Orlaith Mullins in top form as Cork U23s power into All-Ireland camogie semi-final

Cork 2-15 Galway 0-11 

Cork made it three from three as they overcame Galway in the Glen Dimplex U23 Camogie Championship at Castle Road.

Playing against the gale-force wind Cork led by five points at the break, which meant they were never going to be caught.

Alanna Fahy got Galway off the mark with an early point but Cork hit the front with Claudia Keane blocked down Laura Feeney's attempted clearance to finish to the net.

With both teams employing a sweeper, Cork’s Daire O'Brien was by far the busier of the two in the opening half. She picked up and cleared an amount of ball as Galway with the wind in their favour threw everything at the Cork defence.

Aoibhe Joyce narrowed the gap but with Cork working the ball through the lines fast they got possession to their inside line where Orlaith Mullins, who finished with a superb 0-7, hit two points in a row. Niamh McInerney and Joyce scored for the visitors but Mullins hit two in response.

Fahy and Laura Kelly cut the lead to two points as Galway were coming more in the game but Amy Sheppard converted a pair of frees and Mullins clipped another from play to make it 1-8 to 0-6 at the break.

Keane and Sheppard edged the Rebels further ahead before Sheppard converted a penalty after she was fouled en route to goal.

To their credit, Galway hit the next four points with Kelly, Catherine Hanley and Cora Kenny on targe 

 The sides swapped points before a strong Cork finish saw them raise white flags courtesy of Edel Sheehan, Ava Fitzgerald, Isobel Sheehan and Mullins.

Cork are on top of the group with a semi-final place secured with one game to go.

Scorers for Cork: O Mullins 0-7, A Sheppard 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-4 f), C Keane 1-1, I Sheehan, E Sheehan, A Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

Galway: L Kelly 0-4 f, A Fahy, A Joyce 0-2 each, N McInerney C Kenny, C Hanley 0-1 each.

CORK: C Buckley (Inniscarra); S Hurley (Sarsfields), C Kingston (Newcestown), M De Burca (Carrigtwohill); A Fitzgerald (Sarsfields), D O'Brien (Enniskeane, c), A Cashman (Youghal); T McCarthy (Glen Rovers), M Condon (Ballinascarthy); I Sheehan (Éire Óg), O Mullins (Sarsfields), N McNabola (Cloughduv); A Sheppard Cloughduv), C Keane (Inniscarra), R Murphy (Ballinora).

Subs: M Ring (Aghabullogue) for McCarthy (37), N O'Regan (St Catherine’s) for McNabola (46), E Curtin (Blackrock) for Murphy (50), E Sheehan for (Éire Óg) for Sheppard (50), A O'Sullivan (Mallow) for D O'Brien (55).

GALWAY: L Freeney; R Kelly, S Lyons, J Daly; K Manning, K A Porter, A Carr; O Mullins, J Hughes; A Joyce, K Madden, L Kelly; N Mc Inerney, A Fahy, A Barry.

Subs: Z Rodgers for R Kelly (inj), C Kenny for A Barry (39), C hanly for A Fahy (41).

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).