First win of the season for Cork Ladies, relegation decider beckons for Waterford

Cork's Abbie O'Mahony in a tussle for possession with Waterford's Laura Mulcahy, during their Lidl National Football League Division 1 clash at MTU.

Lidl Ladies NFL Division 1B

Cork 1-14 

Waterford 0-14 

Orla Finn scored seven points to secure their first win in Division 1B of the Lidl National Football League - and send Waterford into a relegation decider.

Katie Quirke’s first-minute goal proved the difference at MTU as Waterford must now turn their attentions to a play-off against Westmeath.

Quirke had the ball in the net after 24 seconds and it meant that Waterford were always chasing the game. 

Kellyann Hogan hit 10 points for the losers but time and again her best efforts were cancelled out by strikes from Finn.

Katie Murray got Waterford’s first point from play in the 11th minute but Finn scored to ensure Cork took a 1-3 to 0-3 lead at the water break.

Finn increased Cork’s advantage on the resumption before Aine O’Neill put just a goal between the teams again. But Cork opened up with three points in three minutes- Abbie O’Mahony, Finn and Quirke on target to make it 1-7 to 0-4.

Then Waterford had the ball in the back of the net but the referee had blown the whistle for a free in the build-up. 

Two late pointed frees from Hogan left Waterford 1-8 to 0-6 adrift at half-time.

Finn got the first score of the second-half with Aoife Murray replying for Waterford. And further scores from O’Mahony and Finn had Cork, 1-12 to 0-7, ahead at the second water break.

Two more frees from Hogan gave Waterofd hope and with five minutes to go it was 1-14 to 0-9. However, Waterford finished strongly with three from Hogan helping to reduce the gap. With time running out they had two goal chances, Chloe Fennell hit the post and Martina O’Brien saved well from Aoife Murray as Cork hung on for the win, and safety.

Scorers for Cork: O Finn (0-7, 3f), K Quirke (1-2), A O’Mahony (0-3), L Coppinger (0-1), L Fitzgerald (0-1).

Scorers for Waterford: K Hogan (0-10, 9f), K Murray (0-1), A O’Neill (0-1), A Murray (0-1), R Tobin (0-1).

CORK: M O’Brien; D Kinry, R Phelan, M Cahalane; L O’Mahony, M Duggan, E O’Shea; A Hutchings, S Kelly; E Cleary, L Coppinger, A O’Mahony; R Leahy, K Quirke, O Finn.

Subs: S Leahy for Phelan (40), L Fitzgerald for Coppinger (40), A Kelleher for Kinry (45), S O’Leary for Cleary (45), C McCarthy for Kelly (45), E Spillane for Finn (50), M O’Callaghan for Hutchings (50), O Farmer for Cahalane (50), F Ahern for R Leahy (57), A O’Sullivan for Quirke (57).

WATERFORD: E Gallagher; C Murray, C McGrath, A O’Neill; A Mullaney, Karen McGrath, L Cusack; E Murray, L Mulcahy; B McMaugh, H Power, M Wall; K Murray, K Hogan, Kate McGrath.

Subs: A Murray for C Murray (30), C Fennell for Kate McGrath (40), L McGregor for Wall (40), A Waring for Mullaney (50), R Tobin for O’Neill (57).

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).