Cork U14 ladies footballers beat Galway after extra time in epic All-Ireland final

Cork 5-9 Galway 2-13 (after extra time)

Cork were crowned U14 ladies football All-Ireland platinum final at Nenagh Éire Óg GAA Club on Sunday after extra time.

It took two goals in extra time to secure the title for the Rebels, with Nell Kinsella getting one of them. The Kilmacabea player was simply outstanding all through for Cork and had there been a Player of the Game she would have been a certain winner.

This is Cork’s first win at this level since 2019 as they dethroned the defending champions.

Galway took the lead in the first minute when Siun Cullinane scored from a free as the title-holders were quick to settle. They doubled their lead, this time Katie Brogan scoring from a free, to make it 0-2 to no score after four minutes.

Cork’s first real chance came after 12 minutes when Nell Kinsella played a long free in, which was caught by Kate O’Connell. She turned to shoot but her effort was well saved by Natalie Ni Churraoin.

It took until the 18th minute for the first score from play to arrive, with Sorcha Keane on target for Galway to increase their lead further.

Cork got off the mark after 22 minutes when Kinsella pointed, to make it 0-3 to 0-1.

The width of the bar denied Cork a goal after Laura O’Mullane beat several players but her effort hit the crossbar and the danger was cleared.

Kinsella got Cork’s second point with Torai O’Flynn replying at the other end before Cork got a goal.

Just before half-time Grace O’Sullivan picked up the ball and beat several defenders before playing Kate O’Connell in to give Ni Churraoin no chance of saving. This was the last score before the break as Cork led by 1-2 to 0-4 at half-time.

Cork were quick off the mark in the second half when Kinsealla was on target again, but Galway’s replay was significant.

They broke down the pitch and Ellie Harty O’Brien blasted to the back of the net to put her side back in front, 1-4 to 1-3.

Isabella Brosnan had the sides level again, before points from Brogan and Harty O’Brien put Galway two to the good.

They made it a three-point lead when O’Flynn was on target again before Cork were back on level .

A quick free from Kinsella found O’Connell and she scored her, and Cork’s second goal to make it 2-4 to 1-7.

With 42 minutes played Cork went in front when Kinsella scored but the lead didn’t last long, with Cullinane replying from a free for Galway.

Another from Kinsealla restored Cork’s lead, to make it 2-6 to 1-8 after 47 minutes.

Again Galway hit back with Brogan pointing from another free to level it again. Kinsealla put Cork back in front again, to make it 2-7 to 1-9 with 52 minutes gone.

A good Cork move, involving O’Connell and Aoife Harte, set up Maria Humphreys to extend their lead to two, with five minutes to go. But two late frees from Mairead Mulkerrins saw the game go to extra time.

Kinsella got the first score in extra time, but Galway took a grip on the game when Alana Glynn drove forward to get their second goal, to make it 2-11 to 2-9. Mulkerrins added a point from a free to put three between the sides, but Cork hit back.

A superb shot from Laura O’Mullane found the top corner for Cork’s third goal, to level it again, 3-9 to 2-12. Another great run from Kinsealla helped put Cork back in front as she played Fia Comerford in to score their fourth goal, 4-9 to 2-12.

A Mulkerrins free made it a two-point game with four minutes left in extra time. Again Kinsella replied for Cork with a thunderous shot to the back of the net, to make it 5-9 to 2-13.

That proved to be the final score as Cork ran out deserving winners after a top-class game.

Scorers for Cork: N Kinsella 1-7 (0-3 f), K O'Connell 2-0, F Comerford, L O’Mullane 1-0 each, M Humphreys, I Brosnan 0-1 each.

Galway: E Harty O’Brien 1-1, M Mulkerrins 0-4 f, K Brogan 0-3 f, S Cullinane (0-1 f), T O’Flynn 0-2 each, S Keane 0-1.

CORK: MK Hannon; C Ambrose, A McCarthy, S Erangey; G O’Sullivan, A Walsh, L Mylod; A O’Mullane, N Doyle; O Murphy, N Kinsella, I Brosnan; K O’Connell, L O’Mullane, A Harte.

Subs: F Comerford, M Moynihan, M Humphreys, M Allen, M Lawlor, L Howard, A Ni Scannlain, K Collins, T Browne.

GALWAY: N Ní Churraoin; K Jennings, A McCormack, A Feeney; A Glynn, T O’Flynn, C Lipscombe; K McNulty, C Osborne; C Flanagan, K Brogan, E Harty-O’Brien; S Keane, S Cullinane, L Casserly.

Subs: M Mulkerrins A Devine, A Gallagher, L Claxton-Rock, K O’Malley, E O’Donnell, R Byrnes-Humber, E Trayers.

Referee: Angela Gallagher (Dublin).