ÁINE Terry O’Sullivan’s experience is proving vital to Cork following another impressive Division 1 display in Páirc Uí Rinn last weekend.

The Allihies woman played a key role in her county’s first league victory of the season. Closely marked by a tough Galway defence throughout, O’Sullivan’s haul of 1-2 and her ability to link Cork’s attack were crucial to the outcome.

‘It’s a good result after last week’s performance against Kildare,’ Áine Terry O’Sullivan told The Southern Star.

‘It was great to get a draw last week after being three or four points down at one stage. We had seen Galway put up a big score in their win over Meath. They were down a few players today, including the Kilkerrin-Clonberne girls, but this was still a very good result for us.

‘We were aiming for the win today. In fairness, we played well and got scores at the right time after they had scored a goal. The heads didn’t go down, and we just kept going. It’s great to have another few points on the board.’

Beara footballer O’Sullivan took her goal superbly and could have had another if not for a last-ditch Galway block. She is delighted to be playing such a prominent role in a talented forward line during the early weeks of the league campaign.

‘That’s our job: scoring goals in the forwards,’ O’Sullivan commented.

‘I could have gotten another goal near the end, but I got kind of swallowed up by two of their defenders (laughs). Katie Quirke, Abigail Ring, Grace Murphy – they all chipped in with great scores. It was good to have such a spread of scorers.

‘A lot of girls have left the panel over the last few years, so there’s a lot of younger players coming through right now. I’m feeling very old at the moment! The likes of Abigail Ring and a few others are pushing for places. They’re keeping me young anyway, which is good.’

Having secured four points from their opening two league matches, Cork now face a challenging fortnight with away trips to Armagh and Kerry, which will test the resolve of a new-look panel still acclimatising to life in Division 1.

‘That’s going to be a long trip up north this weekend, but I think we can go into that match full of confidence now,’ O’Sullivan said.

‘Hopefully, we can come away with a good result. Cork was a Division 1 team when I first came on to the panel. Last year we were in Division 2. It was nice to get those wins last year, reach a league final, and play in Croke Park – that was a first for a lot of the girls.

‘Playing Waterford and Kerry in Division 1 before we meet them in the Munster championship will give us a good sense of where we are. Looking towards the All-Ireland championship, you really need to be testing yourself in Division 1.’