Corduff (Monaghan) 4-8

Cuala (Dublin) 2-10

From Alan Gunn in Corduff

BARBARA Ward fired in a late goal to send Monaghan side Corduff into the All-Ireland ladies junior club football final, following an absorbing clash with Dublin side Cuala at Gaelic Park.

Ward struck the clinical blow on 55 minutes, after Cuala had come from five points down to draw level.

After Ward's goal, Ulster final star Elena McEnaney sealed the victory with a point for Corduff.

The sides could not be separated after a high-quality opening half, as they went in level at 1-5 apiece.

Cuala had started the brighter and when Leinster final hat-trick heroine Sinead Wylde punished a short kick-out from Sinead Loughlin on six minutes by firing to the net, the Dublin girls led 1-2 to 0-1.

Corduff responded in emphatic style, however, with an unanswered 1-3.

Their goal stemmed from an error as goalkeeper Caoimhe O'Carroll's restart hadn't cleared the 20m line.

Corduff worked the resultant free to find Louise Byrne, and she put her side in front for the first time in the 12th minute.

Cuala finished the half with a brace of points to leave them level at the interval and the scene was set for an intriguing second half.

It produced much of the same and Cuala were dealt an early blow when corner back Billie Kate Huggard was sin binned after they had edged in front.

Despite that setback, the sides were still level entering the final quarter before Elena McEnaney hit the home side's second major.

With ten minutes remaining, Emma Conlon followed up with a third and suddenly Corduff were five clear.

Back came Cuala with Wylde and Jennifer Dunne points before Wylde raised the green flag and the sides were level.

However, Corduff were driven forward by their vocal home crowd and Ward delivered that all-important goal.

Scorers for Corduff: E McEnaney 1-3, B Ward 1-1, E Woods 0-4 (3f), L Byrne and E Conlon 1-0 each.

Scorers for Cuala: S Wylde 2-2, J Dunne 0-5f, E Loughlin 0-3.

Corduff: S Loughlin; N Cogan, C McEnaney, S McEnaney; H Finnegan, K Brennan, C Callan; B Ward, E Woods; L Byrne, E Conlon, E Byrne; E McEnaney, L McEnaney, S Clarke McEnaney

Cuala: C O'Carroll; A Moran, R Moran, BK Huggard; C Kelly, J Tobin, S Murphy; H O'Dea, E Loughlin; L Huggard, J Dunne, C McKeown; B Lane, S Wylde, G O'Driscoll.

Sub: C Murphy for B Lane (HT)

Referee: D McEnery (Westmeath)

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