TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship Final

Cork 2-7 Monaghan 0-11                 25/9/11

Monaghan’s ladies footballers suffered a heart-breaking defeat against Cork in the All-Ireland SFC Final at Croke Park on Sunday. The concession of two soft goals (one from a penalty) proved to be Monaghan’s undoing, as despite their best efforts, they were never able to find the net themselves to turn the game back in their favour. Cork, who have now lifted the Brendan Martin Cup six times in seven years, had good performances from Angela Walsh, Deirdre O’Reilly, Geraldine O’Flynn, Juliet Murphy and Rena Buckley as they regained the title they lost last year. Therese and Gráinne McNally, Aoife McAnespie, Amanda Casey and Nicola Fahy starred for Monaghan, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a sixth defeat from eight All-Ireland finals at this grade.

Cork were first off the mark when Juliet Murphy kicked a point from play after a one-two with Nollaig Cleary, but Cathriona McConnell equalised for Monaghan from a 25-metre free after a foul on Ciara McAnespie. Valerie Mulcahy regained Cork’s lead at the end of a strong run by Cleary, before both sides went close when both Monaghan’s Therese McNally and Cork’s Rhona Ní Bhuachalla hit the upright. McConnell linked up with Caoimhe Mohan to kick a good point for Monaghan, which was followed by an equally-good score by Ellen McCarron, who had been well-placed by Ciara McAnespie. Murphy saw a 25-metre free come back off the post, but she got another chance when the referee ruled that Amy O’Shea had been fouled, which Murphy tap        ped over the bar. Disaster struck for Monaghan on 22 minutes, when a poor kick-out by Linda Martin allowed Cleary to send the easiest of finishes to the net. Cork were now on top and O’Shea broke through two minutes later, only to bounce the ball twice with the goal at her mercy. Monaghan came back to make a goal chance at the other end when Niamh Kindlon released McCarron, but she blazed her shot over, which left Monaghan trailing by 1-3 to 0-4 at half-time.

Ciara McAnespie finished one of her trademark runs with a point at the start of the second half and Monaghan quickly drew level when Kindlon tapped over a 13-metre free for a foul on Mohan, before Gráinne McNally and Nicola Fahy combined to clear a dangerous centre from Murphy. Monaghan edged ahead when another break by Ciara McAnespie set up a point for Kindlon, but their lead lasted less than a minute until Cork sub Ciara O’Sullivan created the equaliser for Grace Kearney. Kindlon replied from a 30-metre free after a foul on Therese McNally, but again it was a short-lived advantage before Geraldine O’Flynn levelled with a fine point. Another Cork sub Orla Finn then won a penalty when she was brought down by Monaghan replacement Isabel Kieran, allowing Rhona Ní Bhuachalla to tuck the spot-kick to the net. Mohan got a point back for Monaghan after taking a pass from Therese McNally, but Murphy converted a 30-metre free for a foul on O’Sullivan to restore the three-point gap. Monaghan sub Laura McEnaney kept her team in touch, before McConnell tapped over a close-range free for a foul on Therese McNally to cut Monaghan’s deficit to the minimum. Rena Buckley doubled Cork’s lead and although Monaghan threw everything forward at the end, they couldn’t force a way through for the goal they needed. The manner of defeat will be very disappointing for Monaghan, but Gregory McGonigle & co. can look back with pride on an impressive season while attempting to learn from this game.

Cork: E Harte; Anne Marie Walsh, Angela Walsh, D O’Reilly; B Corkery, B Stack, G O’Flynn (0-1); J Murphy (0-3, 2f), R Buckley (0-1); N Cleary (1-0), M Kelly, G Kearney (0-1); V Mulcahy (0-1), R Ní Bhuachalla (1-0, pen), A O’Shea (Capt.).

Subs: C O’Sullivan for O’Shea (inj., 41 mins), O Finn for Mulcahy (43), N Kelly for Cleary (50), A Sheehan for Ní Bhuachalla (57), Annie Walsh for Buckley (59).

Monaghan: L Martin; G McNally, S Courtney (Capt.), C Reilly; L Connolly, N Fahy, A McAnespie; A Casey, C Courtney; C McConnell (0-3, 2f), E McCarron (0-2), T McNally; C McAnespie (0-1), N Kindlon, (0-3, 2f), C Mohan (0-1).

Subs: I Kieran for C Courtney (26), L McEnaney (0-1) for Kindlon (46), C Courtney for McCarron (51), E McElroy for Kieran (54).

Referee: J Niland (Sligo).