Kerry seal their slot in Munster ladies’ final with Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh contributing 1-4

Tipperary’s 4-5 to 0-11 victory over Waterford means that the winners of Cork v Tipperary next Saturday in Mallow will decide who joins Kerry in the final.

The sides exchanged early scores with Ní Mhuircheartaigh from a free and Daire Kiely with a long-range effort for Cork that hopped off the hard Brosna surface and over the bar.

Cork, playing with the aid of a stiff breeze then hit two points on the trot with the dangerous Lydia McDonagh pointing her own free and Abigail with one from play in the ninth minute.

Kerry threatened the Cork goal but overcooked the final pass before Anna Galvin hit a fine score following a strong Aishling O’Connell run at the heart of the Cork defence.

McDonagh took on the Kerry defence and slotted a fine score, but then it was Kerry’s turn to finally make some headway with Niamh Carmody splitting the posts and Ní Mhuircheartaigh blasting over after O’Leary did the spadework.

The sides were now level at 0-4 apiece with 20 minutes played, but Kerry started to take a stranglehold on the contest. A scorching run from Mary O’Connell saw the final pass overcooked once more before O’Leary and the brilliant McDonagh exchanged score.

O’Leary pointed once more for Kerry in the 27th minute and a minute later Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh struck for Kerry’s goal after a brilliant through pass from Niamh Carmody to put Kerry 1-6 to 0-5 ahead.

Cork refused to lie down and Eilis Lynch was forced into a brilliant goal line clearance from McDonagh although Sadhbh McGoldrick did point the rebound from range.

McDonagh added a free for Cork at the death and it was Kerry that took a slender 1-6 to 0-7 lead in at half time.

Kerry put on the afterburners at the start of the second half and hit four scores on the trot from Ní Mhuircheartaigh, Carmody, the hard-working Anna Galvin and O’Leary, with a lovely individual effort, to push the hosts 1-10 to 0-7 ahead six minutes in.

O’Leary struck another fine score for Kerry, but then Melissa Duggan went on a mesmerising run and capped it off with a goal to leave Cork just three behind, 1-11 to 1-8 with 12 left to play.

The sides traded scores down the stretch, and despite Kerry losing Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Kayleigh Cronin near the finish, a O’Leary free sealed Kerry’s place in the Munster final.

Scorers – Kerry: L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 1-4 (2f), D O’Leary 0-4 (1f),A Galvin 0-2, N Carmody 0-2, N Ní Chonchúir 0-1 , A O’Connell 0-1. Cork: L McDonagh 0-4 (2f), S McGoldrick 0-2, M Duggan 1 goal, D Kiely 0-1, A O’Mahony 0-1, A Healy 0-1, A Ring 0-1.

Kerry: C Butler; E Lynch, D Kearney, C O’Brien; A O’Connell, K Cronin, C Murphy; M O’Connell, C Lynch; A Galvin, N Carmody, A Harrington; K Brosnan, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh, D O’Leary. Subs: N Ní Chonchúir for A Harrington H/T, A Dillane for C O’Brien , L Scanlon for M O’Connell (both 41), E Dineen for N Carmody, H O’Donoghue for K Brosnan (both 48)

Cork: S Murphy; M Duggan, D Kiniry, A Ryan; S Leahy, S McGoldrick, D Kiely, K O’Driscoll, A O’Mahony; E Cleary, A Ring ,A McDonagh; K Smith ,A McDonagh, L Hallihan. Subs: H Looney for A Ring H/T, L Coppinger for K Smith, E Jack for L Hallihan, R Corkery for K O’Driscoll, A Healy for A McDonagh (all 44).

Referee: David Grogan (Tipperary).