Katie Quirke inspires Cork to crucial league win over Monaghan
Cork's Katie Quirke in action. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
A superb win on the road for Cork as they got the better of Monaghan in their Lidl Ladies NFL Division 2 clash at Castleblaney on Sunday.
This win now sets up the Rebels nicely for two home games, the first against Roscommon next Saturday, as they bid to gain promotion back to the top flight.
They now move ahead of Monaghan in the table into second place and if they get the better of Roscommon and then Clare it may be enough for them to return to Division 1, ahead of a difficult final game away to Donegal.
For now they will take the points and move on and can take a lot of confidence from this victory.
There were many outstanding display for Cork, but none more so than Katie Quirke, who scored seven points over the hour.
Cork took the lead three minutes in when Maire O’Callaghan scored and Quirke added a second to double their lead.
It was a low scoring start to the game, not helped by the weather conditions, with Quirke on target again to make it 0-3 to no score to the Rebels after 15 minutes.
She added another from a free before Cork found the back of the net, with Aimee Corcoran raising a green flag, after 24 minutes.
Three minutes before half-time Monaghan got their first score, when Eabha Sherry pointed from a free but Cork were dominating and Quirke scored again, to make it 1-5 to 0-1 as half-time approached.
Hannah Looney got the first score of the second half to increase Cork’s lead with Quirke on target again, to make it 1-7 to 0-1 in their favour after 41 minutes.
With 45 minutes gone Monaghan got their second score, when Sherry found the back of the net from a free, to make it 1-1 to 1-7 as the home side upped their game to get back in contention.
Another point from Quirke extended Cork’s lead again as the Monaghan defence were finding it difficult to handle her pace.
Jodie McQuillan pointed for the home side and with less than eight minutes to go Cork were in control as they led by 1-8 to 1-2.
Again Quirke was on target for the Rebels, with Sherry replying at the other end as Cork ran out deserving winners on the day.
E Sherry 1-2 (1-1 f), J McQuillan 0-1.
K Quirke 0-7 (0-2 f), A Corcoran 1-0, M O’Callaghan, H Looney 0-1 each.
O Kelly; A Bannigan, S Brady, C Brennan; A Burns, J Duffy, C Treanor; N Flanagan, J McQuillan; A Loughman, A Garland, G Hanratty; L Connolly E Sherry, L Garland.
L Maguire for L Connolly (ht), M Atkinson for N Flanagan (38), S Corley for G Hanratty (55), A Clark for A Bannigan (57).
S Murphy; M Duggan, S Kiely, S Cronin; E Cleary, R Leahy, R Ni Chorcora; M O’Callaghan, E O’Shea; A O’Mahony, H Looney, A Corcoran; L O’Mahony, K Smith, K Quirke.
L Coppinger for K Smith (ht), A McDonagh for A Corcoran (40).
Kevin Corcoran, Mayo.
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