Moloney stars but Tipp fall just short to Cork

LADIES FOOTBALL: TG4 Munster Senior Championship Round 1

Tipperary 1-14

Cork 1-17

Report: Anthony Newman in Cahir

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Aisling Moloney (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Aisling Moloney 1-12 (0-6 frees), Niamh Martin, Anna-Rose Kennedy 0-1 each.

Cork: Eimear Kiely 1-4 (0-2 frees); Doireann O’Sullivan 0-5 (1 free); Ciara O’Sullivan 0-4; Aoife Healy, Emma Cleary, M Duggan, Laura O’Mahony 0-1 each.

It was a battle to the finish as Cork just about got the better of Tipperary in the opening round of the Munster Senior Ladies Football Championship on Sunday.

Star of the show was Tipp’s Aishling Moloney who scored 1-12 for her side in an outstanding individual performance but it was the experience of Cork that saw them home thanks to the likes of Ciara & Doireann O’Sullivan, Emma Cleary and Roisin Phelan.

Aishling Moloney opened the scoring just thirty seconds in, with Eimear Kiely getting Cork off the mark from the restart. Moloney put her side back in front after six minutes in a low-scoring start.

The Cahir player, operating on home soil, put two between the sides as she was causing problems for the Cork defense – and she got her fourth to keep her side in control early on.

It took Cork twelve minutes to get their second score, with Kiely pointing again from another free. She made it a one-point game after seventeen minutes with the Rebels’ first point from play, to make it 0-3 to 0-4. Kiely had the sides level before Ciara O’Sullivan put Cork in front for the first time. Aoife Healy put them two to the good, before Moloney pulled a point back from a free, 0-6 to 0-5. Doireann put Cork two in front again and she made it 0-8 to 0-5 from a free as half-time approached. Both sides had chances to score but missed easy opportunities to see it stay at 0-8 to 0-5 at the break.

Ciara O’Sullivan increased the Cork lead five minutes into the second half, before Moloney was on target again for the home side. Niamh Martin reduced the deficit to two, before scores from Emma Cleary and Ciara O’Sullivan put four between them again.

Two more from Moloney, followed by two from Doireann O’Sullivan made it made 0-13 to 0-9 with 44 minutes played. Ciara and Doireann O’Sullivan scored either side of two more from Moloney as Cork led 0-15 to 0-11 after 54 minutes.

In a dramatic finish, a goal from Kiely looked like she has secured the win for Cork, but straight from the restart Moloney raised a green flag at the other end to make it a two-point game. But a late point from Laura O’Mahony sealed a three-point win for the Rebels after a highly entertaining game.

Tipperary boss Peter Creedon was full of praise for his star player Moloney:

“We probably need a bigger spread of scorers, but Aishling Moloney was outstanding today.

“The girls’ effort was superb, but we have work to do ahead of the Waterford game (next weekend).”

Cork will play Kerry in round 2 and manager, former Tipp boss Shane Ronayne reflected: “There were a number of players making their championship debuts today and we had three minors who started as well, so it was a big learning curve for all of them.

“With three games in such a short time, we’re going to need all our squad.”

TEAMS - Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry); Cliona O’Dwyer (Brian Borus), Maria Curley (Templemore), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers); Sarah English (Ardfinnan), Lucy Spillane (Fethard), Neassa Towey (Templemore); Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow), Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus); Emma Morrissey (Aherlow), Marie Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields), Aine Delaney (Templemore); Ava Fennessy (Clonmel Commercials), Aishling Moloney (Cahir), Angela McGuigan (Eadestown).

Subs: Clara English (Ardfinnan) for Fennessy (HT), Niamh Martin (Sliabh na mBan) for Delaney (HT), Elaine Kelly (Cappawhite) for L Morrissey (44), Rosanne Kiely (Cahir) for McGuigan (48), Sarah Ryan (Arravale Rovers) for Creedon (55).

Cork: Sarah Murphy; Melissa Duggan, Eimear Meaney, Roisin Phelan; Dara Kiniry, Shauna Kelly, Rachel Leahy; Erika O’Shea, Aoife Healy; Anna Ryan, Doireann O’Sullivan, Emma Cleary; Orla Cahalane, Eimear Kiely, Ciara O’Sullivan.

Subs: Hannah Looney for Leahy (28 inj), Katie Quirke for Cahalane (44), Daire Kiely for Ryan (58), Laura O’Mahony for Cleary (48), Amy McDonagh for Healy (55).

Referee: Eamonn Moran (Kerry).