Dublin 2-11
Cork 0-6
By DAIRE WALSH
Caoimhe O’Connor and Kate Sullivan grabbed goals in each half at DCU
St Clare’s on Saturday as Dublin bolstered their Lidl National Football
League Division 1 prospects with an emphatic victory against Cork.
The result of tomorrow’s showdown between Kerry and Meath could see
them dropping down in the league standings, but Mick Bohan’s reigning
TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winners find themselves
occupying second place in the NFL’s top-tier for the time being —
leaving them well in contention for a league final spot ahead of
their away encounter with Armagh next Saturday.
Despite showing plenty of endeavour throughout, this game represented
Cork’s fifth consecutive reversal of 2024 and they will be battling to avoid
relegation to Division 2 when they pay a visit to Meath tomorrow week
(March 24).
While the Leesiders opened the scoring in this contest courtesy of a
sixth-minute point from wing-forward Emma Cleary, Dublin responded
with unanswered scores by Orlagh Nolan, Carla Rowe and Hannah
Tyrrell (free).
Pointed frees from Ellie Jack and Abigail Ring brought Cork back on
level terms just shy of the first-quarter mark, but Dublin created
significant daylight when O’Connor fired clinically beyond the reach of
Caoimhe Richmond for a goal on 19 minutes.
Marauding half-back Kate Murray and Rowe also found the range either
side of another Ring free to propel Dublin towards a 1-5 to 0-4 interval
cushion.
On the resumption, Bohan introduced St Sylvester’s duo Sinead Aherne
and Nicole Owens for their first appearances of the campaign – the latter
featuring for the first time since their TG4 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final
defeat to Donegal in July 2022.
Several other substitutes were added to the mix as the action
progressed, but the hosts continued to defend and attack with
confidence. A fine point from Aherne followed up a brace from Tyrrell
and when Sullivan rattled the net from close range in the 47th minute, it
effectively placed the outcome beyond doubt.
Annabelle Timothy and Chloe Darby (fresh from winning the Yoplait
O’Connor Cup with DCU Dochas Eireann last weekend) also added their
names to the scoresheet off the bench, before Cork finally responded
with a Sadhbh McGoldrick point on 56 minutes.
Lydia McDonagh also split the uprights for the visitors late on, but a
Sullivan score moments earlier ensured Dublin finished with 11 points to
spare.
Scorers –
Dublin: K Sullivan 1-1, H Tyrrell 0-3 (2f), C O’Connor 1-0, C
Rowe 0-2 (1f), K Murray, O Nolan, A Timothy, S Aherne, C Darby 0-1
each.
Cork: A Ring 0-2 (2f), L McDonagh (1f), E Jack (1f), E Cleary, S
McGoldrick 0-1 each.
