WOMEN'S FOOTBALL ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINAL Cork 3-10 Mayo 1-9: CORK remain on course for a fifth successive TG4 All-Ireland Women's senior football championship crown after booking their place in the September 27th final on Saturday.
The all-conquering Leesiders ran out winners at McDonagh Park in Nenagh and will meet the winners of next weekend’s Dublin v Monaghan clash in the final.
Wing forward Amy O’Shea was the two-goal heroine for Cork, the strikes in each half arriving at opportune moments.
O’Shea fired home five minutes before half-time as Cork opened up a 1-5 to 0-2 interval lead and the Inch Rovers star grabbed another midway through the second half.
Mayo’s leading scorer, Cora Staunton, who shot 1-7, quickly replied with a goal but even though the beaten Connacht finalists gave Cork a stern examination, the champions had enough in reserve.
Wing back and player of the match Briege Corkery made the game safe for Cork late on as yet another surge from defence resulted in a superb goal, driven high past Mayo netminder Yvonne Byrne.
Corkery said: “We were favourites on the day but we knew that Mayo would give us a hell of a game.
“They’re an outstanding side and that was our first test of the year, really.”
Elsewhere, beaten 2008 finalists Clare booked their place in this year’s TG4 women’s intermediate football championship final.
The Banner County defeated dogged Waterford by 3-17 to 3-9 in Nenagh as lethal forward Áine Kelly hit 2-2 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 2-5 interval lead.
Kelly was on target again five minutes after the restart and Clare surged 2-14 to 2-5 clear before Michelle Ryan hit back with a third Waterford goal.
Eithne Morrissey put the result beyond doubt late on with Clare’s third goal before Déise centre forward Ryan saw a penalty saved.
Clare will now play Longford or Fermanagh in the final.
Meanwhile, Roscommon ensured they will be playing intermediate championship football next year after securing a 1-14 to 2-8 victory against Wexford.
Roscommon’s long-serving star Ann-Marie Carley announced her retirement from intercounty football after the game, having represented the county at senior level since 1990.
Meanwhile, the women’s junior football championship final will be contested by Limerick and Antrim on September 27th. Limerick booked their place in the final with a 4-11 to 2-7 victory against Louth in Saturday’s semi-final.
Dymphna O’Brien hit 3-8 for Limerick in a virtuoso attacking display.
In the all-Ulster semi-final, two Amy McAtamney goals helped Antrim defeat last year’s beaten finalists Derry 3-9 to 2-6.
SCORERS
CorkA O'Shea 2-0, B Corkery 1-0, V Mulcahy 0-3 (frees), D O'Reilly, G O'Flynn 0-2 each, J Murphy 0-2 (frees), M O'Connor 0-1. Mayo: C Staunton 1-7 (five frees), E Mullin 0-1, S Cafferky 0-1.
Clare: A Kelly 2-2; M Griffin 0-5; E Morrissey 1-1; N Keane 0-4; L Henchy, E Considine 0-2 each; M Considine 0-1. Waterford: M Ryan 1-3; A McGovern, L Ryan 1-0 each; S Ryan 0-3; M McGrath, M Wall, L Wall 0-1 each.
