Munster Minor Semi Final Report

A hard fought but deserved victory for the Cork minors they advanced to the Munster final with just one point to spare over a determined Tipperary sides in Mallow on Saturday.

When Niamh Dilworth tucked away Cork second goal five minutes into the second half the dye looked cast for Tipp as they trailed by twelve points but aided by the gale force wind they showed plenty of character and fought back to come close to snatching victory. Pinning Cork in their own half for almost the entire second half of the game they proceeded to pick off their scores as they eat into Cork’s lead, in the finish a pointed forty five by the excellent Niamh Dilworth in the twenty sixth minuet of the half was crucial as it was to be the score that separated the sides at the final whistle.

Aided by the strong wind Cork led 1-9 to 0-2 at the interval after they had dictated terms through the half, Catriona Shortt opened the scoring pointing a Tipperary free but from here on Cork took over Niamh Dilworth and Denise Luby pointing before Dilworth’s long range free finished up in the Tipp net to stretch the advantage. Enjoying plenty of possession Cork troubled the Tipp defence and three points without reply from Dilworth (2) and Julia White had Cork comfortable before Bonnie Kennedy pointed for Tipp. With the wind howling Cork availed of every opportunity and despite striking eight wide’s they had tacked on four points before the break Niamh Dilworth, Julia White and substitute Sinead O Callaghan all on target.

Tipp started the second half with a Fiona Young point, Niamh Dilworth replied with a pointed free and within five minutes of the restart Cork again had the Tip defence under pressure, good work from Julia White saw Denise Luby set up Niamh Dilworth for a superb goal and it looked as if playing against the elements was not going to trouble Cork. We were proved wrong as we had to wait twenty one minutes for the next Cork score as Tipp proceeded to take the game by the neck eight minutes in Catriona Shortt won a penalty but Tipp failed to convert as Marie Gleeson saved on the line for Aisling Thomson to clear to safety.

 

Tipp came again Niamh O Connell and Maria Ryan cut the deficit with points before O Connell sent a long range free to the roof of the Cork net and they added three points without reply and as they pinned Cork in their own half the lead was down to five points. 

 

With the Cork defence feeling the pressure Tipp grabbed a goal, Captain Bonnie Kennedy’s lobbing shot ending up in the net and it was down to the wire, from the puck out Cork made a rare sweep up field Denise Luby’s flick for goal saw Tipp keeper Christine Kenneally conceded a forty five which Niamh Dilworth superbly converted again the wind and the margin was back to three points. Undeterred Tipp again swept down field Fiona Young and Catriona Shortt pointed as once again they pinned the Cork defence in their own half.

Twice Tipp came close to grabbing an equaliser in the four minutes of added time as their wide tally rose to seven for the second half but credit the Cork defence that showed great resolve to hold out under enormous pressure to book their place in the final.

 

Scorers for Cork N Dilworth 2-6 (1-4f ,0-1 45″”)J White 0-3, S O Callaghan 0-1 D Luby 0-1(f) 

Tipperary: N O Connell 1-2 (f), B Kennedy 1-1, F Young 0-3 (0-1f) C Shortt 0-2 (0-1f), M Ryan and G Stapleton 0-1each            

 

CORK: M Gleeson; M A Hawkes, S O Brien, S Cotter; M. Walshe, L Cunningham
C O’Neill; S Buckley, J Lynch; J White, N Dilworth(c), A Thompson; R De Faoite
D Luby, C Collins

Subs S O Callaghan for C Collins (21), S O Neill for R De Faoite (54), A. Sheehan for S Cotter (61) 

TIPPERARY: C Kenneally; M Ryan, S Rabbitte, S O Neill; S Hayes G Stapleton,

L Greene; N O Connell, C Devane; C Shortt, F Young, C Walsh; E Shanahan, A Brislane, B Kennedy(c)

Subs B O Brien for L Greene (25) C Kenny for A Brislane(45)