew just seconds later and it was 2-10 apiece and Dublin maintained their unbeaten record.

Speaking after the game Dublin coach Gregory McGonigle was optimistic looking ahead to their next game : “Cork are the current national league and All Ireland champions and maybe a few years ago the girls would have lost that game but we’ve shown that we’re up there with the best teams.

We’re working hard and obviously from the point of view that we’re sitting top of the league now we’d be seen as one of the top five teams to play.

We’ve now got one more home game and we’ve put ourselves into a strong position to get into the semi finals”.