Gallant Galway girls only falter late on to Cork in U-14 decider

Galway 2-13

(AET)

GALWAY under-14 girls’ footballers emptied the tank in last Sunday’s All-Ireland Final but Cork’s firepower ultimately proved too much as they dethroned the defending champions with three extra time goals leaving Galway’s unbeaten campaign in tatters.

After two Mairead Mulkerrins frees forced the added 20 minutes, Galway looked in the driving seat when Alana Glynn rattled the net on 65 minutes. But Cork found crucial strikes through Laura O’Mullane, Fia Comerford and Nell Kinsella ensuring a first title down Leeside since 2019.

Galway got off to the perfect start with two points through Siún Cullinane and Katie Brogan frees. They had the wind and Sorcha Keane took Ellie Harty O’Brien’s pass for a third white flag on 18 minutes.

Neither side were being helped by very technical officiating from Dublin’s Angela Gallagher making it difficult for both to settle in front of a bumper crowd. Cork did tease threats including Kate O’Connell being denied by a Natalie Ni Churraoin stop.

Toraí O’Flynn was arguably Galway’s best player and pushed forward to drop one effort short. However, she was the victim of the referee’s stringent following of the rule book and was sin binned on 19 minutes for three harsh ticks.

She made the perfect return with a 29th minute point thanks to Kym McNulty’s assist. But that only gave Galway a 0-4 to 0-2 advantage as Kinsella converted a Cork double when they had the numerical advantage. Laura O’Mullane also struck the crossbar.

When the half-time break came, it was Ioannis O’Connell’s Cork who led as Aoife Harte and Anna O’Mullane combined to put O’Connell through and the Watergrasshill forward coolly slotted past Ni Churraoin for a 1-2 to 0-4 advantage.

Abby Devine and Mulkerrins were Galway’s first rolling substitutes at the break. The former made an immediate impact after Kinsella stretched Cork’s lead. Devine unleashed last year’s two goal hero Harty O’Brien and the Corofin player hit the top corner of the net to put Galway 1-4 to 1-3 ahead.

Galway stretched that lead to 1-7 to 1-4 by the 40th minute thanks to Brogan, Harty O’Brien and O’Flynn.  But against the run of play, O’Connell struck Cork’s second goal. And they outscored the Tribesgirls 0-4 to 0-2 by the 55th minute with Cullinane and Brogan registering for Galway.

Gallagher snapped another Galway effort just wide but they were awarded two late frees. Mulkerrins held her nerve both times to force extra time.

Pictured: Galway Katie Brogan tries to escape the clutches of Cork's Leah Mylod during the LGFA All-Ireland U-14 Platinum Final in Nenagh on Sunday. Photos: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile.