WOMEN'S FOOTBALL LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS:CORK AND Monaghan will contest the Bord Gáis Energy Ladies National Football League Division One final on May 12th – a game that will be a repeat of last year's All-Ireland senior final.
Cork defeated Meath by 3-10 to 0-10 in Sunday’s semi-final at Crettyard while Monaghan scored an impressive 2-9 to 0-7 victory over Dublin in the other semi-final, played at the Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda.
Cork are chasing a fifth successive Division One crown this year – and seventh in eight seasons.
But they will have to get past a fired-up Monaghan in the final to claim the silverware again as Gregory McGonagle’s charges will be out for revenge following last year’s All-Ireland final defeat.
Cork led by 2-4 to 0-6 at the midway point at Crettyard as Rhona Ní Bhuachalla struck with a sixth-minute goal before Ciara O’Sullivan added a second in the 11th minute. Cork had the benefit of a strong breeze in the second half and added a third goal three minutes from time through substitute Valerie Mulcahy, scorer of 1-8 in last year’s league final against Laois.
In Drogheda, meanwhile, Monaghan booked a place in the Division One decider for the first time since 2001.
Caitríona McConnell and Caoimhe Mohan scored 1-3 apiece while Niamh Kindlon added two points for the Ulster outfit.
Amy Ring and Sinéad Goldrick scored two points each for Dublin but this was an afternoon when the Sky Blues never got going, despite playing with the aid of the breeze in the second half.
Meanwhile, Connacht rivals Mayo and Galway will fight it out for promotion to Division One when they contest the Division Two decider on May 12th, a game that will form part of a triple header at Parnell Park, Dublin.
The Division Three final will feature Leitrim and Westmeath after the counties scored victories over Ulster teams Down and Armagh respectively.
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