No fairytale ending for Roscommon minor ladies' footballers in All-Ireland final
Roscommon minor ladies' captain, Shauna McGrath, with her Cork counterpart, Laura Walsh, and referee Eddie Cuthbert before Saturday's ZuCar All-Ireland LGFA Minor A football final at Glenisk O'Connor Park, Tullamore. Picture: Roscommon LGFA
Roscommon’s dreams of a first All-Ireland LGFA Minor A title were dashed by a more experienced and streetwise Cork side, who retained their title, at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore, on Saturday afternoon.
Trevor Clohessy’s side, who were the first team from the county to reach an All-Ireland A final since 1991, produced a courageous effort, but they lacked the fluency of recent games and were unable to reel in a Cork side that built up a three-point buffer at the break.
The Connacht champions, despite enjoying wind advantage, couldn’t make the necessary inroads as they chased the game, allowing Cork to bide their time, win their frees, and keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Alanna McCormack, Méabh Finneran, Sarah Jane O’Connor, captain Shauna McGrath, and Laura Glennon tried valiantly for Roscommon but, ultimately, they lacked the craft up front to make history.
The opening half was a cagey affair as Cork, with the wind behind them, struggled to break down Roscommon’s rearguard, which clogged the central channels to try and force their opponents to shoot from distance.
Cork wing-back Caoimhe O’Donnell did just that from 40 metres to get the Munster champions up and running after eight minutes but Roscommon were making some inroads with their fleeting attacks, and full-forward Isobel Kenny brought them level after five minutes.
The next four points were shared — Lauren Finnegan and Laura Walsh (free) for Cork and Laura Glennon (free) and Aoife Creevy for the Connacht champions.
Cork, despite losing Ellen Connolly to a yellow card in the 14th minute, were finding the influential Walsh on their kickouts and they began to put some distance between the teams as half time approached with points from Walsh (free), midfielder Sarah O’Connor and Róisín Ní Liatháin in the final eight minutes to procure a 0-6 to 0-3 lead at half time.
Isobel Kenny’s second point of the half left a sizeable Roscommon support dreaming, but Cork’s ability to keep possession for long periods ensured that their opponents got no closer.
Walsh’s third free of the afternoon was followed by two excellent points from play by the impressive Róisín Ní Liathain as Cork began to put some daylight between the teams.
Laura Glennon replied for Roscommon but a brace of frees from Walsh pushed Cork closer to victory.
Glennon, now operating at full-forward, did reply with a free and a point from play during the game’s dying embers but Cork held on to become champions once again.
CORK: R. Duggan; A. Kelleher, A. Collins, M. Barrett; É. Walsh, A. Coughlan, C. O’Donnell (0-1); C. Ní Mhocáin, S. O’Connor (0-1); L. Finnegan (0-1), L. Walsh (0-5, all frees), E. Connolly; A. Devereaux, L. O’Connor, R. Ní Liatháin (0-3). Subs used: A. Treacy for L. O’Connor (41 mins), A. Kearney for Devereaux (49 mins).
ROSCOMMON: L. Finneran; E. Halpin, M. Finneran, A. McCormack; C. Trautt, L. McSharry, G. Gerrity; S.J. O’Connor, R. Higgins; L. Glennon (0-4, three frees), R. Flynn, A. Creevy (0-1); V. Gannon, I. Kenny (0-2), S. McGrath. Subs used: S. Meghen for Flynn (39 mins), A. Nugent for Kenny (43 mins), C. Mulryan for McGrath (52 mins), A. Rogers for Gannon (52 mins).
Referee: E. Cuthbert (Down).
