Cork 2-8

Tipperary 1-11

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

‘HUGELY frustrating and disappointing’ – that’s how Laura Hayes described Cork’s home draw against Tipperary.

Caoimhe Stakelum’s goal along with Eimear McGrath’s accurate shooting saw Tipp move within a point of the hosts in this Division 1A tie, before Clodagh McIntyre’s injury-time leveller.

This was a poor second-half effort from a Cork team that played so well during the opening 30 minutes.

The Rebels will travel to Galway in their final Division 1A League outing this Saturday, already assured of their top-tier status but knowing big improvements are needed ahead of provincial and All-Ireland championships.

‘We were lucky to get a point at the end of it, so it is hugely frustrating and disappointing,’ Cork’s Laura Hayes admitted to The Southern Star.

‘We did alright in the first half but we were all over the place in the second.

‘I thought we had come on quite well after the Kilkenny win so it is just disappointing to come away after that performance more than the result.

‘We completely lost our shape. The game ran away from us a small bit. Tipp were really physical in the second half and we must work on that for the coming week.’

Tipp's Clodagh McIntyre is tackled by Cork's Meabh Murphy, Ava Fitzgerald and Libby Coppinger. (Photo: David Ribeiro/INPHO)

Hayes’ assertions were echoed by her manager, Ger Manley.

‘We had a good start but, to be honest, I thought the second half was poor,’ Manley admitted.

‘We should have kicked on but made wrong decisions and our basic skill levels have to improve. Everyone knows that and these are things we can work on, which is good but, overall, I’m disappointed.

‘Look, we were in relegation trouble after the first two matches. We went up to Kilkenny and beat them. That was a good performance.

‘Today’s first half was probably up to that level. The second half wasn’t.

‘We did some very poor things today, defensively and technically and that’s disappointing.

‘We spoke to the players afterwards and they know that (second half) wasn’t good enough. It is the senior players that have to drive it on now.

‘Consistently, we have been average in the league this year but the championship is our goal and we need to improve.’

Orlaith Cahalane scored 1-2 against Tipp. (Photo: David Ribeiro/INPHO)

A strong Cork line-up was enhanced by the late additions of Saoirse McCarthy and Ava McAuliffe to Ger Manley’s starting team.

Sorcha McCartan (free) and Caoimhe Stakelum exchanged scores amid a scrappy opening ten minutes in which Tipp were guilty of hitting four wides. It took a McCartan sideline-cut that ended with Emma Murphy finding the bottom corner to make it 1-1 to 0-1 in Cork’s favour.

Aoife Dwyer replied prior to a monster Laura Hayes free, restoring the host’s three-point lead. That advantage was doubled once Cork found Orlaith Cahalane on the edge of the square and she fired into the net on 14 minutes.

Cahalane added a point, as did Hayley Ryan, and the hosts led by eight heading towards the break. Aoife Dwyer and Roisin Howard pulled two back for a Tipp side having to work hard for every score.

Cork’s tenacious defending, along with additional Cahalane and McCartan (free) scores, saw the Rebels change ends 2-6 to 0-4 ahead.

Ashling Thompson is set for an extended spell on the sidelines with an elbow injury, with July mentioned as a possible comeback date. (Photo: David Ribeiro/INPHO)

The second period exploded with a Tipperary goal four minutes after the restart. Caoimhe Stakelum raced clear and fired past Amy Lee. Eimear McGrath added a free before a Libby Coppinger yellow card presented the same Tipp player with another opportunity which was duly converted.

A McGrath 45 made it a two-point game as Cork struggled to gain a foothold. Sorcha McCartan’s converted free was a welcome score making it 2-7 to 1-7 after 47 minutes.

A marvellous Caoimhe Stakelum effort roused the visiting supporters and there was only a point in it once Eimear McGrath split the posts for a rampant Tipp.

Another converted McCartan free, after Orlaith Cahalane was fouled, gave Cork some breathing room with four minutes to go.

Clodagh McIntyre had a late sight of goal but Amy Lee saved the Tipp forward’s attempt. Eimear McGrath walloped over a terrific effort as the clock reached 60 minutes to make it a one-point game.

Tipp kept pushing and Clodagh McIntyre’s leveller, three minutes into injury-time, earned the visitors a draw and heaped more frustration on Cork.

Scorers

Cork: Orlaith Cahalane 1-2; Sorcha McCartan 0-4 (4f); Emma Murphy 1-0; Laura Hayes (1f), Hayley Ryan 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Caoimhe Stakelum 1-2; Eimear McGrath 0-5 (2f, 1 45); Aoife Dwyer 0-2; Roisin Howard, Clodagh McIntyre 0-1 each.

Cork: Amy Lee (Na Piarsaigh); Meabh Murphy (Ballinora), Libby Coppinger (St Colum’s), Méabh Cahalane (St Finbarr’s, captain); Rachel Harty (Ballyhea); Laura Hayes (St Catherines), Ava Fitzgerald (Sarsfields); Millie Condon (Ballinascarthy), Izzy O’Regan (Ballygarvan); Emma Murphy (Glen Rovers), Saoirse McCarthy (Courcey Rovers), Ava McAuliffe (Castlemartyr); Hayley Ryan (Blackrock), Orlaith Cahalane (St Finbarr’s), Sorcha McCartan (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: Orlaith Cremin (Éire Óg) for H Ryan (44), Niamh McNabola (Cloughduv) for E Murphy (44), Isobel Sheehan (Éire Óg) for A McAuliffe (54).

Tipperary: Laura Leenane; Isobel O’Donnell, Máiread Eviston, Eimear Loughman; Mary Burke, Caoimhe McCarthy (captain), Celine Guinean; Karen Kennedy, Caoimhe Maher; Aoife Dwyer, Eimear McGrath, Clodagh McIntyre; Caoimhe Stakelum, Roisin Howard, Niamh Treacy.

Subs: Eimear Heffernan for C Maher (44), Emma Carey for M Burke (44), Jean Kelly for A Dwyer (57), Niamh Cunneen for N Treacy (60).

Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick).