Cork recovered strongly to eclipse Tipp and lift the 2005 All-Ireland senior camogie championship with an incredible 1-17 to 1-13 success at Croke Park. The resilient Rebel lasses played catch-up for most of the match. They trailed by five points at the break and were still behind with only two minutes of normal time remaining, but they simply refused to give up, earning their 21st senior camogie crown with a scintillating late burst In the final analysis, Cork's superior fitness and huge heart proved decisive as they overturned their Munster final defeat to today's opposition. Tipperary almost fell across the winning line but a return of three points in the second half is never going to be enough to win an All-Ireland final - Cork scored precisely that amount in injury time alone! The winners totally dominated the second half and were worthy winners, even if there was a huge element of fortune attached to the 52nd-minute goal that finally tipped the balance in their favour. In fairness to Cork, though, the major they conceded in the first half was equally lucky, so those two scores cancelled each other out. Cork held an early 0-2 to 0-1 lead but Claire Grogan's ninth-minute free drew the Premier County level. Joanne Ryan demonstrated real predatory instinct to gather possession close to the Cork goal before firing the sliothar over the bar and an excellent Eimear McDonnell point made it 0-4 to 0-2 in Tipp's favour. Midfielder Philly Fogarty stretched the Blue & Gold lead and Cork had a big let-off when Ryan came within inches of registering the game's first goal. The Tipp No.10 lost her hurley bearing down on the Rebel goal and cleverly attempted to improvise but her handpassed effort missed the post and went into the side-netting. McDonnell set up Grogan for a point before Cork midfielder Rachel Maloney lifted the siege with a super score from out the field. Centre back Ciara Gaynor's second pointed free edged Tipperary four points clear, 0-7 to 0-3. Captain Elaine Burke intervened with an inspirational Cork score into the Canal End. Jennifer O'Leary's stylish free further reduced the deficit and Eimear Dillon converted a brilliant point from play as the Leesiders closed within a single point. However, all Cork's good work was undone when Tipperary got a fortuitous goal in the 27th minute. Grogan's long delivery into the danger area bounced in front of unsighted Cork 'keeper Aoife Murray and slipped through her legs to the back of the net. It was a cruel blow for Cork, who had battled back to within a point with less than four minutes left in the half. Una Dillon (Cork) and Jill Horan traded points as Cork battled gamely to recover from the body blow of surrendering such a soft three-pointer. Noelle Kennedy and McDonnell both registered stellar Tipperary points as the rampant Premier County moved six points clear, but O'Leary kept the Rebels in it with an inspirational point at the other end. The half time whistle sounded with Tipperary five points to the good, 1-10 to 0-8. Cork No.13 Eimear Dillon opened the second-half scoring with her second point five minutes after the resumption. Gemma O'Connor followed up quickly with another point for the Rebel girls and the centre forward added another stunning score as the margin was sliced to a mere two points. Demonstrating the hunger one might associate with a ravenous cannibal on the prowl, Cork were getting about their opponents, hunting in packs, putting the Tipperary defence under incessant pressure. Tipp, in contrast, only managed to get upfield twice in the third quarter and those sporadic attacks both culminated in wides from the stick of Jill Horan. Cork's Jennifer O'Leary momentarily considered going for goal but, after a quick assessment of the situation, swivelled in front of the Tipp posts to pop the ball over the bar as Cork closed ominously within a point. Undisciplined defending gifted Grogan Tipp's first point of the second period a full 21 minutes after the re-start Eight minutes from the end, it was Cork's turn to benefit from an extremely flukey goal: Tipp full back Una O'Dwyer tried to catch Amanda O'Regan's booming delivery but the ball bounced off her hand, deflected, and somehow trickled over the line to nestle in the back of the net. The goal was almost identical to the one Tipp got around the same stage of the first half, and it completed the great Cork fightback, giving them a 1-12 to 1-11 lead. Tipp managed to get back in front one last time before Cork's spirit overwhelmed them. Three minutes from time, the uncharacteristically quiet Deirdre Hughes came into the action with a timely point. It wasn't quite the three-goal haul 'Dee' had exacted in the Munster final but this point seemed every bit as crucial as that memorable hat-trick. Especially when Grogan won and converted a free to put the Premier County ahead by 1-13 to 1-12 with time ticking away. But brilliant Cork dug deep to hit five points in the closing two minutes plus stoppage time. Eimear Dillon landed a stunning riposte to Grogan's free - an excellent 58th-minute point from way out on the right wing. Dillon hit another point in the final minute as the Reds took the lead right at the death and Cork confirmed their total superiority with three stoppage-time points. Substitute Angela Walsh got in on the scoring act and wing back Breege Corcoran surged forward to send over a mighty point at the end of a lung-bursting run. O'Leary converted a late, late free to wrap up a miraculous four-point win for Cork. Tweet

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