Cork hold off battling Donegal to reach final

RIVALS Cork and Dublin have set up a final showdown in the Lidl National Football League Division 1 Final after beating Donegal and Mayo respectively yesterday.

Cork scored five goals but were forced to work extremely hard before seeing off a spirited Donegal in Tuam and they clinched a 5-10 to 3-13 victory.

The teams shared six first-half goals and could still not be separated at the break. Cork got off to a flying start with goals from Brid and Ciara O’Sullivan.

But Donegal responded in style, with two goals of their own within 30 seconds of each other from Katy Herron and Karen Guthrie.

The goals continued to flow with Cork working the ball down the other end, and Maire O’Callaghan applied the finishing touch. Ciara O’Sullivan and Orla Finn (above) added points for Cork, before Donegal got their third goal, with

Guthrie scoring her second of the half and it ended 3-5 apiece at the break.

After two points apiece, it was Finn who palmed Cork in front on 38 minutes and Sadhbh O’Leary added a fifth after an exchange of passes with Brid O’Sullivan. Donegal battled hard thereafter but it was not to be.

Dublin had a more comfortable victory and three first-half goals helped them on their way. Niamh Hetherton, Jennifer Dunne and Sinead Aherne were on target as Mayo trailed by eight at the break.

An Aherne goal from a penalty helped Dublin maintain their advantage as they finished 4-15 to 0-10 winners.

In the Division 1 relegation play-off, Westmeath hit two late goals from Lucy McCartan and Karen Hegarty as they consigned Tipperary to the drop on a 2-16 to 2-10 scoreline.