‘It was hard to see at times … but we got the three points,’ says Libby Coppinger after Cork’s opening league win

CORK 1-6

GALWAY 0-5

GER MCCARTHY REPORTS

KATIE Quirke was Cork’s lone scorer as the Rebels got their Lidl National Football League Division 1 campaign off to a winning start.

The Bride Rovers forward grabbed all the headlines from a game moved to Bishopstown’s 4G pitch due to Storm Isha.

Horrendous weather conditions destroyed what would have been an open, attacking match and made life incredibly difficult for both teams. This fixture was played out amid incessant rain and the velocity of a gale wind that, alarmingly at times, ferociously shook Bishopstown’s goalposts and floodlights.

In the end, Cork eked out a victory on the back of a solid defensive effort and Quirke’s accuracy in front of goal.

Manager Shane Ronayne began without the services of seven first-team regulars but Cork’s newcomers certainly made their presence felt. From a West Cork point of view, Dohenys’ Melissa Duggan was outstanding at corner-back and was one of Cork’s most effective players. Libby Coppinger, adopting a role she plays for the Cork camogie seniors, didn’t put a foot wrong at full-back. Valley Rovers’ Daire Kiely impressed at wing-back, as did a returning Sadhbh O’Leary (Kinsale) on the half-forward line. Kinsale’s Kate Redmond was sprung from the bench while Ilen Rovers’ Emma Hurley and Clonakilty’s Katie O’Driscoll made their senior inter-county debuts.

‘It was very tough to play in those conditions,’ Libby Coppinger told The Southern Star.

‘We found it even tougher in the second half against the wind and rain. It was hard to see at times. We knew it was going to be miserable out there but we got the three points; that’s all we wanted.

Backed by a gale wind, Cork led 0-6 to 0-1 at the interval with Quirke (three frees) notching all of her side’s points. Aoife O’Rourke (free) was Galway’s solitary scorer.

Crucially, it was Quirke’s 38th-minute goal that left Galway with too big a mountain to climb despite the visitor’s wind advantage. Galway chipped away at Cork’s lead as Aibhe Davoren (free), Aoife Molloy and two Roisin Leonard efforts made it 1-6 to 0-5. Cork ran out deserving winners however, and a new-look Rebels team can look forward with optimism ahead of Armagh’s visit on Sunday.

‘We were looking for a big performance today. Everybody worked hard and had a good attitude. We got the win, which I felt we could, if we played to our potential,’  Shane Ronayne commented.

Scorers

Cork: K Quirke 1-6 (3f).

Galway: R Leonard 0-2 (1f); A O’Rourke (1f), A Davoren (1f), A Molloy 0-1 each.

Cork: S Murphy; M Duggan, L Coppinger, D Kiniry; A McDonagh, M O’Callaghan, D Kiely; A Healy, S Cronin; E Jack, K Quirke, S O’Leary; L McDonagh, H Looney, E Cleary.

Subs: S Kelly for S Cronin (44), E Hurley for S O’Leary (53), K Redmond for L McDonagh (53), K O’Driscoll for D Kiely (53), R Corkery for E Cleary (58), K Smith for E Jack (60).

Galway: D Gower; M Jordan, S Lynch, E Gavin; K Geraghty, C Trill, A Ní Cheallaigh; M Glynn, L Coen; M Walsh, A Davoren, S Hynes; C McCarthy, A O’Rourke, A Molloy.

Subs: C Cleary for M Glynn (36), E Reaney for C McCarthy (36), R Leonard for S Hynes (44), L Booth for M Walsh (49), L Finnegan for A Ní Cheallaigh (60), A Hynes for L Coen (60).

Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford).