Scally stars as Rebels’ second-half blitz beats plucky Tipp
EIMEAR SCALLY scored 2-5 to help Cork into the quarter-finals of the TG4 All-Ireland senior Championship following a 6-14 to 1-10 win over Tipperary.
There were only three points between the sides at half-time but four second-half goals saw Cork run out comfortable winners at Sean Treacy Park.
Scally opened the scoring from a free in the second minute with Ava Fennessy replying for the home side. Roisin Howard put Tipperary in front, before Áine O’Sullivan and Katie Quirke combined to set up Scally for Cork’s opening goal.
Fennessy and Angela McGuigan scored for Tipperary to see the sides level, before Cork missed three goal chances in five minutes. The first saw Ciara O’Sullivan’s effort come back off the crossbar, with Quirke hitting the post. Quirke then played Orlagh Farmer in and her effort was well saved by Lauren Fitzpatrick.
Howard put Tipp in front, while a brilliant run from Caitlin Kennedy set up Niamh Hayes to raise goal for Tipperary. But just before the water break Quirke was fouled in the square and Scally slotted the penalty to make it 2-1 to 1-5.
Scally had the sides level from a free, only for Sadhbh O’Leary to put Cork back in front.
Áine O’Sullivan and Howard exchanged points and Scally got the last score of the half to see Cork lead 2-5 to 1-6. With the slight wind Cork started the second half brightly with a Scally free. Áine O’Sullivan was on target again, while O’Leary scored to make it 2-8 to 1-6.
Half-time substitute Aoibhe O’Shea scored Tipperary’s first of the half before two goals in 30 seconds put Cork in control.
Scally set up O’Leary for her first goal and from the restart Quirke played in O’Leary to score her second, for a 4-8 to 1-7 lead.
Doireann O’Sullivan announced her return from injury with a welltaken goal and her pass found Áine O’Sullivan for Cork’s sixth green flag as they marched on to the quarter-finals where they will face Tyrone or Waterford.
Elsewhere, Mayo secured a dramatic 0-13 to 0-12 victory over Monaghan, but only after extra-time and a 30-metre free-kick shootout, which was decided by Shauna Howley in the baking heat of Ballinamore.
Howley landed the only one of the nine frees taken in this dramatic finish, which secured a second win of the group for Mayo, earned despite the 10 points kicked by Monaghan’s Ellen McCarron.
The Westerners opened brightly with Howley, Rachel Kearns and late inclusion Sarah Rowe whipping over a point each by the ninth minute. Monaghan responded well with McCarron tapping over two frees in succession during the next three minutes.
Kearns and McCarron exchanged points at opposite ends by the 15th minute, which gave the Connacht side a minimum lead at the first water break.
When the action resumed Monaghan got back on level terms once again thanks to McCarron’s class from placed balls. But Mayo edged back into a two-point advantage thanks to Grace Kelly’s brilliant brace of scores.
However, Monaghan finished the opening half stronger and McCarron kicked a free and added a point from play to leave it level at 0-6 each at half-time.
In the oppressive heat, the secondhalf action continued along the same path as the first, with Howley and McCarron kicking early frees for their respective sides, before Monaghan took the lead for the first and only time in the game when McCarron put over a 41st-minute free.
Kearns hit back for Mayo, before Kelly reclaimed the lead for Michael Moyles’ side, only for corner back Aoife McAnespie to send the game to extra time with the scores tied at 0-10 to 0-10.
Ten minutes each way was not enough to split the teams in extra time, with a couple of frees from Howley and McCarron the only scores, which saw the game decided with a free-taking competition.
And in the end Howley held her nerve to land the decisive kick, which should be enough for Mayo to work their way into the knockout stages.
In Baltinglass, Caoimhe O’Connor found the net twice as Dublin booked their place in the quarterfinals with their 6-12 to 4-10 victory over Waterford.
The other goals came courtesy of Jennifer Dunne, Carla Rowe, Siobhan Killeen and Niamh Hetherton in a game where Dublin could count 10 different scorers.
Waterford were first off the mark,
Eimear Fennell scored in the opening minute, before Hannah Tyrrell levelled matters.
Dublin stretched their lead when O’Connor grabbed the game’s opening goal. A terrific run from Rowe set up the pass to O’Connor and the Clontarf star finished to the net.
But Katie Murray and Eimear Fennell combined as Waterford hit 1-1 inside two minutes, Fennell finishing both with aplomb.
The sides were level at the water break after Orlagh Nolan finished to leave the scores at 1-2 apiece.
In the second quarter, Jennifer Dunne bagged Dublin’s second goal, and on the resumption Niamh McEvoy finished from close range to go four ahead.
Maria Delahunty scored two frees either side of a Sinead Aherne free to leave three points between them, but Lauren Magee made it 2-5 to 1-4 at the interval.
When play resumed, Dublin got off to a dream start as substitute Siobhan Killeen finished to the net. After Caoimhe O’Connor twice came close, Dublin upped the gears and hit 1-6 without reply. Nolan, Hetherton, Tyrrell and Rowe were all on target. It was Rowe who grabbed her side’s fourth goal before the water break.
Maria Delahunty did convert all four of Waterford’s remaining scores, but it was Dublin who finished stronger with Hetherton and O’Connor netting to ensure the champions’ spot in the knockout stages.