The game finished 1-1 in normal time but it was the Cork girls, who suffered the pain of a penalty shoot-out loss in 2013, who emerged victorious. Penalties were also required to decide the Plate Final, where last year’s Cup winners Metropolitan Girls League were able to secure some silverware to take back to Dublin when they got the better of Waterford 3-1 from their spot-kick battle following another 1-1 draw.
The tournament kicked off under glorious early afternoon sunshine on Friday with the Kerry and the Limerick County leagues opening five-team Group A. Two goals from Saoirse Kennedy secured three points for Kerry. The three remaining teams joined the fun later in the afternoon, with Kerry sitting this round of games out. The Limerick County side recovered from the opening loss to record a 2-1 win over North Tipperary, whilst Kilkenny overcame Clare 1-0 thanks to a Hannah Scott strike.
A busy schedule for the Group A sides concluded after the evening contests. Kilkenny and Limerick County – playing their third game of the day – shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. In the evening's other game Clare overcame Kerry 2-0, setting up a situation where four teams were separated by only one point.
Wins for Kerry on Saturday against Clare and Kilkenny as well as another win for Limerick County over Clare left all to play for in the final set of fixtures. Indeed, the destiny of the group rested on a very late North Tipperary equaliser against Kerry. That goal, couple with Limerick Counties narrow 2-1 win over Kilkenny, gave the Shannonsiders the group title.
The fate of Group B’s sides also came down to the last series of games. Cork took an early advantage when they overcame North Eastern Counties by 2-0 as group rivals Galway and Wexford shared the points following a 0-0 draw. However, a round of 1-1 draws in Saturday morning’s fixtures meant that each side could still finish as group victors. A single, late goal from Cork’s Daire Kiely in their match against Galway ensured that they finished the group in pole position. In the other game, a decisive 3-1 success for North Eastern Counties over Wexford saw them move from fourth to second place, sending them into the Plate semi-finals.
Group C had all the makings of a “group of death”, with the defending champions Metropolitan Girls League joining the Midlands, Donegal and Mayo. The holders opened with a convincing win over Donegal, whilst the Midlands also garnered three points following a 3-1 win over Mayo. Both sides made it two wins from two on Saturday morning, the MGL beating Mayo and the Midlands defeating Donegal to set up a group decider later that day.
A super contest took place amid a heavy downpour, and goals from the dangerous attacking pair of Carla McManus and Emma Lawlor - both notching their fourth tournament goal - saw the Midlands take top position following a 2-1 win, with Leah Reybet-Degat providing the repost for the MGL.
In Group D, Inishowen and the Limerick Desmond League made winning start to their campaigns, both working hard to secure 1-0 wins over Waterford and Sligo/Leitrim respectively. Both sides couldn’t be separated when they played each other on Saturday morning, allowing Waterford to re-enter the race for top spot after a last-minute goal saw them edge past Sligo/Leitrim.
However, Inishowen made a decisive move in the final round of games, notching five against Sligo/Leitrim without reply to see them finish as table-toppers and Cup semi-finalists. Waterford continued to improve with an Alannah Gallagher goal the difference in a 1-0 win over Limerick Desmond to book a slot in the Plate semi-final draw.
The open draw for Sunday’s fixtures took place on Saturday evening. The Jeremy Dee Cup semi-finals threw together old rivals Limerick County and Cork, whilst the other fixture brought together the free-scoring Midlands league and the talented Inishowen. In the Plate semi-finals, the North Eastern Counties were drawn against the Metropolitan with Waterford, off the back of two straight wins, selected to play Kerry.
The minor placing would also be decided on Sunday. Clare and Sligo/Leitrim kicked things off with a clash to determine 16th and 17th place. Wexford, Kilkenny and Donegal would contest places 13 through 15 whilst North Tipperary, Limerick Desmond, Galway and Mayo would compete for 9th to 12th place.
The Cup semi-finals proved to be distinctly different affairs. Cork proved just too strong for a tired Limerick County side and eased to a 6-0 win thanks to braces from Lauren Homan, Eimear Kiely and Michelle O’Driscoll. The Midlands and Inishowen could only be separated by a penalty shoot-out after a tense stalemate. It was the girls from the Midlands who kept their nerve best, netting three to Inishowen’s one to book a place in the Cup showdown.
In the Plate semi-finals, dethroned cup champions the Metropolitan League kept alive their hopes of taking some silverware home as they edged past the North Eastern Counties. Waterford and Kerry took each other to a penalty shoot with Waterford edging it with three successful kicks to Kerry’s two. That experience, however, was to benefit Kerry in the 7th and 8th place play off as the converted five against North Eastern Counties’ four after a 2-2 draw. Galway also secured their 9th place finish from the penalty spot against North Tipperary whilst goals from Shauna Golden and Melissa Devaney gave Mayo a regulation-time win over Limerick Desmond to finish 11th. Wexford produced their best football of the weekend to conclude the tournament in 13th position.