Rebelettes Cruise Into League Final
- Apr 19,2009
The old adage which says ‘take your points and the goals will come’ came through for the Rebelettes as they comfortably accounted for the Jackies in the Bord Gais Energy National League semi-final, played in Semple Stadium, Thurles on Saturday last. Cork’s chance of winning back-to-back National League titles is alive and well having accounted for the Jackies by a somewhat flattering scoreline. That they did so without ever getting out of third gear bodes ominously for their opponents in the final. When Cork and Dublin met recently in the league phase of the Bord Gais Energy competition the Rebelettes were very wayward with their shooting. This time they were not as profligate. They finished with eight wides to Dublin’s five. The scoreline is somewhat harsh on the Jackies as three of the four goals came in the last nine minutes of play. Nevertheless Dublin will have learned a hard lesson, namely, that mistakes at this level will be punished.
Dublin started this game very promisingly and were first on the scoreboard after forty-five seconds through the boot of Niamh McEvoy. Ann Marie Murphy followed this up a minute later and the Jackies were looking comfortable. Briege Corkerry went on one of her trademark solo runs for Cork in the third minute and reduced the deficit to one. Dublin responded immediately with one their best moves of the match working the ball through to Murphy who cut inside her marker and hand passed the ball over the bar. A Valerie Mulcahy free in the tenth minute was followed by points for Dublin from Mary Nevin and a Sinead Ahearne free. Up to this point the Dublin defence was coping comfortably with the Cork attack and Maria Kavanagh had the shackles on Valerie Mulcahy. Deirdre O Reilly and Rhona Buckley, however, were starting to exert an influence in the Cork attack. Following good build-up play by the Cork attack in the sixteenth minute O Reilly finished to the Dublin net via a cruel deflection off two Dublin defenders. The Jackies response was immediate. Two points followed from Ahearne, the first from a free while the second came from a quickly taken line ball. Sinead lost her marker and put the ball cleanly between the uprights. Dublin were now leading by 0-7 to 1-2.
After that things started to go wrong for Dublin. The crisp accurate passing that adorned their early play now was no more. Passes started to go astray and Cork were growing into the game. Defensively they were getting tighter on their players. The points began to flow with no response from Dublin. Rhona Buckley scored her first after twenty-two minutes and Mary O Connor levelled matters four minutes later. O Reilly and Buckley added one apiece before halftime to leave the Jackies trailing by two points, 1-6 to 0-7, having played with the breeze in the first half. Ann Marie Murphy was now playing a third midfielder role. The signs were ominous, however, as goalkeeper, Cliodhna O Connor, had to be at her brilliant best to keep out two goal bound efforts, the first of which was a Mulcahy special from close range.
Dublin started the second half in promising mode but Cork’s halftime team talk was having the desired effect. The Rebelettes defence began to swarm all over the Jackies attack and ended up choking the life out of it. Dublin practically owned the ball but could not make the breakthrough for a score. A Juliet Murphy free in the sixth minute was the only score registered in the first twelve minutes of play. A mix-up between Cork goalkeeper, Elaine Harte and corner-back, Rhena Buckley, almost provided a goal opportunity for Ahearne but her diving effort was scrambled away. A goal at that stage might have put a different complexion on the game but Lady Luck did not favour the Jackies on this occasion. A flurry of points followed from the Cork forwards including one from sub, Nollaig Cleary who made a useful contribution since coming on at halftime. Suddenly the game was out of Dublin’s reach with Cork leading by 1-11 to 0-8 and no response imminent from the Jackies. Dublin’s only score in the second half came from the boot of Niamh Hurley in the forty-ninth minute who had no choice but take on the shot as there was no support available to her.
The real punishment was yet to come as Cork’s lethal weapon, Rhona Buckley punished a stray pass and a dropped ball, respectively, with two clinical finishes which gave Cliodhna O Connor no chance. Having been freed from Maria Kavanagh’s shackles Valerie Mulcahy too got in on the goal scoring to round off a comfortable win by 4-11 to 0-8.
Its back to the drawing board for the Dublin management team ahead of the Leinster campaign. Confidence must be restored quickly. The statistics with regards to attack in the second half don’t make for pleasant reading. One point scored, one wide kicked and one fort-five gained. The players know that they were capable of giving the defending champions a better run for their money but it didn’t happen on the day. Cliodhna O Connor had a superb game in goals while Maria Kavanagh did an excellent marking job on Valerie Mulcahy. Ann Marie Murphy started promisingly and Sinead Ahearne battled away up front. The Cork defence as a unit showed what they are capable of especially in the second half and Brid Stack made a number of forays out of defence in support of the attack. Juliet Murphy took the game to Cork in the second half. Deirdre O Reilly and Rhona Buckley linked well with Valerie Mulcahy and punished Dublin at every opportunity.
Player of the Match - Rhona Buckley.
Dublin - C. O Connor, A. Cluxton, N. Comyn, M. Kavanagh, A. McKenna, S. Furlong, S. McGrath, D. Masterson, (capt.), N. McEvoy, (0-1), M. Nevin, (0-1), L. Davey, C. Barrett, N. Hurley, (0-1), S. Ahearne, (0-3, 2 frees), A.M. Murphy, (0-2).
Subs - O. Colreavy for A. McKenna, N. McEvoy, (St. Sylvesters) for N.McEvoy, (Parnells) and E. Kelly for C. Barrett.
Cork - E. Harte, Rena Buckley, A. Walsh, (capt.), L. Barrett, G. O Flynn, B. Stack, B. Corkerry, (0-1), J. Murphy, (0-1, free), N. Kelly, Rhona Buckley, (2-3), M. O Connor, (0-1), C. O Sullivan, (0-1), V. Mulcahy, (1-2, 0-2 frees), A. O Shea, D. O Reilly, (1-1).
Subs - N. Cleary, (0-1) for A. O Shea, R. O Sullivan for C. O Sullivan, A. O Shea for M. O Connor, J. Luddy for V. Mulcahy and M. Kelly for L. Barrett.
Referee - D. Corcoran, Mayo.
