Cork remain on course for a fifth successive TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship crown after booking their place in the final on Saturday.
The all-conquering Leesiders ran out 3-10 to 1-09 semi-final winners against Mayo at McDonagh Park in Nenagh and will meet Dublin or Monaghan in the showpiece Croke Park decider.
Wing-forward Amy O’Shea was the two-goal heroine for Cork, with goals in each half arriving at opportune moments.
O’Shea fired home her opening goal five minutes before half-time as the Rebelettes opened up a 1-05 to 0-02 half-time lead and the Inch Rovers star grabbed another midway through the second half.
That second goal was answered in kind within a minute by Mayo’s leading scorer Cora Staunton but even though the beaten Connacht finalists gave Cork a stern examination in an entertaining game, the champions had enough in reserve.
Staunton shot 1-07 for Mayo, including two superb long-range points from play in the second half, but it still wasn’t enough as the Westerners bowed out of the championship at the semi-final stage for the second successive year.
Wing back and player of the match Briege Corkery made the game safe for Cork with less than two minutes remaining as yet another surge from defence resulted in a superb goal, driven high to the net past Mayo netminder Yvonne Byrne.
Elsewhere, beaten 2008 finalists Clare have booked their place in this year’s TG4 Ladies intermediate football championship final.
The Banner County defeated dogged Waterford by 3-17 to 3-09 in Nenagh as lethal forward Áine Kelly hit 2-02 for the winners.
Goals from Louise Ryan and Aoife McGovern handed Waterford the early advantage but Kelly struck five minutes before the break for her first goal to help establish a 1-11 to 2-05 interval lead.
Kelly was on target again five minutes after the restart and Clare surged 2-14 to 2-05 clear before Michelle Ryan hit back with a third Waterford goal.
Eithne Morrissey put the end result beyond any doubt seven minutes from time with Clare’s third goal before Déise centre forward Ryan saw her late penalty saved.
Clare will now play Longford or Fermanagh in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park on Sunday, 27 September.
Meanwhile, Roscommon ensured that they will be playing intermediate championship football next year after securing a 1-14 to 2-08 victory against Wexford.
Roscommon’s long-serving star Ann-Marie Carley announced her retirement from intercounty football after the game, having represented the Westerners at senior level since 1990.
A Roscommon victory seemed unlikely at half-time as they trailed by 1-06 to 0-05, having played with the wind in the opening half.
But Cliodhna McHugh’s second half goal proved vital as the Rossies produced a strong display to condemn Wexford to junior fare in 2010.
Meanwhile, the 2009 TG4 Ladies Junior Football Championship final will be contested by Limerick and Antrim on 27 September.
Limerick booked their place in the final with a 4-11 to 2-07 victory against Louth in Saturday’s semi-final.
The Shannonsiders came from a point down at half-time, 1-07 to 2-05, as they ran out comprehensive winners at the finish.
Dymphna O’Brien was the undisputed player of the match after scoring 3-08 for Limerick during the course of a virtuoso attacking performance.
Louise Higgins bagged the other goal for Limerick while Eimear Enright’s half-time introduction and subsequent good display was another key factor in this win.
In the all-Ulster semi-final, Antrim ran out 3-09 to 2-06 winners against last year’s beaten finalists Derry.
Mairéad Cooper won the player of the match award after scoring 1-01 for Antrim while Amy McAtamney bagged two goals for the Saffrons.
