Louise delivers late for Kerry
At windswept Dingle, the hosts trailed until the 41st minute, as Cork started superbly after Doireann O’Sullivan finished an Emma Farmer assist to the net in the opening minute. Playing with the wind, Eamonn Ryan’s charges registered 1-3 in the first-half, as Kerry found it hard to break down the Cork defence, with Briege Corkery, Roisín Phelan and Vera Foley performing well.
Louise Ní Mhuirceartaigh and Bernie Breen registered Kerry’s only points of the half to trail 0-2 to 1-3 at the turnaround. However, upon the restart, William O’Sullivan’s players were a changed outfit. Points by freetaker Geraldine O’Flynn and Valerie Mulcahy kept the Rebels in front, but Kerry’s tempo upped considerably despite playing against the wind, and in the 41st minute they took the lead for the first time when Corca Dhuibhne’s Louise Ní Mhuirceartaigh gathered the ball off the upright to fire past Cork goalkeeper Martina O’Brien and make it 1-5 to 1-4.
The champions however weathered the storm, and when Kerry’s Julie Brosnan was sent to the sin-bin by referee Keith Delahunty five minutes later, Cork took advantage with points from Mulcahy and O’Flynn.
However, from there on in it was all Kerry and with just two minutes left substitute Sarah Houlihan levelled proceedings at 1-7 apiece. But, Ní Mhuirceartaigh popped up to sling over the winner on the hour mark, putting them back in the hunt for the knock-out stages.
Elsewhere in Division One, joint table toppers Dublin remain undefeated, denying Donegal 5-9 to 0-7 in Tir Connail Park, Noelle Healy hitting 2-3, while Carla Rowe, Lyndsey Davey and Siobháin Woods also raised green flags.
In Division 2, there were victories for Westmeath, Down, Galway and Kildare. In Division 3, Waterford, Tipperary, Wexford and Armagh recorded wins while Limerick, Wicklow and Roscommon collected victories in Division 4.
Scorers for Kerry: L Ní Mhuirceartaigh 1-4 (0-1 free); B Breen, L Galvin, S Houlihan and D Corridon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: V Mulcahy 0-3, D O’Sullivan 1-0, G O’Flynn 0-3 (frees) and B Corkery 0-1.
KERRY: A Brosnan; J Brosnan, A Desmond, G Crowley; M Quirke, C Lynch, D Hallisey; E Sherwood, B Breen; S J Joy, D Corridon, D Murphy; P Dennehy, L Galvin, L Ní Mhuirceartaigh.
Subs: S Houlihan for P Dennehy (ht) and L Scanlon for D Murphy (39).
CORK: M O’Brien; R Phelan, A Walsh, AM Walsh; V Foley, B Stack, G O’Flynn; R Buckley, B Corkery; Annie Walsh, C O’Sullivan, S Kelly; V Mulcahy, D O’Sullivan, E Farmer.
Subs: J Barry for Annie Walsh (45), O Finn for E Farmer (49) and O Farmer for S Kelly (55).
Referee: K Delahunty (Tipperary)
