New-look Cork crowned Munster champions

Cork 1-12

Tipperary 1-8

SHIRLEY MOLONEY REPORTS

A NEW-LOOK Cork intermediate camogie team retained their Munster title.

Off the back of winning the 2018 All-Ireland intermediate crown Cork had to wipe the slate clean and start with a new squad this year – but the class of 2019 has already added silverware to the trophy cabinet.

What’s more, Cork beat a Tipperary team in Charleville that had beaten the Rebels 1-11 to 1-4 in Division 2 of the national league in March. Tipp also went on to win the league title.

But Cork hit the ground running here and scored 1-2 without reply inside the opening six minutes. Hayley Ryan and Rachel Harty scored the points before Kate Dooley’s goal put Cork in the driving seat. By half time Cork led 1-5 to 0-4.

Upon the resumption Ryan pushed Cork five clear. That point was quickly cancelled out by a Shauna Quirke score for Tipp. The lead was then trimmed to a single point when Grace O’Toole goaled for Tipperary.

But even when Tipp levelled, Cork never dropped their heads. Instead, they rallied. With their defence holding firm Cork surged forward and scored five unanswered points in a ten-minute spell to see them restore a five-point lead for the fifth time after 54 minutes.  

Four Ryan placed balls and a Dooley effort from play showed the work rate and response from Cork where Katie O’Mahony and Ashling Moloney at midfield held firm and Dooley, Ryan and Erin Looney proved prominent in attack.

Cork led 1-12 to 1-8 after 58 minutes and Rebel goalkeeper Stefanie Beausang made an excellent point-blank save in injury-time to keep the Cork lead intact.

Captain Beausang said afterwards: ‘We are only three months in, this is a lovely bunch and everyone is looking out for each other. There is a nice team dynamic there, lots of different characters. This is a team-building period but we should be going well by the summer and it’s going to be very exciting.’

Scorers

Cork: H Ryan 0-9 (7f, 1 45), K Dooley 1-1, E Looney, R Harty 0-1 each.

Tipperary: G O’Toole 1-0, J Grace 0-3 (3f), S Quirke 0-2, A Loughnane, C McIntyre, S Meagher 0-1.

Cork: S Beausang (Killeagh); A Crowley (Kilbrittain-Timoleague), C Daly (Killeagh), G Hannon (Courcey Rovers); E Flanagan (Aghabullogue), R Sheehan (Killeagh), C Hayes (Courcey Rovers); A Moloney (Courcey Rovers), K O’Mahony (Inniscarra); I O’Regan (Ballygarvan), R Harty (Ballyhea), E Looney (Inniscarra); H Ryan (Blackrock), N O’Riordan (Glen Rovers), K Dooley (Ballinora).

Subs: F Keating (Courcey Rovers) for R Harty (ht), A Hurley (St Catherines) for N O’Riordan (46).

Tipperary: C Houlihan; B Ryan, S Larkin, C Ryan; C Stakelum, C Brennan, E Carey; N Loughnane, G O’Toole; C McKeogh, J Grace, A Dwyer; S Delaney, A Loughnane, S Quirke.

Subs: S McIntyre for S Delaney (36), S Meagher for N Loughnane (51), L Shinners for J Grace (56).

Referee: Kevin O’Brien (Limerick).