Munster Title for Cork

Cork 2-10 Clare 2-8 (a. e. t.)

The home side made all the opening half running and indeed should have been further ahead.  Full forward Denise Luby had three first half points two from play and one from a free while one from Lydia Cunningham gave Cork the edge as Danielle Sheedy pointed to keep Clare in touch. Aided by the strong wind Cork piled on the pressure and a Denise Luby goal was followed by a point from Margaret O’ Herlihy. Clare worked hard to stay with the Cork attack and it was the Cork girls who led 1-5 to 0-1 at the half time whistle.

Clare settled quickly into the second half and struck for two goals from Roisin Mc Mahon and Danielle Sheedy, two Marion O’ Brien points and one from Sheehy edged Clare in front by the three quarter stage. Margaret O’ Herlihy and Kathleen 0′ Brien had Cork on level with two excellent points before Denise Luby pointed a forty five. Clare came in search of an equaliser applying fierce pressure but Tina O’ Donnell denied them with two superb saves. However Cork conceded a free on the thirteen line and when Marion O’ Brien tapped it over extra time beckoned.

Cork made the better start to the extra time playing against the strong wind.  Denise Luby rattled the net after four minutes in an excellent move involving Alanna Mc Kenna and Charlotte Kearney. Marion O’ Brien converted two Clare frees as Cork led 2-8 to 2-7 at the turn over.

 From the restart Carol Kaiser pointed to put one between the sides and as the Cork defence came under pressure Siobhan Gleeson, Jennifer Brown and Noreen Mulcahy excelled timeout of number driving Clare away from goal.

 Luby pointed a Cork free and  struck one from play to give Cork a two point advantage. Clare piled on the pressure in the two remaining minutes but there was no way through a spirited Cork defence that held on for a memorable and deserved victory to give the county their first silverware of 2008.

Scorers:

Cork: D Luby 2-6 (0-2f, 0-1 45″”} M O Herlihy 0-2 (0-1f), L Cunningham and K O Brien 0-1each

Clare: M O Brien 0-5 (0-3f), R Mc Mahony and D Sheehy 1-0 each,

Teams:

Cork: T O Donnell; C Mc Kenna, N Mulcahy, M Gleeson; S Gleeson, J Browne(c), M A Hawkes; L Cunningham, K O Brien, ; M O Herlihy, A Mc Kenna, R Myers; C Keohane, D Luby, D Leahy

Subs: A. Moynihan for M Gleeson (39) A. Keating for D Leahy (40), C Kearney for C Keohane (e/t), C. Keohane for A Keating (18 e/t)

Clare:  A Nic Cormic; A Kelly, A Treacy, A Hoey; S Reidy, I Kaiser, M Rosengrave; R Kaiser, L Hayes D Sheedy; S Keniry, L Tracey (c), S Vaughan; M O Brien, C Kaiser 

Subs: A Mc Mahon for M Rosengrave (25) E Glynn for S Vaughan (35) R MC Mahony for S Keniry (e/t)

Referee: Joe O’ Donnell, Limerick 

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