'Phenomenally fit' Cork open campaign with big win over Tipp
Cork's Libby Coppinger has a shot on goal saved by Lauren Fitzpatrick of Tipperary. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane
Cork’s supreme fitness during a dominant second-half showing delivered Ephie Fitzgerald’s side a winning start to their 2021 League campaign.
Trailing by two at the break and with the elements behind them for the second period, Tipperary would have smelled an upset when returning to the field after the interval break, but Declan Carr’s charges had no answer to Cork’s sharp increase in pace.
Cork outscored their opponents 2-6 to 0-2 upon the restart and, in truth, should have won this Division 1 fixture by considerably more were it not for a litany of squandered goal openings.
The game’s decisive period was the 11 or so minutes after half-time where Cork held Tipperary scoreless while notching 1-2 at the other end to push seven clear.
The goal was provided by half-time sub Libby Coppinger, with Sabhbh O’Leary and Orla Finn throwing over points. Coppinger was finisher turned provider for Cork’s third major, stringing the final pass on a sweeping move that was finished by another sub Katie Quirke.
“The girls are phenomenally fit,” said Cork manager Ephie Fitzgerald. “We scored three goals and possibly could have got seven or eight.”
Cork, for all their first-half dominance and the aid of a strong wind behind them, led only by two at the break as two Tipperary goals at key junctures kept Declan Carr’s side in contention.
The first Tipperary green flag was an almost unavoidable own goal from Erika O’Shea on 17 minutes, the ball deflecting in off the young half-back as she rushed back to help prevent Tipperary full-forward Marie Creedon from finding the net.
The goal was Tipperary’s first score from play and propelled the Premier 1-3 to 0-4 in front. Their second arrived on 25 minutes, Emma Morrissey playing through lively half-back Roisin Daly who finished superbly. The latter was a most timely score as Tipp had fallen four in arrears following an unanswered 1-3 burst from the hosts.
The Cork goal, sandwiched between a pair of Orla Finn points, came from yet another Tipperary restart turned over by the Cork press, Bríd O’Sullivan feeding the hugely impressive Sadhbh O’Leary who made no mistake.
There were other goal chances Cork failed to capitalise upon in a somewhat wasteful opening thirty from Fitzgerald’s charges. Factor in the four wides registered and the 1-9 to 2-4 half-time scoreline in no way reflected the extent to which the home side was on top.
The fear, from a Cork perspective, was that they would be made pay for this carelessness close to the Tipperary goal.
Instead, Fitzgerald’s side found another gear to speed off into the distance upon the restart.
Cork return to Páirc Uí Chaoimh next weekend where they welcome All-Ireland champions Dublin.
S O’Leary (1-3); L Coppinger, K Quirke (1-1 each); C O’Sullivan, O Finn (0-3 each); E O’Shea, D Kiely (0-2 each); E Cleary (0-1 each).
R Daly, M Creedon (1-0 each); A Moloney (0-3, 0-3 frees); E Morrissey (0-2); E Carroll (0-1 each).
M O’Brien; S Kelly, R Phelan, E Spillane; E O’Shea, A Kelleher, M Duggan; M O’Callaghan, S Hayes; H Looney, B O’Sullivan, O Finn; S O’Leary, C O’Sullivan, E Cleary.
L Coppinger for B O’Sullivan, O Farmer for Hayes, M Cahalane for Kelleher (all half-time); D Kiely for Cleary (39); K Quirke for Finn (45); C Collins for Spillane (49); E Meaney for Kelly (51, inj); E Murphy for C O’Sullivan (56); A O’Mahony for O’Leary (57).
L Fitzpatrick; L Spillane, M Curley, E Cronin; R Daly, C Kennedy, E Kelly; AR Kennedy, E Fitzpatrick; E Carroll, E Morrissey, A Moloney; C O’Dwyer, M Creedon, A Delaney.
A Fennessy for Carroll (35 mins); R Howard for Creedon (38); L Dillon for O’Dwyer (45): N Hayes for E Fitzpatrick (50).
E Moran (Kerry).
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