Joe Carroll: Cork were favourites to get relegated so every win is huge

The Cork ladies footballers host Waterford next weekend in the Lidl Division 1 League in a top-of-the-table clash after an impressive 0-16 to 0-8 victory in Tralee.

The Rebels have won three and drawn one of their matches since returning ot the top flight and took advantage of an understrength Kerry to forge into a 14-point lead on Sunday. They only scored two points in the second half but had done enough with the win to fully deserve another big victory.

However, Cork manager Joe Carroll knows, despite the super start to the season, it's early days.

"Championship is going to be a totally different kettle of fish, but look, we're young, we're developing. I suppose the win will do us no harm to give us a smile, a bit more confidence in what we have. 

A lot of people saw us even in our own county as being favourites to be relegated back down to Division 2, hopefully we might be safe in that regard. Staying in Division 1 was our target for this year."

Katie Quirke was the leading light for the Rebels, notching a superb 0-10, including four from play.

"Everybody knows Katie around the country. She's an exceptionally good forward, but I think we have a few more as well that will develop into exceptionally good players. 

"Leah Hallanan and Rachel O'Regan went on last week against Armagh, above in Armagh, in a very tight match, and they turned the game around, getting 1-1. And we had Abigail Ring and Aine Terry O’Sullivan that we didn’t start today, and went on. 

"They're all very, very young players, and, but look, there's a long, long year yet, and we're keeping our feet firmly on the ground.” 

Keeping a clean sheet also pleased Carroll.

"Last year, we conceded a couple of goals in different games that turned the games. We were, was it six or seven points up against Kerry in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, could have been up 12 or 13 at the same time and then we suffered in the second half, because Kerry got goals.

"That's definitely something we'd be working on."

LOOKING UP

They face the Déise at Páirc Uí Rinn knowing they could make the league final.

"I suppose if we are there, we'll take it. Galway, they played yesterday, they beat Armagh, they were short a good few players the day we played them in the league, and they had them all back. They’ll be getting stronger as time goes on. 

"Dublin won today against Kildare, they haven't had all their players back even yet.

"The big thing I keep stressing is that we feel that hopefully we're safe from being relegated down to Division 2, which was the thing.

Division 1 football for Cork is a lot, lot better because the teams are a lot faster, it's a lot quicker.

"We can develop players better than in Division 2, where last year, it was old rules, and you were talking about 14 players behind the ball in some games."