CORK 1-10

KILDARE 2-7

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

CORK escaped with a last-gasp draw on their return to Lidl NFL Division 1.

Twice down by three and a point behind four minutes into injury-time against Kildare at MTU Cork on Sunday, Joe Carroll’s new-look Cork had Katie Quirke to thank for snatching a draw from the jaws of defeat.

The Bride Rovers forward finished with five points (all frees) including her injury-time leveller to prevent Kildare from leaving Leeside with an opening round victory.

‘There’s relief that we got the draw and a bit of a disappointment because we gave away two very bad goals,’ Cork manager Joe Carroll said.

‘We have a new team, there was a lot of learning in it for our players and I was very pleased. We were delighted with that part of it. They showed great resolve just to stick at it.’

Katie Quirke scored 0-5 for Cork, including the late leveller.

On a day new LGFA experimental rule changes made for an entertaining encounter, a Cork team minus plenty of experienced campaigners were fortunate not to lose.

Newly promoted from Division 2, Cork’s hopes of surviving in the top tier rests on picking up points on home soil.

Strangely, this felt more like a point gained than a point lost and there were some impressive individual displays to give hope for the remainder of the campaign.

Caoimhe Richmond, Melissa Duggan, Aoife Healy, Emma Cleary and Abigail Ring stood out in a disjointed Cork display.

West Cork’s representatives had an influence on proceedings with goal-scoring Melissa Duggan (Dohenys) making her presence felt. Áine Terry O’Sullivan (Beara), Kate Redmond (Kinsale) and Emma Hurley (Ilen Rovers) were sprung from the bench to positive effect.

‘Yeah, they (subs) made a huge impact,’ Carroll agreed.

‘We brought on Kate Redmond late on, in the middle of the field, she had a huge impact. Abigail Ring got two scores when she went in. It’s not a 15-player game anymore. You have to use your bench.

‘There’s a lot of positives we will take out of that, but there are a lot of things we have to work on as well.’

This was an entertaining game, enhanced by the new rules, especially the solo and go option. Aoife Murnane (two), Mayah Doyle, Aoife Rattigan and Alannah Prizeman (free) handed Kildare a merited 0-5 to 0-3 lead despite the visitors kicking six wides.

Katie Quirke (two frees) and Grace Ní Mhurchú replied for a Cork team playing second fiddle until Emma Cleary set up Melissa Duggan to net a fine goal.

There was still time for Aoife Murnane to billow the net at the opposite end right on half time, as Kildare led 1-5 to 1-3 at the break.

Abigail Ring kicked 0-2 for Cork.

A low-scoring third quarter saw the sides draw level, 1-6 apiece, as Emma Cleary, Leah Hallihan and Katie Quirke (free) scored. Alannah Prizemann converted a 13-metre free in reply.

Both goalkeepers, Caoimhe Richmond and Rachel Fennin, produced superb point-blank stops prior to the excellent Aoife Murnane netting her second goal to make it 2-6 to 1-6 in Kildare’s favour.

Quirke and Abigail Ring (twice) levelled matters for a third time, 1-9 to 2-6. Alannah Prizeman’s free looked to have won it for Kildare but Katie Quirke had the final say, converting a free four minutes into injury-time to secure a draw.

A battling, opening day draw for Cork but a much-improved display is needed if Galway are to be overcome this weekend.

‘Hopefully people see that we’re trying to play a fast, attractive brand of football,’ Joe Carroll added.

‘Hopefully, the crowd will start getting behind us from now on and we’ll get an even bigger crowd out again against Galway on Sunday.

‘There were a lot of nerves today. Grace Murphy was playing her first (senior) game and did very well, travelled a lot of the pitch and handled a lot of the ball.

Caoimhe Richmond was getting her first start in goal and did very well. She didn't lose a kick out all day, she was 100 per cent from them. There are a lot of positives to be taken from today.’

Scorers

Cork: K Quirke 0-5 (5f); M Duggan 1-0; A Ring 0-2; G Ní Mhurchú, E Cleary, L Hallihan 0-1 each.

Kildare: A Murnane 2-2; A Prizemann 0-2 (2f); M Doyle, A Rattigan, J Harney 0-1 each.

Cork: C Richmond (Glanmire); M Duggan (Dohenys), D Kiniry (Lisgoold), K Horgan (Knocknagree); A Corcoran (Erin’s Own), S McGoldrick (Éire Óg), R Corkery (Naomh Abán); A Healy (St Colman’s), A O’Mahony (Glanmire); R Leahy (Aghada), G Ní Mhurchú (Naomh Abán), E Cleary (Éire Óg, captain); R O’Regan (Carrigaline), K Quirke (Bride Rovers), L Hallihan (Bride Rovers).

Subs: Á Terry O’Sullivan (Beara) for R O’Regan (42), K Redmond (Kinsale) for A O’Mahony (50), A Ring (Aghada) for L Hallihan (50), E Hurley (Ilen Rovers) for R Leahy (57), C Hughes (St Val’s) for R Corkery (58).

Kildare: R Fennin; E Wheeler, R Sargent, M Doherty; H McLoughlin, L Shaw, L Lenehan (captain); N Murphy, G Wheeler; M Doyle, C Wheeler, A Rattigan; A Murnane, L Curran, A Prizeman.

Subs: J Harney for L Curran (2, inj), M Aspell for M Doyle (37), M McDonagh for G Wheeler (52), R Forde for A Rattigan (46), A Mahon for J Harney (57), A Cahill for A Prizemann (58).

Referee: J Murphy (Carlow).