Cork Ladies hold out for narrow win over Kerry

Ladies Football: Cork 1-13 Kerry 1-12

Cork wing-back Geraldine O’Flynn slung over another winning point in injury time to make it two wins from two for the reigning Division 1 league champions yesterday.

At a sun-drenched Cloughduv, the All-Star winner — who kicked the winning points in the 2006 and 2014 All-Ireland finals — scored three crucial points in the closing five minutes, two equalisers and the winner on the 61st minute, as Kerry did well to overturn an eight-point deficit midway through the first-half.

At half-time the Rebels led 1-8 to 0-6 thanks to a goal from Rhona Ní Bhuachalla on the 21st minute and points from Grace Kearney, Annie Walsh and Valerie Mulcahy.

However, despite a good defensive display by Bríd Stack and Aisling Hutchings in the first-half, Kerry came back into it in the second, with Sarah Houlihan leading the way and high ball into full-forward Lorraine Scanlon caused the home side all sorts of problems. It paid off, however, with Louise Ní Mhuirceartaigh raising a green flag on the 47th minute.

Substitute Megan O’Connell hit over the eqaliser, before Louise Galvin pointed to put Kerry in front for the first time with seven minutes left on the clock, capitalising on numerical advantage with Valerie Mulcahy in the sin-bin for a second ticking.

However, despite points from Anna Galvin and Houlihan, Cork substitutes Rena Buckley and O’Flynn counter-pointed before the latter popped up on the left flank to nail the winner in injury time.

Elsewhere, 2014 league finalists Dublin drew with Galway, 1-12 to 2-9, at Tuam Stadium, while Mayo picked up their first points of season with a 1-14 to 0-5 win away to Laois in Mountmellick. On Friday night, Monaghan beat Tyrone 5-12 to 2-4 in Emyvale.

CORK: M O’Brien; A Hutchings, R Phelan, B Stack; V Foley, R O’Sullivan, G O’Flynn; M O’Callaghan, C O’Sullivan; A Walsh, G Kearney, J Barry; R Ní Bhuachalla, V Mulcahy, E Farmer. Subs: B Corkery for J Barry (37), R Buckley for E Farmer (41), E Scally for R Ní Bhuachalla (46) and S Kelly for M O’Callaghan (57).

KERRY: E Murphy; A Leonard, A Desmond, C Murphy; K O’Sullivan, C Lynch (C), C Kelly; L Scanlon, M Quirke; S Houlihan, L Ní Mhuirceartaigh, D Hallissey; A Galvin, L Galvin, C O’Sullivan.

Subs: B Breen for M Quirke (37), M O’Connell for C O’Sullivan (46).

Referee: G Carmody (Galway).