Cork knock out defending champions Kilkenny, now face Galway in semi-final
WHEELING AWAY: Amy O'Connor of Cork celebrates after scoring her side's first goal during the All-Ireland quarter-final against Kilkenny at Croke Park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
A timely Croke Park victory for this Cork camogie team. A timely victory too over another of camogie’s big three. The champions out, Cork finding form at just the right time.
Cork now face Galway in the semi-final, after the draw was made this evening, while Tipperary will meet Waterford in the other semi-final.
Controversy reigned at the end of this All-Ireland quarter-final. A game that was so incredibly poor early on finished in a welter of excitement.
In the final minute of injury-time, Kilkenny had strong claims for a foul on Katie Power inside the Cork 45-metre line waved away. Had the free been given, Denise Gaule would surely have levelled. After all, she had been unerring all afternoon and finished with 1-10 and the player of the match crystal.
Kilkenny manager Brian Dowling went straight to referee John Dermody at the final whistle to make his thoughts known. Katie Power approached Dermody too, clearly arguing that she had been illegally challenged.
If Kilkenny felt a deep sense of injustice, then Cork had their own bag of grievances.
This quarter-final was a minute into injury-time when Amy O’Connor collected an Orla Cronin pass. The Cork livewire had her jersey pulled as she rounded ‘keeper Aoife Norris, but no penalty was given. O’Connor’s half-hit shot was, in the end, swept off the line by Tiffanie Fitzgerald.
It was the second Cork goal attempt of the second period where the referee had been central to the action. As sub Cliona Healy went through in the final quarter, she was harshly done for charging. Healy was so effective upon her introduction, clipping a pair from play.
Cork dominated so much of the second half and would have had no one else to blame had they failed to exact revenge for last year’s All-Ireland final defeat to Kilkenny. A litany of green flag openings were not taken.
The one second-half goal chance they capitalised on came in the 35th minute, Katrina Mackey at the end of another scorching Saoirse McCarthy run.
Kilkenny’s decision to bring Denise Gaule out the field was the central component in their subsequent revival. Her goal on 58 minutes cut the gap to two. Her seventh free thereafter left the minimum in it as we headed for four dramatic minutes of injury-time.
Cork just about held on to secure only a second Croke Park win from their last six trips. It was also only the second time in their last 10 knockout games against either Kilkenny or Galway - in league and championship - that Cork have come out on top.
Cork would and they wouldn’t have been happy with their interval lead of 1-8 to 1-6.
When a Julianne Malone point on 13 minutes was followed two minutes later by an Aoife Prendergast goal, Kilkenny led 1-4 to 0-2. Against that backdrop, Cork would have been pleased with their subsequent seven-point swing and turning a five-point deficit into a two-point interval lead.
Their response to Prendergast’s ghosting in behind the cover green flag was superb. They reeled off 1-3 without reply. They outscored the champions 1-6 to 0-1 in the 18 minutes after the Kilkenny major.
The energy and runs of Hannah Looney and Saoirse McCarthy were time and again cutting open a Kilkenny defence lacking for structure and shape. More importantly for Cork, those runs were creating a series of overlaps and scoring chances.
Where Cork would have been disappointed was that their interval lead wasn’t bigger. During their second quarter takeover, three prime goal opportunities were manufactured. Only one was taken.
Amy O’Connor showed her trademark turn of step to get inside and away from Kilkenny’s Steffi Fitzgerald for Cork’s 20th minute goal. O’Connor won’t need telling though that she could easily have been going back down the steps of the Cusack Stand at half-time with a hat-trick to her name.
Her second goal opportunity came off the post, while her third was superbly deflected out for a ‘45 by keeper Aoife Norris.
There was no such threat at the other end. Libby Coppinger limited Denise Gaule to placed-ball efforts. Aoife Doyle started promisingly and Michaela Kenneally made two fine catches in the half-forward line, but the menace attached to the Cork attacks was not there for the stripeywomen.
They were far too dependent on Gaule throughout. Their title defence is over.
A O’Connor (1-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘45); K Mackey (1-2); S McCartan, C Healy (0-2 each); H Looney (0-1).
D Gaule (1-10, 0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘45); A Prendergast (1-0); A Doyle (0-2); J Malone (0-1).
A Lee; P Mackey, L Coppinger, M Murphy; M Cahalane, L Tracey, I O’Regan; H Looney, A Healy; C Sigerson, F Keating, S McCarthy; A O’Connor, S McCartan, K Mackey.
C Healy for Sigerson (36); O Cronin for McCartan (42); A Thompson for Looney (44); L Hayes for O’Regan (58).
A Norris; G Walsh, C Phelan, S Fitzgerald; L Murphy, N Deely, T Fitzgerald; K Power, K Doyle; J Malone, A Doyle, M Kenneally; K Nolan, D Gaule, A Prendergast.
M Teehan for Murphy (32 inj); S O’Dwyer for K Nolan (46); A McHardy for Prendergast (50); J Clifford for Kenneally (62).
J Dermody (Westmeath).
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