Mallow GAA

Cork 5-14 – 2-17 Kerry

O’Sullivan Leads Cork Charge To Senior Crown

Doireann O'Sullivan stole the show as her 11 points, saw Cork retain their Munster Senior A Ladies crown, with a six point winning margin over Kerry in Mallow.

At half time they had amassed a 15 point lead, with four first half goals, as Kerry looked deflated at the break, but a spirted second half comeback from Kerry made it a classic between these rivals.

The damage was done in a blistering opening half an hour, where Cork put the Kerry defence to the sword, the Kingdom missed two second half penalties and will rue their missed chances, the wait for a Munster title since 2017 goes another year.

Cork from the off looked dominant and were looking to lay the mark down early Doireann O’Sullivan pointed two early points to give Cork the lead, at the other end Meabh O’Sullivan was on hand to save a potential Kerry goal from their first attack.

The Rebels kept the pressure on as Eimear Kiely made it a three point lead before Libby Coppinger fired the net after five minutes, 1-3 to no score, Kerry looked shell shocked. O’Sullivan added another free before Kerry opened their account through Anna Galvin after seven minutes.

O’Sullivan kicked her fourth point of the half after eight minutes, just before Coppinger added her second goal, Cork using a direct running style that Kerry could not cope with, 2-5 to 0-1 in favour of the defending champions ten minutes in.

Aisling O’Connell and Niamh Ni Chonchuir kicked quick points to cut the deficit, but Cork still had a healthy lead. Ciara O’Sullivan added a point before MeabhO’Sullivan got a hand to deny Niamh Carmody a deflected goal chance. 

Kerry were getting scores, but Cork were getting goals, a third arriving from Ciara O’Sullivan after 27 minutes, putting Cork ahead 3-7 to 0-4. The Kingdom get the board ticking with points, but Cork finished the half with a flurry, Doireann O’Sullivan with her sixth and seventh point, before Katie Quirke found the back of the Kerry net in stoppage time, the fourth occasion Kerry were carved open that Cork produced a goal.

Kerry started the second half in empathic fashion, O’Leary added an early point, Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh kicked three but also missed a goal chance from a penalty, as Anna Gavlin was fouled, she stepped up and sent it left and wide, the goalkeeper had went the wrong way but a big let off for Cork.

It was a dominant early passage from Kerry, Cork with two chances that went wide, while O’Leary and O’Connell pointed either side of Hannah O’Donghue finding the net, Kerry behind 4-10 to 1-12 after 42 minutes.

Momentum was with Kerry they trailed by 15 at the break and 12 minutes into the second half it was seven, they were dealt a blow as Orlaith Cahalane found the net minutes later to put ten between them.

Battling back again, O’Donoghue and Ni Mhuircheartaigh with points, but the composed Doireann O’Sullivan was keeping Cork ticking over on the scoreboard.

Kerry had a big chance after 53 minutes to convert their second penalty chance of the day,  Ni Mhuircheartaigh stepping up but this time it was straight at O’Sullivan to save, O’Donoghue would grab a point to make it 5-10 to 1-14 with five minutes left.

O’Sullivan capped off a fine day with two late points to finish with 0-11, while Fiadhna Tagney goaled in added time and Louise Galvin added a point to leave a six point margin at the final whistle.

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Clare 0-13 – 1-6 Limerick

Marrinan Kicks Clare To Senior B Glory

Fidelma Marrinan kicked seven points as Clare were crowned 2023 Munster Ladies Senior B Champions, with a four point win over Limerick in Mallow.

A strong second half push from Clare saw them crowned Senior B Champions, seven second half points in succession seeing them topple Limerick by four points.

Limerick started the second half strong, but Clare battled back and will have learned a lot from their league final defeat and before their intermediate campaign begins in the summer.

An energetic start saw both sides attack with intent from the off, but Clare were first to push on the attack, Sinead Considine fired the first shot of the game wide in the first minute, but Fidelma Marrinan made no mistake a minute later in grabbing the opening score.

Laoise Browne drew Limerick level from their first attack, the referee awarding a free in for the Treaty women, off the right boot she curled over the blackspot in the fifth minute. Marrian responded to put the Banner in front once again, as these two neighbours were not letting off.

Back came Limerick, Browne pointing a second free, before putting Limerick ahead with their first score from play, she had a hand in setting up Cathy Mee for a 0-4 to 0-2 lead after 11 minutes, a score we might not have seen coming based on how dominant Clare were in possession.

Marrinan was running the show for Clare in their forward line, a free in the 15th minute brought them a point behind, but consecutive scores in the 26th and 27th minute had the Banner a point ahead, 0-5 to 0-4 as the teams headed to the break.

Limerick had the ideal start to the second half with a goal inside two minutes of the restart, Browne racing on to gather a long ball inside, she passed to Leah Coughlan, with her shot rifled into the roof of the Clare net past Amy Lenihan, Browne followed it up with her fourth point a minute later 1-5 to 0-5 in favour of Limerick just three minutes into the second half.

Clare rallied back however, two Chloe Moloney frees, followed by points from Aisling Reidy, Lizzy Roche and Marrian had Clare in front by two points with 44 minutes elapsed of the contest.

It was six points without reply when Roche added her second since coming off the bench just minutes earlier in the second half, putting three between them after 47 minutes, then Marrinan made it seven with the point of the game, Moloney with a lovely ball inside she was swarmed by Limerick bodies, but produced an acrobatic bicycle kick score to put four between them, 0-12 to 1-05 after 52 minutes.

Caoimhe Cahill had their seventh score without reply in the 56th minute, with Limerick finally on the mark a minute later, their first score since the 33rd minute through Karen O’Leary, four points the margin.

Carol Bateman made a great save to deny Roche a goal on added time, that goal would have sealed the result in favour of the Banner, but Bateman denied her with a solid stop.

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