VALERIE MULCAHY WAS in red-hot scoring form for Cork as the Tesco Homegrown National League Division 1 champions got their 2015 campaign off to a winning start on today.
Nine-time All-Ireland winner Mulcahy scored 1-7, including six pointed frees, as the Rebelettes came from behind to claim victory against hosts Mayo in Swinford.
New Mayo captain Cora Staunton helped herself to seven points but those high-scoring exploits weren’t enough to prevent Eamonn Ryan’s Cork travelling home with maximum points.
At half-time, Sarah Rowe’s goal had helped Mayo to establish a 1-6 to 1-3 lead, with Mulcahy netting for Cork. But in the first ten minutes of the second half, the visitors ran riot and were 2-8 to 1-6 clear within ten minutes of the restart, with Grace Kearney on target for Cork’s second goal.
Mayo rallied with points from Staunton and Niamh Kelly to reduce the deficit to two points but the Westerners failed to score for the remainder of the game.
Meanwhile, last year’s League and All-Ireland runners-up Dublin were 0-12 to 0-3 winners over Monaghan at DCU. Dublin were 0-7 to 0-1 clear at half-time, with Cathriona McConnell registering Monaghan’s sole first half score, and the hosts tagged on five further second half scores.
Carla Rowe finished as Dublin’s leading scorer with four points, as Sarah McCaffrey chipped in with three.
In Tuam, Connacht champions Galway whipped hapless Laois by 26 points.
Galway full-forward Tracey Leonard bagged 3-3 for the home side, with Lucy Hannon, Gillian O’Connor and Aoife Newell scoring the other goals.
Hannon and Leonard were raised green flags in the first half as Galway established a massive 4-9 to 0-1 interval lead. Charlotte Delaney grabbed a consolation goal for the visitors in the second half but Galway, promoted from Division 2 last year, got their top-flight campaign off to the perfect start with a 6-15 to 1-4 win.
And at Gardrum Park in Tyrone, visitors Kerry eased to a 1-10 to 2-3 victory. Kerry, who were 0-9 to 0-0 ahead at half-time, held off a spirited second half revival from Tyrone to claim maximum points.
Debutant Eilish Kavanagh scored Kerry’s goal as Tori McLaughlin and Lorraine Conwell responded with majors for the Red Hands.
In Division 2, Cathriona Smith scored a brace of goals while Geraldine Sheridan and Sarah Murray also netted as Cavan walloped Clare by 4-25 to 0-5.
There were also victories for Kildare and Westmeath in the second tier while Leitrim, Sligo and Waterford claimed opening day wins in Division 3.
Tesco Homegrown Ladies NFL Division 1 results:
Dublin 0-12 Monaghan 0-3
Galway 6-15 Laois 1-4
Tyrone 2-3 Kerry 1-10
Mayo 1-8 Cork 2-12
Tesco Homegrown Ladies NFL Division 2 results:
Meath 1-11 Kildare 2-9
Cavan 4-25 Clare 0-5
Donegal P Armagh P
Westmeath 7-19 Down 0-4
Tesco Homegrown Ladies NFL Division 3 results:
Leitrim 4-11 Roscommon 3-8
Sligo 1-16 Longford 0-7
Fermanagh P Tipperary P
Waterford 0-9 Wexford 2-2
