Lidl NFL Division One final: Cork 2-8 Galway 0-9
Cork won their first LGFA NFL Division One title in seven years with a terrific comeback victory over Galway at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
Joe Carroll’s side, a year after losing the Division Two National League decider to Galway at Croke Park, turned the tables on their Connacht rivals.
Both counties gained promotion back to Division One at the first time of asking in 2025. Yet, few outside either camp would have anticipated Cork and Galway reaching a second consecutive league final.
Five points down at the interval, an own goal and Katie Quirke green flag helped the Rebels register a fully deserved five-point league final win.
Backed by a strong wind, Nicola Ward raced through only to be denied by a Caoimhe Richmond save in Galway’s first attack.
Both sides struggled to settle during the opening exchanges with the defending champions kicking three wides before Siobhán Divilliy’s eighth minute opener. That was quickly followed by a Niamh Divilly white flag.
Cork’s Emma Cleary halved the deficit but Kate Slevin quickly restored Galway’s two-point advantage with a stinging shot that cleared the crossbar by inches. That lead stretched to three once Olivia Divilly split the posts after 12 minutes.
Dominating possession and territory, Galway stifled Cork’s efforts to break from defence and moved four clear when Eva Noone – Galway’s fifth different scorer – landed another point.
Leah Hallihan of Cork is tackled by Ríona Quinn of Galway. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Leah Hallihan of Cork is tackled by Ríona Quinn of Galway. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Katie Quirke’s attempts to drag her team back into contention floundered with three consecutive wides and it took a marauding Aimee Corcoran run and score to lift the Rebels’ spirits.
Their opponent’s response was immediate as Niamh Divilliy’s second point made it 0-6 to 0-2. Slevin added another to send Daniel Moynihan’s side in five ahead at the break.
That half-time lead was fully merited because of Galway’s dominance of the middle third. Joe Carroll’s response was to introduce Mourneabbey’s Máire O’Callaghan at the break.
Yet, it was Galway who restarted as they finished the previous half, by going on the attack. A swift move ended with Eva Noone firing over her second point.
Their Munster opponents needed a spark and Katie Quirke provided it with the All-Star’s first score after 38 minutes. Aoife Healy burst through to add another and it was 0-8 to 0-4 with quarter of an hour to go.
Leah O’Halloran denied Rachel O’Regan a goal but Cork kept pressing and Quirke’s converted free left a goal in it. Remaining patient, Galway worked the ball up the pitch and found Nicola Ward who fired over to make it 0-9 to 0-5.
Áine Terry O’Sullivan’s point reduced the deficit to three once again and Cork stunned their opponents with a Katie Quirke goal to level matters five minutes from the end.
Extra-time looked likely until Rachel O’Regan’s fisted point attempt was bundled over her own goal-line by a retreating Chelenne Trill. Quirke added a point and Cork’s victory was completed when Áine Terry O’Sullivan rifled over the match-clinching score.
Cork: C Richmond; M Duggan, D Kiniry, S Kelly; A Corcoran (0-1), S McGoldrick, R Corkery; A Healy (0-1), A O’Mahony; R Leahy, G Murphy, E Cleary (capt, 0-1); Á T O’Sullivan (0-2), K Quirke (1-3, 1f), L Hallihan. Subs: M O’Callaghan for Murphy (h/t), R O’Regan for Hallihan (37), A Ring for Cleary (54).
Galway: L O’Halloran; R Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, K Geraghty (capt); H Noone, N Ward (0-1), B Quinn; N Divilly (0-2), S Divilly (0-1); O Divilly (0-1), K Slevin (0-2), L Noone; E Noone (0-2), L Coen, A Trill. Subs: L Ward for Noone (42), C Trill (O.G.) for Quinn (50), A Ní Ruairc for Geraghty (51), R Leonard for Noone (54).
Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).