Cork Women's FC 2 - 0 Shamrock Rovers

Cork Women’s FC posted their first victory at CIT yesterday as Denise O’Sullivan and Lynsey McKey’s goals left Shamrock Rovers to ponder an eighth loss in the Bus Éireann FAI Women’s National League.

Building on a 4-1 win away to Castlebar Celtic FC, Cork earned back-to-back victories in the section for the first time to move up to third in the table.

Despite their deserved triumph, Rovers made Cork work for maximum points, the Dubliners created a number of opportunities themselves in the game however were denied on more than one occasion by the assured goalkeeping of Amanda Budden, one of Cork’s better players.

After three minutes Budden was called into action, blocking Orlaith Nolan’s drive with her legs. Six minutes later Noelle Murray’s long distance cross-cum-shot struck the crossbar and went over, much to the net-minder’s relief.

Cork, galvanised by the sheer brilliance of Republic of Ireland senior international playmaker Denise O’Sullivan, grew into the game as the half progressed and were the dominant side.

On 28 minutes O’Sullivan’s side-volley inside the area was admirably saved by Rovers’ stopper Sarah Devlin and moments later the goalkeeper denied the attacker again after O’Sullivan struck low at goal having been played through by Valerie Mulcahy following a neat one-two.

A blistering 30-yard shot from Clare Shine subsequently hit the crossbar as Cork upped the ante approaching the interval. Laura Chambers’ ferocious drive from distance for Rovers drew an acrobatic save from Budden on 31 minutes.

However, 12 minutes later Cork found themselves in front as O’Sullivan, scoring for the third time in the campaign, pounced on Claudia Hudner’s cross from the right to steer past Devlin from six yards.

Five minutes into the second-half Rovers issued a statement of intent when the excellent Rachel Jenkins, a constant thorn in Cork’s defence, struck a searing half-volley from the edge of the area narrowly wide after the attacker latched onto Budden’s fisted clearance form a corner.

However, those meaningful attempts at goal were all too infrequent from the visitors throughout an, at times, mundane second-half in which the ball fixated in central areas for the most part.

On 87 minutes however Cork guaranteed the spoils with a well-crafted second goal.

As the irrepressible O’Sullivan slalomed through Rovers’ defence she passed to Lynsey McKey who had peeled off to the right of the attack and the substitute rifled beyond Devlin with authority to seal victory.

CORK WOMEN’S FC: Amanda Budden, Amy McCarthy, Mary Barrett, Marie Curtin, Emma Farmer, Sylvia Gee, Denise O’Sullivan (capt), Clare Shine, Katie McCarthy, Valerie Mulcahy, Claudia Hudner.

Subs: Lynsey McKey for McCarthy (45), Ericka O’Sullivan for Hudner (81).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Sarah Devlin, Nicola Sinnott, Niamh Nolan, Carol Conlon, Niamh Connolly (capt), Laura Chambers, Noelle Murray, Orlaith Nolan, Gráinne Walsh, Rachel Jenkins.

Subs: Niamh Kinsella for Chambers (41), Hannah Tyrell for Maloney (60), Paula Doran for Conlon (inj., 88).

Referee: Chrissie Buckley (Cork).