FULL-TIME: Brilliant McLaughlin second half goal sees Donegal defeat Cork in Lidl Ladies League

Lidl Ladies NFL Division 1 – Round 5 

Donegal .........2-6

Cork ........ 0-8

Donegal put in a brilliant display in Fr Tierney Park in Ballyshannon to win impressively against a highly rated Cork side who were unbeaten coming into today's round 5 game.

Weather conditions were difficult for both sides, Donegal battled against a gale force wind in the first half but still managed to have their noses in front at the break, 1-3 to 0-5, thanks to a brilliantly worked goal on 21 minutes when Emma McCroary, Geraldine McLaughlin and Amy Boyle Carr combined with Boyle crashing home a superb goal.

With the wind in the second half Donegal continued to impress and a 37th minute goal from star forward Geraldine McLaughlin was the platform for an assured display, McLaughlin's low drive to the net from 20 metres a typically lethal finish.

Cork pressed but the door wouldn't open, a brilliant rob from fullback Emer Gallagher to deny Cork's Aine O'Sullivan a certain goal on 41 minutes typical of the superb work done all day by the home team's defence.

With six of Cork's eight points coming from frees, five of those from Orla Finn, who also looked dangerous from play, the Leesiders were always struggling to make any inroad and a mighty Niamh Hegarty point on 56 minutes underlined that this was to be Donegal's day.

McLaughlin with 1-5, four frees, stood out, but late replacement Claragh Connor from St Eunan's who played the entire game, also had a brilliant hour while Emer Gallagher, Niamh Boyle, Amy Boyle Carr and Emma McGroary were superb too.

Scorers: Donegal - Geraldine McLaughlin 1-5, 4fs; Amy Boyle Carr 1-0; Claragh Connor 0-1;

Cork - Orla Finn 0-5,fs; Sadhbh O'Leary, Saoirse Noonan and Aine O'Sullivan 0-1 each.

Donegal: Denise McElhinney; Anne Marie Logue, Emer Gallagher, Deirdre Foley; Niam Carr, Roisin Rodgers, Niamh Boyle; Nicole McLaughlin, Evelyn McGinley; Amy Boyle Carr, Geraldine McLaughlin, Kathy Ward; Nicole Gordon, Emma McCrory, Ciaragh Connor. Subs: Niamh Hegarty for McCroary (45); Niamh McLaughlin for Gordon (51).

Cork: Caoimhe Moore; Shauna Kelly, Marie Ambrose, Caoimhe O'Callaghan; Laura O’Mahony, Melissa Duggan, Aisling Hutchings; Maire O’Callaghan, Brid O’Sullivan; Orlagh Farmer, Áine O’Sullivan, Abbie O'Mahony; Sadhbh O’Leary, Saoirse Noonan, Orla Finn. Subs: Laura Cleary for Noonan and Meabh Calahane for O'Mahoney (45); emma Cleary for Ambrose (49); Claire O'Shea for Farmer (53); Sarah Hayes for Duggan (58).

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).