Reigning champions Cork have eased through to next month’s TG4 Ladies SFC final, beating Laois by 1-12 to 0-08 in Tullamore.
A dynamic first half performance by the Rebelettes, who limited Laois to just one score, saw them lead 1-07 to 0-01 at the interval.
All-Star forward Valerie Mulcahy slid home a brilliant 20th-minute goal, working the ball cleverly onto her left foot – despite the attentions of three defenders – to shoot past Bernie Deegan.
Mary Kirwan scored Laois’ sole point of the opening half as their much-vaunted attacking unit was shackled into near obscurity.
Early points from Mary O’Connor, Mulcahy, captain Juliet Murphy and Deirdre O’Reilly had Cork 0-04 to 0-01 to the good before the goal.
They put on the afterburners to move nine points clear at the interval with O’Connor taking her personal tally to 0-3 and Nollaig Cleary rifling over right on the 30-minute mark.
With their forwards being well marked, Laois, managed by former county hurler Pat Critchley, were dealt a blow at the other end of the field when wing-back Aisling Quigley was yellow carded just five minutes into the second half.
However, the Leinster champions never let their heads drop and defenders Lorraine Muckian and Noirin Kirwan typified their efforts, popping up with two late points.
Laois corner forward and captain Gemma O’Connor also tallied up 0-03 off her right boot, but her side were never in contention. Their only clearcut goal chance fell to Tracy Lawlor on 34 minutes, but Elaine Harte parried the shot away to safety.
Laois, who had Deegan to thank for denying Amanda Murphy a second Cork goal, scored the game’s final four points but by that time, the Brendan Martin Cup holders were dreaming of another day out at Croke Park.
Cork operated at a different level throughout, and their final point, struck in the 51st-minute, spoke volumes of their willingness to succeed.
Corner back Briege Corkery, who courted controversy for wearing a hair band advertising an alcoholic drink in the quarter-final win over Mayo, let her football do the talking as she covered 60 metres to set up Cleary for a terrific point.
With leaders like Mulcahy (1-2), Murphy (0-3) and O’Connor (0-3), it will take a supreme effort from either Armagh or Galway, who clash in next Saturday’s semi-final in Roscommon, to stop Cork from retaining their title.
The 2006 final takes place at Croke Park on October 1.
CORK: E Harte; R Buckley, A Walsh, B Corkery; G O’Flynn (0-01), B Stack, S O’Reilly; J Murphy (capt) (0-03 (1f)), N Kelly; A Murphy, D O’Reilly (0-01), N Cleary (0-02); V Mulcahy (1-02 (2f)), M O’Connor (0-03), C Creedon.
Subs used: C Walsh for Creedon (half-time), L Power for A Murphy (44), A O’Connor for Mulcahy (53)
LAOIS: B Deegan; G Weston, L Muckian (0-01), N Kirwan (0-01); A Quigley, A Casey, P Fogarty; K O’Reilly, M O’Grady; Martha Kirwan, L Brennan, E Fitzpatrick, T Lawlor (0-01), Mary Kirwan (0-02 (1f)), G O’Connor (capt) (0-03).
Subs used: S Barry for Brennan, A O’Loughlin for O’Grady (both 42 mins), C O’Loughlin for Fitzpatrick (57).
