CORK 0-10
KERRY 1-13
NOT the start Cork wanted in their Munster championship opener, but context is everything.
Kerry are the reigning All-Ireland, Division 1 and provincial champions and were expected to pick up the points in this round-robin series opener at Cloughduv on Saturday.
Cork looked in real trouble when they trailed 1-11 to 0-3 by the interval, as Kerry, with the aid of a strong wind and netting a fourth-minute goal, were in control, but the Rebels hit back in the second period.
Utilising the elements superbly, Cork outscored their opponents 0-7 to 0-2. It wasn’t enough to reel Kerry in, but there are positives ahead of big games against Tipperary and Waterford.
Cork's Shauna Cronin and Shauna Kelly combine to stop Kerry's Danielle O'Leary.
‘The disappointment really is our first-half performance,’ Cork boss Joe Carroll said.
‘The positive is that our second-half performance was much much better. We outscored Kerry after being 11 points down at one stage, so that’s a huge positive. We showed great fighting spirit, which we didn’t show in the first half.
‘I think we were in a small bit of awe at Kerry despite the fact we were trying to drill it into the players that we are every bit as good as them. They (Cork) didn’t stand out in the first half but we had a very good second half.’
From a West Cork LGFA point of view, Dohenys’ Melissa Duggan played superbly throughout. O’Donovan Rossa’s Laura O’Mahony got through a huge amount of work, as did St Colum’s Libby Coppinger, when introduced as a 26th-minute substitute. Beara’s Clare O’Shea also made her presence felt late in the second period.
A physically stronger and taller Kerry team were sublime in the opening half, not least their full forward line comprising Danielle O’Leary, Rachel Dwyer and Siofra O’Shea. That trio accounted for 1-10 of the Kingdom’s total.
In defence, some no-nonsense tackling, both on and off the ball, meant Kerry never allowed Cork to get into their stride.
Cork's Erika O'Shea powers past Kerry's Aoife Dillane.
Despite the loss, there were still plenty of positives to take from the Rebels’ second-half display. As with his side’s Division 2 league campaign, Joe Carroll got a huge boost off his bench. Shauna Cronin, Shauna Kelly, Katie Quirke and Emma Cleary also drove their team forward before and after the interval. Just as well because things will not get much easier over the coming weeks as Cork go on the road to face both Tipperary and Waterford.
‘We have always had tough battles with Tipp and I think we only got out of there with a point to spare in Mallow last year,’ Emma Cleary added.
‘Waterford had a very good Division 1 this year as well. We know we’ve two massive battles ahead. Look, hopefully, we can get back to a Munster final against whoever it is.’
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Siofra O’Shea set up Danielle O’Leary for a goal after four minutes and Kerry quickly built on their early impetus to lead 1-3 to 0-0.
Playing into the teeth of a strengthening wind, Cork would only muster three first-half scores from Katie Quirke, Lydia McDonagh and Melissa Duggan. Danielle O’Leary, Siofra O’Shea, Kate Brosnan, Caoimhe Evans and Rachel Dwyer efforts ensured Kerry switched ends 1-11 to 0-3 ahead.
The pattern of the second half was a complete reversal of what went before. Cork, having introduced Libby Coppinger and Aoife Healy before the break, used the wind to pin back a Kerry side that withdrew Rachel Dwyer and Niamh Broderick during the interval.
The Kingdom would add a mere two Siofra O’Shea efforts (both frees) to their total while their opponents dominated territory and possession.
Points from Abigail Ring, Emma Cleary and Katie Quirke, who finished with 0-6, saw Cork close to within six of the leaders. Alas, a Libby Coppinger goal effort saved by goalkeeper Mary Ellen Bolger, plus a heavily-tackled Aoife Healy attempt that did not result in a penalty, saw the Rebels miss their two best goal opportunities.
‘Hopefully we can improve again,’ Joe Carroll concluded.
‘We have Tipperary on Sunday and it’s going to be no easy game there as we found out when we played them in the league.’
Scorers - Kerry: S O’Shea 0-6 (4f); D O’Leary 1-3; C Evans 0-2; K Brosnan, R Dwyer 0-1 each. Cork: K Quirke 0-6 (5f); L McDonagh, M Duggan, A Ring, E Cleary 0-1 each.
Kerry: M E Bolger; F O’Donoghue, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O’Connell, N Broderick, A Dillane; M O’Connell, A Galvin; C Evans, N Ní Conchúir, K Brosnan; D O’Leary, R Dwyer, S O’Shea. Subs: N Carmody for R Dwyer (ht); C Lynch (captain) for N Broderick (ht); J Lucey for K Brosnan (40); R Rahilly for C Evans (52); L Boyle for D O’Leary (60).
Cork: S Murphy; D Kiniry, S Kelly, M Duggan; E O’Shea, S Cronin, R Corkery; A O’Mahony, S McGoldrick; A Corcoran, L O’Mahony, E Cleary (captain); A Ring, L McDonagh, K Quirke. Subs: A Healy for S McGoldrick (26); L Coppinger for A Corcoran (26); L Hallihan for L McDonagh (40); C O’Shea for R Corkery (52); H Looney for L O’Mahony (52).
Referee: Patrick Smith (Waterford).
