Cork made the long trip to donegal and as current All Irelaqnd champions were just too strong for the girls from Tir Conaill who never ceased trying.With several of the panel gone to Australia and Diane Toner and Maria Devenney retired from active service having worn the county colours for many years with pride.Michael Naughton back atthe helm had to select many minors as yet not having represented the county at senior level played with guts and determination which showed their pride in being introduced to football of this level for the first time.
The whole squad played as if their lives depended on it and each girl gave spectators a game to remember. Both Managers were very comlimentary fo a performance which te final score did not indicate.
Thyye scores for tthe sides in the first half were Cork with a goal from Nolaig Cleary on six minutes and two points from Rhona Buckley,and points from Geraldine Flynn,and Grace Kearney.Donegal got three poits from Geraldine two from frees and on from play to leave the sore at half time Cork1-4 Donegal 0-3 .
Donegal should have had a goal in the first half but hesitattion in picking up a ball which was blocked when the easier option was to blast the ball into the net without picking it up.This was down to inexperience at this level.
Donegal got off to a great sart early in the second half with a great goal by Geraldine mc Laughlin who never took her eye off the ball and punched to the net .Both sides traded points from frees with Mc Laughlin for Donegal and Cleary for Cork and Donegal got to within a goal by along range point from Karen Guthrie.As thye game progressed the experience ,strength and fitness of the Cork side showed.Points for Cork from Juliette Murphy and Annie Walsh ,and apoint from Eilish Ward put Cork further ahead and thyough Donegal had balls rebound of the post on two occasions which looked like certaingoals,lick was not with them on the day. A dubious handball on the ground by a Cork player was missed by the referee,so it became a day of hard luck for the girls from Tirconaill. In the last quarter Cork moved further ahead withpoints from a point from Doirean Sullivan and agoal and point fromGrace Kearney, while Geraldine Mc Laughlin scord apoint from a free.Final score Donegal 1--7 Cork 4--9.
Teams : Donegal Laura Gallagher , Orla Carr,Ciara Hegarty,Kelly Wilson,Grainne Houston,Niamh Friel,Kate Keaney,Roisin Mc Cafferty, Aoife Mc Donald,Eilish Ward,Roisin The Yank Friel,Treasa Doherty,Ciara Shovelin,Karen Guthrie,Geraldine Mc Laughlin.Subs : Rose boyle for Shovlin,Deirdre Foley for Carr, Eimear Gallagher for Mc Cafferty,Emma Mc Grory for Doherty,Therese Mc Cafferty for Ward.
Cork: Elaine Harte,Anne Marie Walsh,Deirdre O'Reilly,Rena Buckley,Breige Corkery,Brid Stack, Aine Sheehan,Norita Kelly,Annie Walsh,Juliette Murphy,Ciara O'Sulliva,Ger O,'Flynn,Nolaig Cleary,Rhona Buckley,Grace Kearey, Subs: Doirean o"Sullivan for Buckley,Orla Flynn for Sheehan half time,Roisin O'Sullivan Ann Marie Walsh,Laura Cronin for O"Sullivan, Niamh O'Keefe for Cleary,
and Eleanor Aherne for Kearney.