Cork forwards blitz their Dublin rivals
CAMOGIE
By Daire Walsh
CORK…………………………………………………. 4-24
DUBLIN………………………………………………. 0-5
THE DYNAMIC full-forward line of Katrina Mackey, Orla Cotter and Jennifer O’Leary were in devastating form at O’Toole Park on Saturday.
Cork eased to victory over an underwhelming Dublin side in their opening Group 1 encounter of the 2014 Liberty Insurance Senior Camogie Championship to set them up for a tilt at the All-Ireland.
With a grand total of 4-19 amassed between them, the Rebel inside line provided a constant threat to the opposition defence, and although stiffer tests lie ahead for Paudie Murray’s charges, the attacking potential of the team will provide the Cork management team with plenty of encouragement.
Cork’s 2013 campaign ended in a heartbreaking one-point defeat to Kilkenny at the semi-final stage, and having also lost the previous year’s final against Wexford, the Rena Buckley-led side will not be lacking motivation in the current campaign.
Following three defeats from as many outings in last year’s competition, Dublin were hoping for a bright start to the proceedings in the Crumlin venue, but disaster struck just two minutes into the action. Netminder Kate Whyte looked set to gather Mackey’s point attempt with relative ease, but after stepping over the line with the ball in her hand, the green flag was subsequently raised.
Dublin did respond well to the concession of this goal with well-taken points from Laura Twomey and Miriam Twomey, but after St Catherine’s star Cotter opened her personal account from a 12th minute 45, Cork opened up significant daylight with a brace of quick-fire goals.
Barryroe’s O’Leary brilliantly registered the second goal of the day after gathering a long-ball inside the defensive cover, and Cotter’s speculative effort from the left-wing deceived the helpless Whyte moments later.
Having gotten some early nerves out of their system, Cork were now playing with greater confidence, and with Cotter dictating much of the play in a roaming role, Dublin’s chances of success appeared bleak.
Briege Corkery, Mackey, Joanne Casey and Buckley (free) all contributed to the scoreboard as the half wore on, and with the excellent O’Leary adding four majestic points to her already impressive haul, Cork brought an insurmountable 3-9 to 0-2 lead into the second half.
Buckley’s long-range strike ensured that Cork had shot 2-9 without reply, and they added another Mackey single after the restart before half-back Aisling Carolan finally ended a lengthy barren spell in front of the posts for Dublin.
This only offered a brief respite to Colum King’s outfit, though, and by the time skipper Louise O’Hara added the hosts’ fourth point 16 minutes from time, Hannah Looney, Mackey (two) and Cotter (two) had all split the posts in emphatic style.
Cotter’s third score of the half soon followed, and when Dublin full-forward Sarah Ryan was issued with a straight red-card for a wild pull on Cork custodian Aoife Murray, an already lop-sided tie became even more disjointed.
With a numerical advantage now on their side, and a 22-point cushion at their disposal, Cork could easily have taken their foot off the gas during the final-quarter. Yet, with so much at stake in a fiercely-competitive group, they could not allow their standards to drop, and 0-2 apiece courtesy of corner-forwards Mackey and O’Leary eliminated any notion that the visitors were going to ease off.
Dublin secured a hard-earned point from substitute Evie Kehoe three minutes from the end, but an exceptional display by an ever-professional Cork side, capped by the terrific O’Leary’s late 1-2 salvo, puts them in a positive frame of mind ahead of a crunch meeting with Wexford.
Scorers for Cork: J O’Leary 2-9 (0-4f), O Cotter 1-5 (0-1 45), K Mackey 1-5, R Buckley (f), J Casey, H Looney, D Cronin, B Corkery 0-1 each.
Dublin: L O’Hara (f), A Carolan, L Twomey, M Twomey, A Bugler 0-1 each.
CORK: A Murray; J O’Callaghan, M Walsh, L Tracey; P Mackey, R Buckley, E O’Sullivan; J Casey, A Thompson; H Looney, D Cronin, B Corkery; K Mackey, O Cotter, J O’Leary.
Sub: A Geary for O’Callaghan (43).
DUBLIN: K Whyte; E Whyte, S O’Toole, G Quinn; A Carolan, M Moynihan, C Rigney; E O’Meara, L Twomey; A Twomey, L O’Hara, M Twomey; O Durkin, S Ryan, A Fanning.
Subs: A Bugler for O’Toole (44), A Ryan for Durkin (51), E Kehoe for M Twomey (57).
Referee: O Elliott (Antrim).