Good start helps Cork to victory over Kerry in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Hannah Looney grabbed an early goal to set the tone. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
A goal from Hannah Looney and some superb shooting from Eimear Kiely saw Cork get the better of their arch-rivals Kerry in their Lidl Ladies NFL clash at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Overall the Rebels were the better side with others to impress including the likes of Shauna Kelly and Sarah Leahy. But they did have to withstand a Kerry second-half comeback, led by Siofra O’Shea before they inflicted the first league loss on the Kingdom this season.
Orlaith Cahalane opened the scoring for Cork in the second minute, picking up the loose ball after Katie Quirke’s shot on goal had been blocked.
Eimear Kiely added a second white flag from the restart as Cork pushed up to try and put pressure on the Kerry kick-outs.
Four minutes in, and from their first attack, Hannah O’Donoghue pointed for the Kingdom to make it 0-2 to 0-1.
O’Donoghue thought she had levelled it, but her effort was ruled out for taking too many steps.
Katie Quirke combined with Sarah Leahy for the former to get Cork’s third point before O’Donoghue missed a good opportunity to reduce the gap.
Rachel Dwyer made it 0-2 to 0-3 as Kerry started to settle into the game.
Kiely and Ciara O’Sullivan both raised white flags to keep Cork ahead, before they too had a goal chance ruled out for overcarrying.
Libby Coppinger added a point, before Ciara O’Sullivan set up Hannah Looney for the game’s opening goal, to make it 1-6 to 0-2 with 19 minutes played.
O’Donoghue and Dwyer, from a free, responded for Kerry with Cahalane replying at the other end.
Two more from Kiely saw Cork lead by 1-9 to 0-4 at half-time.
Kiely started the second half as she finished the first, with two pointed frees to push the Rebels further in front.
Cork were denied a second green flag when Ciara Butler saved brilliant from Dara Kiniry’s effort.
Abigail Ring, on as sub at half-time, increased Cork’s lead to make it 1-12 to 0-4.
But Kerry weren’t going to go away easily and Siofa O’Shea raised a green flag for them to bring the visitors back into contention.
Kiely and O’Shea exchanged scores as Cork led 1-13 to 1-5 with 15 minutes left. Three minutes later, O’Shea got her, and Kerry’s second goal was to make it 2-5 to 1-15 as the visitors showed why they had been undefeated in the league to this point.
Shauna Kelly raised another white flag with O’Shea replying for Kerry as time ran out and Cork took the points on offer.
E Kiely 0-8 (0-7 f), H Looney 1-1, O Cahalane 0-2, K Quirke, C O’Sullivan, L Coppinger, A Ring, S Kelly, D Kiniry 0-1 each.
S O’Shea 2-2 (0-1 f), R Dwyer (f), H O’Donoghue 0-2 each.
M O’Sullivan; M Duggan, E Meaney, R Phelan; S Kelly, M O’Callaghan, R Leahy; H Looney, S Leahy; L Coppinger, K Quirke, E Cleary; O Cahalane, E Kiely, C O’Sullivan.
D Kiniry for M O’Callaghan (23), A O’Mahony for R Leahy, A Ring for Cahalane (both ht), A Ryan for M Duggan (42), E Jack for L Coppinger (49), S McGoldrick for E Cleary (50), B O’Sullivan for H Looney (52), L McDonagh for E Kiely, A McDonagh for S Leahy (both 57),
C Butler; C O’Brien, E Lynch, A Dillane; C Lynch, E Costello, C Murphy; K Cronin, M O’Connell; N Carmody, A Galvin, A Harrington; F Tangney, R Dwyer, H O’Donoghue.
N Ní Chonchuir for M O’Connell, S O’Shea for F Tagney, E McGlynn for R Dwyer (all ht), L Scanlon for N Carmody, A O’Connell for C O’Brien, N Broderick for A Dillane (47), K Brosnan for H O’Donoghue (49), K A Hanrahan for A Harrington (57)
Kevin Phelan, Laois.
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