Cork get Munster Ladies Football Senior B championship off to an impressive start

Cork 2-18 Kerry 2-5

Cork got their Munster Ladies Senior B football championship off to a winning start at Páirc Ui Rinn on Saturday night.

The home side were comfortable all through and never looked like losing, despite the best efforts of a Kerry team that gave them a few scares, particularly early on.

But the Rebels were deserving winners in what was an impressive overall team display.

However, manager Brian Leamy won’t be getting carried away as they won their first game in last year’s championship as well, but didn’t win again after that to not qualify for the Munster final.

They now face Tipperary next Saturday at 2pm at Carrigaline, and another win here would go a long way to ensuring their passage to the final in May.

Molly Beausang opened the scoring for Cork, with Holly Quirke adding a second as Cork got off to the better start.

Siofra Pattwell added a third, but the Cork lead didn’t last long.

With six minutes gone, Kerry were back on level terms when they got their first goal.

Erica McGlynn took a quick free to find the back of the net as the Cork defence were slow to react.

Molly Beausang put Cork back in front, but another goal for the Kingdom saw them lead for the first time with eight minutes played.

Lori O’Connor was on target for Kerry this time, after a Cork restart was picked up by her, to make it 2-0 to 0-4.

Sadhbh Beausang got Cork’s fifth point before they were awarded a penalty.

Holly Quirke was fouled by the Kerry keeper, and the same player made no mistake from the penalty spot, to make it 1-5 to 2-1.

Amy McDonagh added a point for Cork, with Quirke scoring again to increase the home side’s lead.

McGlynn hit two for Kerry, with late scores from Quirke and Pattwell saw Cork leading by 1-9 to 2-3 at half-time.

Cork got the perfect start to the second half when Nicola Sheehan burst through the Kerry defence for their second goal to effectively kill off the game as a contest.

McDonagh added a point, with Sadhbh Beausang and Pattwell adding two more to put Cork into a 2-12 to 2-4 lead.

McGlynn pulled a point back for Kerry with Quirke and Pattwell replying at the other end to keep Cork well in front.

McGlynn was on target again as the Kingdom had their keeper, Aoife Looney, to thank for making several top-class saves, including from a second Quirke penalty.

Late points from Quirke, Pattwell and Molly Beausang rounded off the scoring as Cork ran out comfortable winners on the night.

Scorers for Cork: H Quirke 1-6 (1-0 pen, 5f), N Sheehan 1-0, S Pattwell 0-5, M Beausang, S Beausang, A McDonagh 0-2 each, E Cooney 0-1.

Kerry: E McGlynn 1-4 (2f), L O’Connor 1-0, H Nic Gearailt 0-1.

CORK: C Forde; N Kennedy, E Cooney, E Tarrant; A O’Sullivan, M Beausang, K O’Donovan; A McDonagh, R Murphy; S Beausang, N Sheehan, A McTaggart; S Pattwell, H Quirke, C Dooley.

Subs: M Leahy for C Dooley (ht), E Nagle for N Kennedy, S Ni Laoire for E Tarrant, E McGrath for S Beausang (all 44), M Collins for N Sheehan (52).

KERRY: A Looney; L Kerins, K McGlashan, S Harkin; S O’Donovan, A Barrett, O O’Brien; B O’Neill, H Nic Gearailt; A McCarthy, A Dennehy, A Relihan; L O’Connor, E McGlynn, S Lucey.

Subs: O Clifford for B O’Neill (ht), E Rudden for A Dennehy (38), C Burke for L Kerins, A Cronin for S Harkin (both 44), B O’Neill for S O’Donovan (48).

Referee: Billy Cummins, Tipperary.