All-Ireland champions Kerry get Munster title defence off to winning start in Cork
Cork 0-10
Kerry 1-13
By Anthony Newman
KERRY GOT THE defence of their TG4 Munster Senior Championship crown off to a winning start at Cloughduv on Saturday.
The reigining provincial and All-Ireland champions did all the damage in the first half and by the break they led by 1-11 to 0-3, with Síofra O'Shea and Danielle O'Leary, Player of the Match in the recent Lidl NFL Division 1 Final, doing most of the damage up front.
They were playing with the aid of a strong wind and used it to their full advantage and it was always going to be difficult for Cork to overcome that lead.
Cork started without their dual players but the introduction of Aoife Healy and Libby Coppinger, after 24 minutes, helped steady the ship for Cork as they came back at Kerry after half-time.
But the experience of Kerry was too much for Cork in the end as they ran out deserving winners, particularly on their first-half display.
The Kingdom took the lead four minutes in when O'Shea set up O'Leary for the game's opening goal.
O'Leary added a point from the restart as the Kingdom were using the strong wind in their favour to their advantage.
O'Shea added another and with ten minutes gone they were 1-3 to no score up, with Katie Brosnan also scoring.
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Lydia McDonagh got Cork off the mark, but Kerry kept driving forward as Caoimhe Evans increased their lead.
Rachel Dwyer, O'Shea and O'Leary all added points as the defending champions led by 1-7 to 0-1.
Katie Quirke got Cork's second point from a free, with O'Shea replying at the other end to keep them well ahead.
A great run from Melissa Duggan saw her score Cork's third point, with O'Shea again replying for the visitors.
Evans and O'Leary both scored before half-time to see Kerry well in control at the break, leading by 1-11 to 0-3.
All credit to Cork as they took the game to Kerry in the second half and now with the strong wind at their backs, it was their turn to drive forward in search of scores.
Quirke got their first from a free with Abigail Ring also on target as Kerry were finding it hard to get out of their own half.
Eilis Lynch and Katie Quirke (file photo). Natasha Barton / INPHO Natasha Barton / INPHO / INPHO
Two more from Quirke, one a free, made it 0-7 to 1-11 after 40 minutes as Kerry had yet to get a shot off since the restart.
Emma Cleary added another and Quirke pointed a free to close the gap further, making it 0-9 to 1-11.
O'Shea got Kerry's first score of the second half, after 48 minutes, from a free, before Cork thought they had a penalty.
Aoife Healy was fouled but after consulting with his umpires the referee awarded a free, which Quirke duly scored to put five between the sides.
O'Shea rounded off the scoring from another free to see Kerry get their title defence off to a winning start.
Scorers for Kerry: D O'Leary 1-3, S O'Shea 0-6 (4 frees), C Evans 0-2, K Brosnan, R Dwyer 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: K Quirke 0-6 (5 frees), L McDonagh, M Duggan, A Ring, E Cleary 0-1 each.
KERRY: ME Bolger; F O'Donoghue, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O'Connell, N Broderick, A Dillane; M O'Connell, A Galvin; C Evans, N Ní Chonchúir, K Brosnan; D O'Leary, R Dwyer, S O'Shea.
Subs: N Carmody for R Dwyer, C Lynch for N Broderick (both ht), J Lucey for K Brosnan (41), R Rahilly for C Evans (52), L Boyle for D O'Leary (60).
CORK: S Murphy; D Kiniry, S Kelly, M Duggan; E O'Shea, S Cronin, R Corkery; A Corcoran, S McGoldrick; A O'Mahony, L O'Mahony, E Cleary; A Ring, L McDonagh, K Quirke.
Subs: A Healy for S McGoldrick, L Coppinger for A Corcoran (both 26), L Hallihan for L McDonagh (41), C O'Shea for R Corkery, H Looney for L O'Mahony (both 52).
Referee: Patrick Smith (Waterford).
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