Cork 3-11
Dublin 3-2

by Daire Walsh

Kate Carey finished with an impressive tally of 2-3 at Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park in Birr as Cork comprehensively defeated Dublin to claim their 13th ZuCar All-Ireland U18 ‘A’ Ladies Football Championship crown.

Aiming to bridge a three-year gap to their last title at this grade, Cork hit the ground running in this encounter with unanswered points from Eabha O’Donovan and Sarah O’Connor.

The Leesiders were attacking in waves during the early exchanges, and they rattled the net for the first time in the 11th minute as Ilen Rovers ace Carey drilled a fierce shot beyond the reach of opposition netminder Kalia Behan.

While Dublin eventually opened their account when Niadh Mooney cancelled out an earlier effort from Johanna Foskin on 18 minutes, their Munster counterparts reinforced their authority thanks to a brace of points from Carey.

Although midfielder Lile Tully also split the posts for Dublin, Cork ended the opening period in spectacular style.

After O’Donovan (an AIB All-Ireland junior club football championship winner with O’Donovan Rossa in 2023) superbly palmed home for her side’s second goal of the contest, Carey clinically bagged another green flag score to ensure Kieran O’Shea’s charges held a commanding 3-5 to 0-2 buffer at the interval.

Dublin needed a strong start to the second half to give themselves a fighting chance at forging a dramatic comeback, and Declan Patton’s outfit were desperately unlucky to see two opportunities at goal rebounding off the crossbar shortly after the restart.

Yet Cork continued to possess a potent attacking threat, and their lead was stretched to 15 points when Laura Walsh, Carey and O’Donovan (free) all found the range in a six-minute spell.

However, Dublin displayed admirable perseverance throughout the second period and the Leinster champions cut significantly into their deficit when influential St Brigid’s star Molly Bourke fired home two goals in as many minutes inside the final quarter.

Nevertheless, Cork were still in a strong position to collect the silverware on offer and with Walsh finding the target either side of a well-worked point from Douglas’ Aoibhe Sheehan, the outcome was placed beyond doubt long before substitute Rebecca McEvoy secured a consolation goal for Dublin in the final minute of the action.

Scorers – Cork: K Carey 2-3, E O’Donovan 1-2 (0-1f), L Walsh 0-3 (1f), J Foskin, S O’Connor, A Sheehan 0-1 each.

Dublin: M Bourke 2-0, R McEvoy 1-0, L Tully, N Mooney 0-1 each.

CORK: A Toye; O Drummey, A Tobin, A O’Sullivan; R Breen, M McRae, É Walsh; S Cunningham, J Foskin; S O’Connor, L Walsh, A McAuliffe; É O’Donovan, K Carey, A Sheehan. Subs: G Young for Foskin (50), E Burns for Sheehan (52), C Horgan for McAuliffe (55), A Leahy for Carey, S Ni Laoire for O’Sullivan (both 60).

DUBLIN: K Behan; K Hayes, T Walsh, A Pollock; C Sone Lenou, H Murphy, K O’Donovan; S McDonnell, L Tully; L Murtagh, M Bourke, C Murphy; N Mooney, Z Flood, G Connolly. Subs: K Mooney for Walsh, R Kirby for Murphy, R McEvoy for Flood (all h-t), C Almeida for McDonnell (42), E Reen for O’Donovan (47).

Referee: Gavin Finnegan (Down).

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