Libby Coppinger confident Cork will learn from first defeat of the season

CORK 1-10

TIPPERARY 2-10

GER McCARTHY REPORTS 

AN injury-time Eimear McGrath goal ended Cork’s unbeaten start to the Very Camogie National League Division 1 campaign.

New manager Ger Manley’s first competitive game on home soil resulted in defeat to a hungrier, sharper Tipperary at Páirc Uí Rinn last Saturday.

The All-Ireland champions were second best throughout a frustrating afternoon in which Cork converted a paltry 11 scoring chances out of 28. That’s not good enough by the Rebels’ high standards.

It was Aisling Thompson, Laura Hayes, Sorcha McCartan, Amy O’Connor and Libby Coppinger’s combined efforts that kept their side in a physical, hard-hitting game.

‘Look, nothing is going to be too pretty this time of the year as we try to get back into the swing of everything,’ Libby Coppinger told The Southern Star.

‘We have two more league games which is great, but we will take a lot of learnings from today. We will look forward to the Clare game (March 23rd) and hopefully build on what we did today.’

There was plenty of West Cork interest as the Rebels began their search for a third consecutive Division 1 victory. St Colum’s Libby Coppinger started at full-back with Courcey Rovers’ Fiona Keating beginning in the half-forward line. Ballinascarthy’s Millie Condon was on the bench. Saoirse McCarthy was absent through injury and her influence was sorely missed as the game unfolded.

It was Clodagh McIntyre who got the visitors Tipperary off the mark inside three minutes. Mary Burke doubled Tipp’s advantage shortly after Orlaith Mullins got Cork on the scoreboard just shy of the quarter-hour. An Amy O’Connor free made it 0-2 to 0-2 ahead of Caoimhe Maher and Sorcha McCartan (free) exchanging scores.

There was no let up in an increasingly physical encounter but wayward Cork shooting was punished by a more clinical Tipp heading towards the break. Scores from Caoimhe McCarthy, Roisin Howard and Eimear McGrath (free) edged Tipperary 0-6 to 0-3 clear.

Down three points, Cork set about reducing the deficit at the beginning of the second half. Amy O’Connor scored a point prior to retrieving a poor puck out and watching as her point attempt fumbled into the net by goalkeeper Nicole Walsh. Eimear McGrath levelled matters, 1-4 to 0-7, from a free after 38 minutes. Cork swiftly regained the lead through Amy O’Connor and moved two clear when substitute Clodagh Finn split the posts.

Cork, despite playing raggedly, went 1-7 to 0-7 ahead after another O’Connor free. Eimear McGrath and O’Connor converted frees at either end before an increasingly dominant Tipperary made incisive inroads with four minutes to go. Caoimhe Maher scored a point before Tipp forced a turnover in front of Cork’s goal and Eimear McGrath fired into the net.

Another McGrath point made it 1-10 to 1-8 as the clock reached 60 minutes. Over four minutes of injury-time delivered plenty of drama beginning with Amy O’Connor making it a one-point game. Alas, another defensive lapse presented Niamh Tracey with a goal-scoring chance the Tipp substitute did not waste. Sorcha McCartan’s late free completed the scoring to end a frustrating afternoon for the All-Ireland champions who face bottom-of-the-table Clare next.

‘Having another game to look forward to and being able to put in a few hard sessions will do us the world of good,’ Libby Coppinger added. ‘This league is very competitive and there is no game you can take for granted. We will learn, drive on and hope to be better the next day.’

Scorers

Cork: A O’Connor 1-6 (3f, 1 45); S McCartan 0-2 (2f); O Mullins, C Finn 0-1 each.

Tipperary: E McGrath 1-4 (3f); N Tracey 1-0; C Maher 0-2; C McIntyre, N Bourke, C McCarthy, R Howard 0-1 each.

Cork: M Lynch; M Murphy, L Coppinger, A Barrett; I O’Regan, A Thompson, M Cahalane; H Looney, L Hayes; C Healy, F Keating, E Murphy; A O’Connor, O Mullins, S McCartan.

Subs: K Mackey for C Healy (ht), L Tracey for A Barrett (ht), C Finn for O Mullins (39), N O’Callaghan for E Murphy (48),

Tipperary: N Walsh; K Blair, M Eviston, E Loughman; C McCarthy, E Cunneen, C McIntyre; T Ryan, C Hennessy; R Howard, C Maher, G Moloney; M Bourke, E McGrath, E Heffernan.

Subs: K Kennedy for E Heffernan (ht), N Tracey for G Moloney (44), C Perdue for M Bourke (48), C Maher for C Hennessy (52), E Carey for C McIntyre (57).

Referee: B Nea (Westmeath).