Cork camogie team back in action in style as they hammer Limerick by 38 points
Cork's Orlaith Cahalane shoots from Limerick's Emily O'Halloran during the GlenDimplex All-Ireland Camogie Championship at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Cork got their title defence off to a smooth start after their comprehensive win over Limerick in the opening round of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship at Páirc Ui Rinn on Saturday.
Following on from the successful shorts v skorts motion last Thursday it was back to action on the pitch rather than off it. Due to the postponement of the Munster final Cork didn’t have a game for five weeks, but you wouldn’t think it as they were in total control, from the first minute to the last.
Three first-half goals, from Amy O’Connor, Orlaith Cahalane and Katrina Mackey put the game beyond Limerick and by half time it was a damage limitation exercise for the visitors.
Three more in the second further emphasised just how dominant Cork were as they didn’t have to get out of second gear to coast home.
Saoirse McCarthy opened the scoring for Cork in the third minute from a free, with Mackey adding a second from the restart.
With four minutes gone Cork got their first goal, when Clodagh Finn set up Amy O’Connor to score.
Emma Murphy added a point from play as Cork were dominating all over the pitch.
With six minutes gone the game was effectively over as a contest when O’Connor turned provider for Mackey, who flicked the ball to the net – Tony Kelly style – to make it 2-3 to no score.
McCarthy, Murphy and Finn all added points to further increase Cork’s lead as Limerick were yet to threaten the Cork goal.
Cork kept piling on the scores with McCarthy and O’Connor pointing from free, before Cork got their third goal and it really was game over by then.
Limerick’s first real chance game after 25 minutes when Dearbhla Egan took on the Cork defence, stood firm to deny her a goal chance.
Cahalane and O’Connor further increased Cork’s lead, with Finn adding another, as the break approached. Caoimhe Costelloe got the final score of the half for Limerick from a free, but Cork were well in control as they led by 3-12 to 0-1.
Kate Wall, on as a sub for Laura Treacy, extended Cork’s lead further at the start of the second half, with Mackey adding another as the Rebels continued to dominate.
With 33 minutes gone, Finn dispossessed the Limerick to score Cork’s fourth goal as Limerick couldn’t stop them.
Mackey and two more from O’Connor pushed Cork further ahead before Limerick got their first point from play.
Laura Southern got their first from play after 41 minutes, to make it 4-17 to 0-2.
Ciara O’Sullivan and O’Connor added points as Cork were ruthless with every attack.
A quick free from O’Connor found Cahalane to score Cork’s fifth goal.
The sixth soon followed, when Finn found the back of the net again, to make it 6-22 to 0-2.
Southern got their second point from play, with Costelloe adding another from a free, to make it 6-23 to 0-4.
Mackey was among Cork’s late scorers as the Rebels ran out comprehensive winners, in a totally one-sided game.
A O’Connor 1-7 (0-6 f), O Cahalane, C Finn 2-3 each, K Mackey 1-4, S McCarthy 0-3 f, E Murphy, K Wall 0-2 each, C O’Sullivan 0-1.
C Costelloe 0-3 f, L Southern 0-2.
A Lee; M Murphy, P Mackey, M Cahalane; A Healy, L Treacy, L Hayes; H Looney, A Thompson; E Murphy, S McCarthy, O Cahalane; C Finn, K Mackey, A O’Connor.
K Wall for L Treacy, R Harty for A Healy (both ht), C Healy for E Murphy, C O’Sullivan for S McCarthy (both 40),
S Gillane; O Kelleher, M Creamer, E O’Halloran; C O’Riordan, S O’Callaghan, S Cunningham; A Larkin, M Ryan; L Boylan, S Woulfe, C Neenan; D Egan, L Southern, C Costelloe.
T Dore for M Creamer (44), A Foley for C Neenan, A O’Tiarnaigh for M Ryan, L English for S Woulfe (all 49).
Joe Mullins, Clare.
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