Joe Carroll delighted with Cork's performance and start to league campaign

Cork got their first win of their Lidl Ladies Football Division 1 campaign at Páirc Ui Rinn on Sunday.

Granted it was only their second game of the league, having drawn with Kildare last week, but it was an important win for the Rebels. They got the better of Galway in a hard-fought game as they regained a bit of revenge for their loss to the same side in the Division Two league final last season.

They came out on top ty 1-10 to 2-5, with Aine O’Sullivan getting the all-important goal for Cork.

With two difficult away games coming up – Armagh followed by Kerry – it was important to get the points on offer at home.

Though the result was vital, the performance itself was a pleasing factor for manager Joe Carroll.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the win,” said Carroll, “I think our attitude was brilliant against Kildare (which ended in a draw) but we didn't have the killer instinct maybe up front.

“We probably didn’t get a few scores we should have but we worked on that a good bit during the week, and I think it helped.

“But I think even coming towards the end our defensive work was outstanding. We gave the ball away to Galway two or three times that could have given them a chance to equalise.

“Maybe they could have got a two-pointer, in players like Kate Slevin, who's exceptionally good, have ones capable of doing do. But we never let them get the shot away. We eventually turned it over, and the match was over then, but look, we're delighted with it.”

Defensively Cork were superb on Sunday and limited Galway’s chances throughout, with all playing their part from the full-forward line back.

“Our work-rate in fairness was phenomenal, I thought. We worked hard from the very word go. 

Every one of our forwards worked fierce hard, and we have been stressing that all the year.

“I suppose with the three-up rule now, especially, you can't afford to let the ball transition out fierce fast, because if you do, you're going to be in trouble at the back end.

“Maybe there was a few times that we did fall asleep against Kildare and they got their goals out of that, and they created another goal chance, which they could have scored.

“A lot of people said to me after the match that Kildare weren’t the greatest team, but I looked back at the video and I think Kildare will trouble a good few teams before this league is over.

STEPPING STONE

“Hopefully can build on this win now away to Armagh. It's going to be a difficult trip up there because they have a lot of very good players.

“This win should give us a bit of a boost in confidence because this group over the last year or two haven't won a whole pile of important league games.

“We were relegated the year before which a lot of people fail to forget and we got up last. I kept stressing on them we were playing Division 2 teams and it’s totally different to playing at Division 1 because the pace of the game is a lot better. 

"But we're getting to grips with it and just we'll keep working and hopefully we'll get there in the finish.”