Cork ladies brush aside lightweight Donegal with ease
Cork 3-16 Donegal 0-4
ALL too easy for Cork on making light work of a severely depleted Donegal combination in the Lidl NFL Division 1 clash at Pairc Ui Rinn on Saturday.
As the scoreline indicates, the Rebels performed exceptionally well but it was made all the more easier by an out of sorts Donegal performance. To date in the campaign, Donegal had impressed, registering four straight wins to assume a top of the table position.
A number of factors contributed to this inept showing, clearly lightweight in the absence of playmaker Geraldine McLoughlin and 2017 All Star sisters, the Hegartys, the long trek to Leeside in inclement weather clearly impacted on the visitors. Indeed, the Donegal side on duty looked drained of confidence, urgency and hunger, their 0-4 tally came from frees by Karen Guthrie.
No matter the limits of Donegal, Cork had their own objectives, stung by home defeats by Galway and Tipperary earlier in the campaign. However, a much more committed Cork took to the field, helped by the return of players from All Ireland club champions Mourneabbey with Eimear Meaney, Ciara and Doireann O’Sullivan adding substance to the side.
Such a decisive outcome didn’t look on the cards early on but as the game aged, Cork made little of the Donegal challenge, reducing the visitors to bystanders. In difficult conditions, both sides took a time to settle into the proceedings, Cork close to a goal, Eimear Scally’s effort stopped by a terrific save from Donegal custodian Aoife McColgan.
With little or no atmosphere in the presence of a small attendance, that early fare was very much subdued before the Rebels got off the mark from points by Orlagh Farmer and Niamh Cotter.
Donegal were finding it difficult to win any degree of decent possession, one of a few isolated attacks did win a free to allow Guthrie convert for their lone score in the opening half.
Cork proceeded to grab a firm grip on the proceedings, the positive play of Melissa Duggan, Hannah Looney, Ashling Hutchings, Niamh Cotter and Maire O’Callaghan, the springboard for a run of attacks for Finn and Orlagh Farmer to chip in with points And with the Cork attack pushing up on the opposing kickouts, that piled more pressure on Donegal, Finn and Áine O’Sullivan delivering further points for a clear 0-8 to 0-1 advantage at the break.
Indeed a serious situation became even more perilous for Donegal upon the resumption, the Cork dander rising, typified on Ciara O’Sullivan placing Hutchings for a goal. The one way traffic continued, points from Finn, Daire Kiely and Duggan added to the lopsided nature of the contest.
Just past the three quarter stage, Donegal posted their second score, courtesy of Gutherie. The Cork response was immediate, Beara’s Niamh Cotter ploughed through for a goal.
Donegal doubled their tally with a pair of pointed frees from Guthrie yet Cork remained clinical, a clever flick on from Scally allowed O’Sullivan cooly plant the ball away for a third goal.
The score board underlined the contrasting efficiency levels on the day, in truth Cork hadn’t a weak link whereas only a few Donegal girls measured up on this occasion.
CORK: M O’Brien (Clonakilty); S
Kelly (Araglen Desmonds Buí), H Looney (Aghada), M Duggan (Dohenys) 0-1; D Kiely (Valley Rovers) 0-1, A Hutchings (Fermoy) 1-0, E Kiely (Valley Rovers) 0-1; N Cotter (Beara) 1-1, M O’Callaghan (Mourneabbey); Á O’Sullivan (Beara) 0-1, O Farmer (Midleton) 0-2, C O’Sullivan (Mourneabbey) 1-3; E Scally (Éire Óg), L Coppinger (St. Colums), O Finn (Kinsale) 0-6 (4f). Subs: E Meaney (Mourneabbey) for S Kelly (36), L O’Mahony (O’Donovan
FIXTURES
FRIDAY, MARCH 22
Central Stores, Kanturk U-21 C FC Final replay
Robert Emmets v Dromtariffe, Glantane 7.30pm
SATURDAY, MARCH 23
All-Ireland Colleges D SFC Final
Boherbue Comprehensive School v Ballybay Community College, TBC
Twohigs Supervalu JAHL
Freemount v Kilbrin, Freemount 4.30pm
SUNDAY, MARCH 24
Central Stores, Kanturk U-21 BFC semi-finals
Boherbue v Duarigle Gaels, Kiskeam 2pm Kanturk v Knocknagree , TBC
Twohigs Supervalu JAHL
Dr. Crokes v Newmarket, TBC
Banteer v Dromtariffe, Banteer 2pm
TUESDAY, MARCH 26
County SHC
Duhallow v Muskerry, Pairc Uí Chaoimh 4G 8pm
THURSDAY, MARCH 28 Rossa) for O Farmer (40), D O’Sullivan (Mournebbey) for O Finn (44), R Ni Bhuachalla (Naomh Finbarra), for L Coppinger (44), L Cleary (Éire Óg) for N Cotter (51), E Spillane (Bantry) for E Kiely (51), C O’Shea (Beara) for A Hutchings (51), M Cahalane (Éire Óg) for D Kiely (51).
DONEGAL: A McColgan; A.M. McGlynn, E Gallagher, E McGinley; T Doherty, N McLaughlin, N Carr; K Herron, N Boyle; K Guthrie 0-4f, S McLaughlin, A Boyle Carr; S McGroddy, M Ryan, R Friel. Subs: A Flanagan for R Friel (ht), J Treaty for S McLaughlin (45), S McGinty for AM McGlynn (47), E Melaugh for S McGroddy (51), K McKinney for E Gallagher (55), L Carr for M Ryan (55), A Nee for A Boyle Carr (56).
REFEREE: S Mulvihill (Kerry) County SFC
Duhallow v CIT, Pairc Uí Rinn, 8pm
FRIDAY, APRIL 5
County SFC
Kiskeam v Mallow, Glantane 7.30pm
E Tarrant & Sons Skoda JAFC
Boherbue v Lyre, Dromtariffe 7pm
SATURDAY, APRIL 6
County PIFC
Newmarket v Bandon, Macroom 6.15pm
SUNDAY, APRIL 7
County PIFC
Kanturk v Castletownbere, Ballingeary 3pm
E Tarrant & Sons Skoda JAFC
Cullen v Castlemagner, Banteer 2pm
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
County IFC
Rockchapel v Ballinora, Millstreet 5pm Ballydesmond v Kinsale, Carrigadrohid, 5pm
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
County IFC
Dromtariffe v Milllstreet, Cullen 3pm