Ciara O'Sullivan and Hannah Looney grab goals as Cork beat Waterford in the Páirc

Cork 2-10 Waterford 0-8

Cork got their Very National Camogie League Division 1A campaign off to a winning start at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The All-Ireland champions showed they mean business again this season as two first-half goals put them on the road to a deserved win.

Waterford are never an easy side to beat and made it tough but they found it difficult to live with the likes of Ciara O’Sullivan, Clodagh Finn, Sorcha McCartan, and Orlaith Cahalane in the Cork attack.

Behind them Laura Hayes put in a top-class display at centre-back, showing she isn’t going to give up her Player of the Year title easily.

Cork were also boosted by the return of Libby Coppinger at full-back, a sight not too many full-forwards will be happy about.

They started with 10 of the side that took to the pitch for the All-Ireland final last year and with the likes of Meabh Cahalane, Laura Treacy, Amy O’Connor, and Katrina Mackey still to come back there will be plenty of competition for places in the starting 15.

Chances were few early on, with Waterford having the first real openings, with one dropping short and another going wide.

It took until the fifth minute before Cork fashioned their first real opportunity to score. The familiar sight of Saoirse McCarthy taking off down the wing and beating several players was followed by a pass to Orlaith Cahalane. She brushed off one defender but her shot on goal went narrowly wide. 

It took until the eighth minute for Cork to open the scoring when Cahalane set up Sorcha McCartan to make it 0-1 to no score.

Two minutes later we had the game’s opening goal when Hannah Looney played Ciara O’Sullivan in and she gave Noelle Murphy no chance of saving.

Cork were now starting to dominate possession and McCarthy got on the score sheet to increase their lead before Beth Carton replied for the visitors.

Carton added another from a free to see only a goal between the sides at the end of the opening quarter.

McCartan added a point from a free before the impressive Clodagh Finn made it 1-4 to 0-2 after 17 minutes. McCartan missed a free but made up for it when she scored a magnificent point from distance after the restart.

It took a brilliant save from Murphy to deny Cahalane a goal, after some good build-up play from Finn and McCartan.

O’Sullivan added a point to her goal before the Rebels had their second green flag. Cahalane played Looney in and she kicked the ball to the net to make it 2-6 to 0-2. Kate Wall added a point for the last score of the half as the Rebels were well in control at the break, leading by 2-7 to 0-2.

With the slight wind at their backs for the second half Waterford reduced the deficit when Eimear O’Neill pointed from a free after 36 minutes.

Niamh Rockett added another from play, to make it 2-7 to 0-4 a minute later.

McCartan pointed from a 45 to put 10 between the sides as the running game of McCarthy was causing Waterford all sorts of problems at this stage and it was no great surprise she was named Player of the Game afterwards.

A point from Lorraine Bray made it 2-8 to 0-5 with 15 minutes left. McCarthy got her second of the afternoon, with Rockett replying at the other end.

Points from Rockett and Bray reduced Cork’s with McCartan getting their last score of the tie to see the Rebels running out deserving winners.

Scorers for Cork: S McCartan 0-5 (0-3 f, 0-1 45), C O’Sullivan 1-1, H Looney 1-0, S McCarthy 0-2, C Finn, K Wall 0-1 each.

Waterford: B Carton (f), E O’Neill (f), N Rockett, L Bray 0-2 each.

CORK: A Lee; M Murphy, L Coppinger, P Mackey; I O’Regan, L Hayes, H Looney; A Healy, A Thompson; C O’Sullivan, K Wall, S McCarthy; C Finn S McCartan, O Cahalane.

Subs: A Fitzgerald for A Thompson (48), M Ring for A Healy (50), C Mullins for C Finn (52), R Harty for K Wall (56), M Condon for C O’Sullivan (58).

WATERFORD: N Murphy; R Walsh, K Corbett Barry, A McNulty; K Bowdren, L Bray, K Lynch; T Power, E O’Neill; B Carton, M O’Brien, O Hickey; A Flynn, N Rockett, M Gosti.

Subs: I Heffernan for K Lynch, M Comerford for M O’Brien (both 50).

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).