O’Sullivan pair lead the way as Mourneabbey triumph for fifth year in row

CORK’s Mourneabbey made it five senior Munster ladies Senior A football titles in a row after their four-point win over Ballymacarbry in Cahir on Saturday.

Ballymac, Munster Senior B champions, gave the Cork stars a run for their money, but Mourneabbey prevailed to set up an All-Ireland semi-final against the Connacht champions, either Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) or national champions Carnacon (Mayo).

The final, a repeat of last year’s decider, was just two minutes old when a serious injury to Ballymacarbry corner-back Treasa McGrath saw the game delayed for 45 minutes.

Once the game restarted, Bríd O’Sullivan opened the scoring for Mourneabbey, with county star Doireann O’Sullivan, who collected 0-9 in total, adding their second.

A free from Sinead Ryan got Ballymacarbry off the mark and with 11 minutes gone they took the lead.

Linda Wall played the ball to Ryan and her looping shot found the net.

Ballymacarbry were unlucky not to get their second goal, when Wall’s shot hit the crossbar.

Ryan put her side in front and Doireann O’Sullivan equalised to make it 0-8 to 1-5 at the break.

Goal

Ballymacarbry started the second half brightly and went in front. It looked like it could be their day when a ball from Wall found Ryan and she got her second goal.

However, Mourneabbey never panicked.

With 40 minutes gone, they were back on level terms, when a shot from Ciara O’Sullivan found the back of the net to make it 1-10 to 2-7.

Ryan and Ciara O’Sullivan exchanged scores, with Abby Dalton putting her side back in front with 49 minutes gone.

However, this proved to be their last score, as the Cork side finished strongly, with Doireann O’Sullivan hitting two frees to put them a point in front.

Her sister Ciara added two more, as Ballymacarbry could find no answer and Laura Fitzgerald got the last score of the tie to put the icing on the cake for Mourneabbey.