Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
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Kick off for the games is at 12pm.
The two teams are all set to go…
WE ARE READY!!
— Cork City Women's FC (@CorkCityWFC) November 5, 2017
90 MINS TO KICK OFF
SQUAD ABOUT TO ARRIVE IN @AVIVAStadium pic.twitter.com/odZH9ggex2
Ready for action 💪💙🌊 pic.twitter.com/wVlBxgmqSO
— ucdwaves (@ucdwaves) November 5, 2017
Here are the teams…
.@CorkCityWFC team: Budden (GK), Burke, O'Brien, McNamara, Duncliffe, Bourque, O'Donovan, Noonan, Sheehy, Shine, McCarthy. #WFAICupFinal pic.twitter.com/3PhJvdg3yq
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) November 5, 2017
UCD Waves team to face Cork City: Dunne (GK), Duggan, Walsh, Carroll, Cahill, Mustaki, Beirne, Nolan, Cronin, Letmon, Dunbar. #WFAICupFinal pic.twitter.com/KpkENDxjKG
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) November 5, 2017
We’re underway…
It’s been a fairly scrappy opening.
Neither team has really threatened so far, with UCD enjoying the majority of the possession.
UCD have been increasingly dominant in terms of possession and territory.
However, as I type, Cork break, and Shine forces Dunne to make a decent save with a pot shot.
Decent attempt by UCD’s Walsh.
Her free kick from just outside the box finds the side-netting.
McCarthy wins the ball in the UCD area.
However, O’Brien’s subsequent cross evades everyone.
Defences have been very much on top so far, with both sides well organised but lacking cutting edge.
As I type, O’Brien makes a well-judged interception to break up a UCD counter-attack.
Mustaki, who has impressed in midfield, plays Letmon through.
However, Duncliffe intervenes to stop the UCD attacker getting a shot away.
Cork have looked very solid at the back so far.
Cork break again, but Shine badly overhits a through pass.
It’s been a frustrating afternoon so far for both sides’ attackers.
Half chance for Cork!
Sheehy crosses expertly and McCarthy is well positioned to volley the ball home, but there’s a lack of communication, and Shine heads the ball weakly when she would have been better off leaving it for her team-mate.
Noonan plays through Shine. The 22-year-old Ireland international’s effort from a tight angle isn’t great, however, as she fails to hit the target.
Cork are looking increasingly lively in the final third.
CORK 1-0 UCD (SHINE 33)
The underdogs are ahead.
Shine is played through, escaping the attentions of Cahill.
She subsequently rounds the goalkeeper and produces a composed finish to give her side the lead.
UCD have had the better possession, but appear to be missing the experience of injured Ireland international Aine O’Gorman in attack.
As I type, there are calls for a Cork penalty, as Dunne and McCarthy clatter into each other in the box.
It wasn’t really clear who fouled who there, so awarding a spot kick there would have been very harsh.
Here’s a look at the game’s opening goal…
Goal! Clare Shine gives Cork City the lead in the 35th minute! #WFAICupFinal pic.twitter.com/yEFVMcmEgW
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) November 5, 2017
UCD have looked increasingly dangerous in the final third in recent minutes.
There are shouts for a penalty in the Cork area this time, as Beirne’s cross hits off Duncliffe’s arm. Whether or not it was ball-to-hand is debatable.
Dunbar takes a shot from distance, but it’s comfortably saved by Budden.
UCD look a little short of ideas at the moment and have been restricted to half chances at best.
HALF-TIME: CORK 1-0 UCD WAVES
It’s been a fairly tight game so far.
UCD Waves have had the better of the possession and territory, though Cork and Clare Shine in particular continue to look dangerous on the counter attack.
The difference so far has probably been in attack. Cork possess a clinical finisher in the form of Shine, whereas UCD are missing their main striker, Aine O’Gorman.
The second half has begun…
Katie McCarthy, who set up the goal with a lovely pass, escapes from Dunbar. However, O’Brien’s subsequent cross is cut out.
Moments later, O’Brien falls awkwardly while making a challenge and gets treatment on her hamstring. She looks like she should be okay to continue though.
Lovely long-range through ball from Mustaki.
She finds Duggan, who is incorrectly ruled offside as replays show, though she puts her finish wide anyway.
UCD continue to see plenty of the ball, but look no closer to breaking Cork down.
As I type, Mustaki hits a hopeful ball in that evades everyone.
Remember, this is the fourth time the sides have met, with UCD winning all three of the WNL games between the teams.
Shine is down injured following a collision with her team-mate.
She gets up gingerly, but looks like she’ll be okay to continue.
Sheehy delivers a good ball into the box, but there is no one in the right place to convert it.
Moments later, there’s panic in the UCD area again, as an attempted clearnace falls into the path of Noonan. However, she fails to make proper contact with her shot and it’s comfortably saved by Dunne.
Both sides make a change
For Cork, Christina Dring comes on for Kate O’Donovan.
And for UCD, Naima Chemaou replaces Kerri Letmon.
UCD are certainly in need of some inspiration, and they’ll be hoping teenage striker Chemaou can provide it.
As I type, Budden makes a hash of a clearance, after being pressurised by the new UCD arrival, and Cronin’s attempted lob goes just wide.
Beirne finds space down the left, as UCD break.
However, Budden atones for her error moments earlier, by collecting the ball calmly under pressure.
Cork are starting to look tired with a few errors and misplaced passes in particular creeping into their game.
They’ve defended extremely well throughout the game, but will need to keep their concentration for another 20 minutes.
Shine bursts through on goal after a perfectly judged through pass by Noonan, but Walsh makes an excellent tackle to stop her.
Sheehy also goes close, with Dunne getting down well to save her shot.
This game is becoming increasingly open as UCD push for an equaliser.
Some action from the 1st half of the Women’s FAI Cup where @CorkCityWFC lead 1-0 with 63 mins gone. pic.twitter.com/AcN3Ra3WSl
— Peadar O'Sullivan ⚽ (@posephoto) November 5, 2017
Another change for UCD. 18-year-old Lauren Kelly replaces Dearbhaile Beirne.
And for Cork, Tara O’Gorman comes on for Saoirse Noonan, who appeared to pick up a knock earlier.
Cork captain Ciara McNamara is down injured having picked up a knock. It looks as if she should be fine to last the full 90 though.
Along with the inspirational Maggie Duncliffe, McNamara has barely put a foot wrong at the back.
As I type though, Duncliffe gets booked for taking down Nolan on the edge of the box.
Mustaki’s free kick curls safely into the arms of Budden, although she steps back and almost carries the ball over the line while gathering the ball.
Sinead Gaynor replaces Aisling Dunbar as UCD make a late change.
O’Brien and Duncliffe have stood out at the back in particular for Cork, but ultimately, it’s the likely match-winner Shine who gets the player-of-the-match award.
There will be three minutes of added time.
FULL-TIME: CORK CITY 1-0 UCD WAVES
Cork City Women have won the FAI Cup for the first time in their history thanks to Clare Shine’s clinical finish.
It was definitely deserved on the balance of play, with UCD simply not offering enough in the final third.
Can the men’s team now follow suit to make it an even more memorable day for Cork?
Right, that’s all from me for now. Thanks for reading and commenting.
You can read our match report of the game here.
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