Rebelettes Take Mayo to the Cleaners

24th Sep 2007

Cork 2-11 Mayo 2-6
Finbarr Barry

It was looking like eternal sporting hell for us there for a while. Donal Óg Cusack getting done out of it by the ref against Waterford and losing the subsequent replay, the camogie girls falling one short of a treble at the hands of the Model County and the senior footballers who never got out of the blocks in Croke Park last Sunday week.

Juliet Murphy and Mary O'Connor lift the Brendan Martin Cup

Add in the pain of watching the Irish rugby team crumble in France and the frustration of Steve Staunton's failure to qualify for Euro 2008 and we've got what looks increasingly like an "annus mankius" for sports mad Corkonians.

Thankfully we've been saved by a woman. Well, thousands of them actually. Cork ladies footballers and their insanely loyal supporters have completed an amazing rebel treble, helping to lift the air of sporting gloom settling over the county by claiming the TG4 Ladies Football Senior All Ireland title for the third year in a row.

The Rebelettes led by five points at half time (1-5 to 0-3) but a superb goal from Valerie Mulcahy after a deft pass into space from Laura McMahon (sister of Kevin) at the start of the second half effectively destroyed any ideas the Mayo beours might have had about come backs.

A highly entertaining contest, thankfully bereft of the cynical fouling that plagues the mens' game, Cork stars Juliet Murphy, Rena Buckley, Briege Corkery, Amanda Murphy and the outrageously talented Valerie Mulcahy up front, produced sublime inch-perfect passes and team play to leave the Mayo girls licking their wounds.

At the back, Cork's defence smothered any suggestion of a threat and Mayo's supposed star Cora Staunton was left flapping helplessly as she was continually dispossessed by the plucky Rebelette backs.

Special mention must go to Cork goalkeeper Elaine Harte whose spectacular save from Mayo sub Lisa Cafferkey with four minutes to go prevented what could have been the beginning of a late Mayo come back.

The score board somewhat flattered Mayo in the end - two injury time goals left them with some parting shreds of credibility as potential challengers to next year's inevitable four-in-a-row landslide.

The Rebelettes: Cork Senior Ladies Football squad 2007

Captain Juliet Murphy's emotional speech afterwards focussed on the dedication of back room staff and coach Eamon Ryan. However, Juliet's modesty skirted around her own almost psychotic commitment to the Cork cause as she grappled the weighty Brendan Martin Cup and made her way towards the pitch for a lap of honour.

The Cork girls exhibit a dedication to their county that the likes of Mayo and last year's victims Tyrone can only dream of. Their defeat to Mayo in the league semi-final this year making Sunday's victory even sweeter.

Juliet Murphy

They do not receive the plaudits, product endorsements and big name sponsorship deals of their male counterparts and rely solely on the purity of team spirit and pride in the Peoples Republic.

Showing the same commitment and dedication as any of our male heroes it should be noted that Cork ladies footballers do not get any expenses - deemed by some to be so basic that it caused a strike by the county's hurlers in 2002. Furthermore, when the boys finish training they're regularly treated to post-match meals but the girls go home hungry.

Surely with the Brendan Martin Cup in Cork hands for the third year in a row, and being the only senior county team to claim national silverware in 2007, the Rebelettes should begin to receive a little more recognition. We can start by getting out to welcome them home this evening: Imperial Hotel, South Mall at 7pm

More info and photos: www.ladiesgaelic.ie