Afternoon all, it’s the last All-Ireland senior final of September at Croke Park with ladies football in the spotlight.
In the red corner it’s the reigning champions Cork bidding for a 10th title in 11 years and further evidence of their utter domination of the sport.
In the blue corner it’s Dublin hoping to follow in the footsteps of their male counterparts last Sunday and also to avenge last year’s final collapse.
Here’s the starting sides named during the week:
Cork
1. Martina O’Brien (Clonakilty)
2. Marie Ambrose (St Val’s)
3. Bríd Stack (St Mary’s)
4. Aisling Barrett (Donoughmore)
5. Vera Foley (St Val’s)
6. Deirdre O’Reilly (St Mary’s)
7. Geraldine O’Flynn (St Mary’s)
8. Rena Buckley (Donoughmore)
9. Briege Corkery (St Val’s)
10. Ciara O’Sullivan (Mourneabbey, captain)
11. Aisling Hutchings (Fermoy)
12. Annie Walsh (Inch Rovers)
13. Valerie Mulcahy (Rockbán)
14. Aine O’Sullivan (Beara)
15. Doireann O’Sullivan (Mourneabbey)
Dublin
1. Ciara Trant (St Brigid’s)
2. Olwen Carey (Thomas Davis)
3. Muireann Ni Scanaill (St Margaret’s)
4. Fiona Hudson (Fingallians)
5. Sorcha Furlong (St Brigid’s)
6. Sinéad Finnegan (Fingallians)
7. Colleen Barrett (St Brigid’s)
8. Molly Lamb (Kilmacud Crokes)
9. Sinéad Goldrick (Foxrock Cabinteely)
10. Noelle Healy (St Brigid’s)
11. Amy Connolly (Foxrock Cabinteely)
12. Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire)
13. Niamh McEvoy (St Sylvester’s)
14. Lyndsey Davey (Skerries Harps)
15. Hannah Noonan (Foxrock Cabinteely)
We’re under way in Croke Park.
Cork 0-1 Dublin 0-0
Valerie Mulcahy slots an early free to put Cork ahead.
Cork 0-1 Dublin 0-1
3 mins – Carla Rowe brings Dublin level.
Dublin 0-2 Cork 0-2
7 mins – All square again as Mulcahy converts another free for Cork.
Cork 0-3 Dublin 0-2
10 mins – Super point for Cork by Ciara O’Sullivan after a free-flowing move up the pitch.
Cork 0-3 Dublin 0-3
12 mins – Rowe points another free and Dublin draw level once more.
Dublin 0-4 Cork 0-3
15 mins – Niamh McEvoy on target with a point to edge Dublin in front.
Sub: Roisin Phelan is in for Cork for Geraldine O’Flynn.
Cork 0-4 Dublin 0-4
18 mins – Doireann O’Sullivan clips over a neat point and that score from the Mourneabbey player means we’re level again. Little separating these sides.
Cork 0-5 Dublin 0-5
21 mins – Rowe from a free, Rena Buckley from play and the see-saw nature of this game continues. Level once more.
Half-Time: Cork 0-5 Dublin 0-5
All square at the break in Croke Park, going to be a tight contest it seems.
We’re back under way for the second-half action at Croke Park.
Cork 0-6 Dublin 0-5
33 mins – First blood to Cork in the second-half, thanks to a point from Mulcahy.
Cork 0-7 Dublin 0-5
35 mins – Doireann O’Sullivan is fouled in the Cork attack and Mulcahy makes no mistake from the resultant free.
Cork 0-9 Dublin 0-5
36 mins – Cork have upped the ante since half-time with Mulcahy on target again. This time she points from play after the earlier frees and then Doireann O’Sullivan clips over off her left and there’s four between the sides.
Cork 0-9 Dublin 0-6
39 mins – Quick one-two from a free from Dublin and Amy Connolly points to get Dublin off the mark for the first time in the second-half.
Cork 0-9 Dublin 0-7
42 mins – Lyndsay Davey on target as Dublin chip away at Cork’s lead. Two in it now.
Cork have brought in Eimear Scally and Orla Finn to their attack.
Cork 0-10 Dublin 0-7
43 mins – Doireann O’Sullivan is fouled and Mulcahy knocks over the resultant free to restore Cork’s three-point advantage once more.
Cork 0-10 Dublin 0-8
44 mins – Rowe bags another point from a free and the deficit is back to two that Dublin face as we enter the final quarter.
Great chance for Cork to go three clear but Valerie Mulcahy fires a straightforward free wide after Scally had been fouled.
Cork’s shooting letting them down now, Mulcahy and Doireann O’Sullivan off target from play.
Cork 0-11 Dublin 0-8
49 mins – Finally Cork get their shooting right with a patient move culminating in Scally hitting over her first point since coming on as a substitute.
Cork 0-11 Dublin 0-9
51 mins – Sarah McCaffrey – just on the pitch a few minutes ago as a sub – bags a point and Dublin stay in touch.
Cork 0-11 Dublin 0-10
53 mins – Dublin aren’t dead yet as Carla Rowe clips over another point and there’s just the minimum between the teams.
Cork 0-12 Dublin 0-10
55 mins – But Cork won’t let Dublin draw level as they restore their two-point lead thanks to a free from Mulcahy, who held her nerve to atone for earlier misses.
All over and Cork are champions!
Full-Time: Cork 0-12 Dublin 0-10
Huge tension late in the game as Dublin pressed for a match-winning goal but Cork’s defence soaked up the pressure and blocked a late Sinead Goldbrick shot.
For the 10th time in 11 years, Cork are the All-Ireland senior ladies football champions. For Dublin it’s heartbreak once more for the second year in a row at the hands of Cork.