We owed it to ourselves to ‘right those wrongs’, says O’Mahony

WATERFORD 0-11

CORK 1-10

GER MCCARTHY REPORTS

LAURA O’Mahony struck an important goal to help Cork overcome Waterford in the opening round of the TG4 Munster LGFA SFC at Fraher Field in Dungarvan last Saturday. The O’Donovan Rossa player was on hand to fire home Libby Coppinger’s rebounded shot and score the only goal in a tight encounter. Cork deserved their victory against an opponent that defeated them in the league earlier this season. Five points from Katie Quirke (returning from long- term injury) along with stand-out Aoife Casey, Sarah Leahy, Libby Coppinger, Laura O’Mahony and Caoimhe Richmond displays helped Cork kick-start their championship campaign.

Demotion from Division 1 was tough to take but Cork grabbed a morale-boosting win that bodes well for this week- end’s Munster LGFA SFC clash with Kerry in Brosna. ‘We knew Waterford would putituptousastheyareagood team,’ goal scorer Laura O’Mahony told The Southern Star shortly after the final whistle. ‘They beat us by a substantial amount a few weeks ago. So, we owed it to ourselves and the management team to right those wrongs. ‘We gave it everything and got the win we needed.’

Libby Coppinger opened the scoring but Waterford quickly answered with a Kelly Ann Hogan close-range free that whistled inches over the crossbar. Emma Cleary raised her side’s second white flag before a major turning point. A swift Cork move saw Coppinger rattle an upright but Laura O’Mahony reacted and found the net to make it 1-2 to 0-1. With keeper Caoimhe Richmond looking confident, Cork moved four clear after a brace of Katie Quirke frees followed a similar Kelly Ann Hogan effort. Quirke (free) and Emma Murray scored at either end. Aoife Healy’s superb defending saw the Rebels go in 1-5 to 0-3 ahead at the short whistle. Waterford’s Áine O’Neill replied immediately after the restart but a debated Katie Quirke free quickly restored her side’s five-point lead. The scores kept coming courtesy of a Bríd McMaugh point and fifth Quirke free. Waterford began to press higher up the pitch and a Hogan free and second McMaugh effort made 1-7 to 0-7 after 41 minutes. There was still only a goal in it with less than 10 minutes left after Máire O’Callaghan and Kate McGrath pointed. Sarah Leahy rattled the Déise’s crossbar. Sadhbh McGoldrick and Lydia McDonagh (free) efforts were answered by Lauren McGregor, Ellen Bolger and Kelly Ann Hogan (free) but Cork held on for a meritedwin.
Shane Ronayne paid tribute to his team’s efforts. ‘Those players put in a phenomenal effort. I am so, so proud of them. I said to them, I’ve had very good days with Cork. I stood on the sideline with the late Eammon Ryan and won All-Irelands with him. Today is one of my proudest days because of what those girls and management have gone through over the last few months. We are so, so happy with them'.

Scorers:

Waterford: K A Hogan 0-4 (0-4 f), B McMaugh 0-2, E Murray, Á O’Neill, K McGrath, L McGregor, E Bolger 0-1 each

Cork: K Quirke 0-5 (0-5 f), L O’Mahony 1-0, L Coppinger, E Cleary, M O’Callaghan, S McGoldrick, L McDonagh (0-1 f) 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: E O’Brien; H Power, E Power, A Brazil K McGrath, A McNulty, E Murray; A Fitzgerald, K Hogan (captain); A O’Neill, C Walsh, C Carroll; M O’Brien, K Murray, L McGregor.

Subs: A Murray for L O’Shea (29), B McMaugh for C Walsh (37), A Brazil for A Fitzgerald (48) E Bolger for M O’Brien (53).

CORK: C Richmond (Glanmire); M Duggan (Dohenys), D Kiniry (Lisgoold), A Ryan (Mourneabbey); S Leahy (Aghada), A Healy (Cloyne), D Kiely (Valley Rovers); M O’Callaghan (captain, Mourneabbey), A O’Mahony (Glanmire); E Cleary (Éire Óg), L O’Mahony (O’Donovan Rossa), A McDonagh (Naomh Abán); K O’Driscoll (Clonakilty), L Coppinger (St Colum’s), K Quirke (Bride Rovers).

Subs: R Leahy (Aghada) for L O’Mahony (41), L Hallihan (Bride Rovers) for D Kiely (48), S McGoldrick (Éire Óg) for A O’Mahony (49), K Smith (Aghada) for A McDonagh (50), L McDonagh (Naomh Abán) for K Quirke (56).

Referee: Séamus Mulvihill (Kerry).