Cork 1-10
Waterford 0-11
Tomás McCarthy reports from Fraher Field
CORK CELEBRATED THEIR first competitive win in 90 days at a sun-drenched Dungarvan on Saturday afternoon.
An early goal from Laura O’Mahony and five points from Katie Quirke saw the Rebelettes prevail in a hard fought provincial opener. Shane Ronayne’s side never fell behind as they bounced back from a disappointing Division 1 campaign, which saw them relegated.
Kellyann Hogan kicked four points for Waterford while Ballymacarbry colleague Bríd McMaugh got two off the bench. Pat Sullivan’s side now face a must-win game away to Tipperary next weekend.
Katie Quirke returned to the Cork line-up after recovering from a knee injury. She was top scorer for The Rebels in the League. Libby Coppinger gave the visitors an early lead before Kellyann Hogan equalised from a free. Emma Cleary edged Munster champions Cork back in front after Hogan was unable to lob goalkeeper Caoimhe Richmond at the other end.
In the ninth minute, Coppinger hit the inside of the post but Laura O’Mahony snapped the rebound and fired home (1-2 to 0-1). A foul on Mairead O’Brien allowed Hogan convert a close range dead ball. Two Katie Quirke frees moved Cork five clear.
Committed defending shut down the Déise attack. The hosts sent seven balls short and three wides in the opening half while Abbie O’Mahony and Melissa Duggan made brave blocks. Quirke kicked her third free in injury time before Emma Murray got Waterford’s first point from play on 32 minutes. The ladies in red by five at the break (1-5 to 0-3).
Aine O’Neill got a point back for Waterford within a minute of the resumption. Quirke then curled over another free. It was waved wide initially before the white flag was raised.
Brid McMaugh came off the bench and two points from the Ballymacarbry attacker cut the gap to a goal (1-7 to 0-7). Maire O’Callaghan hit back for Cork.
Déise corner back Kate McGrath then burst forward to strike a point. Alannah McNulty cleared a shot from Quirke off the line. Cork sub Sadhbh McGoldrick made it a four point game again.
Two was as close as Waterford got. Lauren McGregor, Ellen Bolger and Hogan kicked late singles but they couldn’t find that match saving green flag.
Scorers for Waterford: K Hogan 0-4 (4fs), B McMaugh 0-2, K McGrath, E Murray, A O’Neill, L McGregor, E Bolger 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: K Quirke 0-5 (5fs), L O’Mahony 1-0, M O’Callaghan, E Cleary, L Coppinger, S McGoldrick, L McDonagh (1f) 0-1 each.
Waterford: E O’Brien; A McNulty, H Power, K McGrath; A O’Neill, E Murray, C Carroll; C Walsh, E Power; A Fitzgerald, K Hogan, K Murray; L O’Shea, M O’Brien, L McGregor.
Subs: A Murray for O’Shea (29), B McMaugh for Walsh (37), A Brazil for Fitzgerald (48), E Bolger for O’Brien (53).
Cork: C Richmond; M Duggan, D Kiniry, A Ryan; S Leahy, A Healy, K O’Driscoll; M O’Callaghan, A O’Mahony; E Cleary, L O’Mahony, A McDonagh; D Kiely, L Coppinger, K Quirke.
Subs: R Leahy for L O’Mahony (42), L Hallihan for Kiely (48), S McGoldrick for A O’Mahony (50), K Smith for A McDonagh (50), L McDonagh for Quirke (57).
Referee: S Mulvihill (Kerry)
Kerry 2-14
Tipperary 0-5
Danielle O’Leary bagged eight points as Kerry had a 15-point victory over Tipperary at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney in Round 1 of the TG4 Munster Senior Championship.
O’Leary was simply unstoppable, notching five points in the first half, as Tipperary had no answer to her pace and finishing power.
A below-par opening period from both sides saw Kerry take a flattering 1-5 to 0-4 lead in at the short whistle, with the five-point haul from O’Leary a major highlight.
The home side’s passes weren’t going to hand in the opening exchanges but after a series of turnovers they finally got off the mark in the sixth minute with the brilliant O’Leary popping over after an assist from hard-working skipper Niamh Carmody.
O’Leary slotted her second a minute later before Aishling Moloney hit a monster effort from 40 metres to get Tipperary’s first score.
Katie Brosnan fed the rampant O’Leary for her 3rd on the quarter hour mark but Emma Morrissey, a very effective performer on the wing hit a fine individual effort to bring Tipperary to with a single score.
Kerry hit two on the trot with O’Leary once again providing the finishes, and with Deirdre Kearney dominating at the back the game appeared to be going to script for the hot favourites.
Tipperary were resilient and hit back through an Aishling Moloney free and Emma Morrissey with her second from play and with a minute left in the opening half Kerry led by 0-5 to 0-4.
There was one last act to the half though and as Tipperary attempted to build from the back, goalkeeper Lauren Fitzpatrick was turned over in the middle of the field by Niamh Carmody.
The Kerry captain fed Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh, and with an empty goal the Kerry sharpshooter shot to the net from 25 metres to see Kerry take a 1-5 to 0-4 lead into the dressing room.
Ciara O’Brien, O’Leary, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh from a poor kick out, Carmody with her deserved first, and O’Leary with a fine individual effort for her seventh, pushed Kerry into a 1-10 to 0-4 lead before Anna Rose Kennedy got one back for Tipperary in the 50th minute.
Substitutes Lorraine Scanlon, Aoife Dillane and Niamh Ní Chonchúir slotted points before another sub Emma Dineen struck for a goal to emphasise the strength of the Kerry bench.
The final score of the game fittingly fell to Danielle O’Leary and the Kerry victory was complete.
Scorers-Kerry: D O’Leary 0-8, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 1-1, E Dineen 1-0, N Carmody, C O’Brien, L Scanlon, A Dillane & N Ní Chonchúir 0-1 each.
Tipperary: E Morrissey 0-2, A Moloney 0-2 (1f), A.R. Kennedy 0-1.
Kerry: M.E. Bolger; C Murphy, E Lynch, C O’Brien; A O’Connell, K Cronin, C Lynch; M O’Connell, D Kearney; A Galvin, N Carmody, A Harrington; K Brosnan, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh, D O’Leary. Subs: H O’Donoghue for K Brosnan 38, N Ní Chonchúir for C O’Brien 42, E Dineen for A Harrington 45, L Scanlon for A Galvin 48, A Dillane for C Murphy 52.
Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick; E Kelly, L Spillane, E Cronin; C O’Dwyer, M Curley, S English; L Morrissey, A.R. Kennedy; E Morrissey, A McGuigan, A Moloney; N Towey, K Downey, E McCarthy. Subs: C English for N Towey 38, S Ryan for E McCarthy 56, H Spillane for K Downey 58, A Downey for A Moloney 60.
Referee: Patrick Smith (Waterford).
