Composed Cork defy late Déise fightback
Waterford's Áine O'Neill in a challenge with Cork's Emma Cleary.
Two late goals still proved too little for the Waterford ladies’ footballers, as despite fighting to draw level from seven points down, Cork held firm to deservedly claim the points on offer at Páirc Uí Rinn.
A purple patch from the hosts had them seemingly coasting to victory, but quickfire goals from Bríd McMaugh and Claire Walsh gave the Déise an unlikely lifeline, before a late Katie Quirke free ultimately settled affairs.
Waterford started brightly without working the scoreboard. Two Chloe Fennell efforts were blocked, and a Kellyann Hogan effort bounced just wide of the goal, but it was the hosts who opened the scoring after six minutes - a short free was worked well, and Abbie O’Mahony fired over clinically to give Cork the early impetus.
A moment later, Waterford were on board - via the opening goal. The Déise worked a free short and Eve Power picked out Bríd McMaugh - the Ballymacarbry star wriggled away from Rosie Corkery and seemingly attempted to curl over the bar, but her effort dipped viciously before nestling in the far right corner past a stranded Sarah Murphy.
Cork very nearly responded instantly with a goal of their own, but the defensive intervention of Laura Cusack was pivotal in denying Leah Hallihan the chance to tap into an empty net, before a bright burst from Katie Quirke allowed Emma Cleary to reduce the arrears.
Waterford responded well again with the next two scores. Emma Murray afforded Kellyann Hogan the space to sidestep Grace Ní Mhurchu and split the posts before the lively Áine O’Neill burst through the crowd and got in on the act.
Quirke then held off Murray at the other end to reduce the deficit to two, and she then presented a golden opportunity to Rachel O’Regan, but thankfully for Waterford, she lost flight of the ball with the goal at her mercy.
Chloe Fennell’s free restored Waterford’s goal cushion approaching half time, but an effort from Corkery in space and a patient move finished by Rachel Leahy ensured the advantage was slender as could be at the break - and in truth, it was Cork who had played the better football.
Joe Carroll’s side picked up where they left off after the break and the unmarked Quirke was afforded space to level the match on 31 minutes. Two minutes later, Maeve Daly was sent to the sinbin for charging - and Cork took full advantage, firing 1-5 in her absence to seemingly bring this contest to a close.
Sadhbh McGoldrick sliced through the Déise defence to give Cork the lead for the first time since the opening score, before substitute Áine O’Sullivan was first to react to a short free and Cork moved two to the good.
Waterford continued to give away frees and Cork continued to capitalise - Quirke was on hand to tap over another, before finishing off another sharp move as the table toppers made the most of the momentum. Another free from Quirke made it six on the spin, before Aine O’Neill drove at the Rebels to notch the Déise’s first point in almost 20 minutes.
Cork’s response again was instant and clinical - as Aoife Healy found herself with all the time in the world to amble forward toward the Déise goal, and she blazed past Gardiner to make it 1-11 to 1-4 on 46 minutes, and that was presumably goodnight Waterford.
Tomás Mac a TSaoir rang the changes, and they soon took effect. With Cork having left a huge chance at a second goal behind them at one end, Waterford worked the ball upfield, and McMaugh took another pop at goal that bounced fortuitously - and once again, it somehow found its way all the way to the net. Game on.
Waterford kept pushing and, again, found a green flag on 52 minutes. A McMaugh shot for the third occasion dropped viciously toward the square, and substitute Claire Walsh was on hand to punch it to the far right corner and make it a one-point game out of nowhere.
Jade Queally was pushed in the back by Shauna Kelly and Fennell stepped up to level affairs for the second occasion as the hooter loomed large. Cork pushed for the winner and struck gold when Laura Cusack was adjudged to have fouled Player of the Match Rosie Corkery, and who better than Quirke to apply the finish.
A deserved win for Cork, who continue their unbeaten return to Division 1. The Déise turn their attentions to Kildare as they look to arrest narrow back-to-back defeats.
Katie Quirke (0-6; 0-4f); Aoife Healy (1-0); Rosie Corkery, Sadhbh McGoldrick, Emma Cleary, Rachel Leahy, Abbie O’Mahony and Áine O’Sullivan (0-1 each)
Bríd McMaugh (2-0); Claire Walsh (1-0); Áine O’Neill (0-2); Chloe Fennell (0-2; 0-2f); Kellyann Hogan (0-1)
Sarah Murphy; Melissa Duggan, Dara Kiniry, Shauna Kelly; Aimee Corcoran, Sadhbh McGoldrick, Rosie Corkery; Aoife Healy, Abbie O’Mahony; Rachel Leahy, Grace Ní Mhurchú, Emma Cleary; Rachel O’Regan, Katie Quirke, Leah Hallihan.
Áine O’Sullivan for Rachel O’Regan (HT); Ciara Hughes for Aimee Corcoran (52); Máire O’Callaghan for Abbie O’Mahony (53); Abigail Ring for Leah Hallihan (56); Kate Redmond for Grace Ní Mhurchu (58)
Katelyn Gardiner; Cora Murray, Rebecca Casey, Ruby Browne; Karen McGrath, Emma Murray, Laura Mulcahy; Áine O’Neill, Eve Power; Katie Murray, Kellyann Hogan, Bríd McMaugh; Chloe Fennell, Laura Cusack, Maeve Daly.
Claire Walsh for Kellyann Hogan (47); Gemma Corcoran for Katelyn Gardiner (47); Hannah McGrath for Eve Power (50); Jade Queally for Maeve Daly (52) Eoghan O’Neill (Kildare)
