Waterford exited the All Ireland Ladies Football Championship after a 1-17 to 2-4 loss to Cork in today’s quarter final at a bright and blustery SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The hosts outscored their opponents 1-11 to 1-2 in the second period as substitute Hannah Looney netted on 45 minutes. Emma Cleary kicked four points from play for the Rebelettes.
Waterford fought until the final whistle. Katie Murray and Clodagh Carroll raised green flags in either half for the Déise. Emma Murray was magnificent throughout. She shot two points from play in the first half and assisted a goal for her sister Katie. Surely in contention for an All Star at the end of the year.
The Waterford team showed two changes from the win over Donegal as Clodagh Carroll and Molly Comerford started instead of Mairéad O’Brien and Kellyann Hogan. No Ballymacarbry representation on the county squad for the first time ever.
Captain Hannah Power won the toss and elected to play with the wind towards the Blackrock End. Only a couple of hundred fans gathered in the South Stand.
Emma Murray sent the visitors into the lead after just 20 seconds. Cork went up the other end immediately as Aoife Healy and Emma Cleary kicked points. Laura O’Mahony fisted over another single.
In the sixth minute, Annie Fitzgerald beat four Cork defenders and slipped in Gailltir club mate Clodagh Carroll. From a tight angle, her low shot was blocked away for a 45 by goalkeeper Sarah Murphy. Aoife Murray then won a free which Emma Fitzgerald fired right and wide. Abbie O’Mahony made it 4-1 to the hosts on nine minutes after a patient move.
Aoife Murray blocked another point attempt from Rachel Leahy. Emma Murray took off again and rifled over her second from play off her right boot. On 21 minutes, Emma slipped in her sister Katie. She rounded Murphy and found the far corner of the net (1-2 to 0-4).
The Déise defended heroically. Emma Murray blocked down Cleary before Maire O’Callaghan levelled the scores. On 27 minutes, Cora Murray smothered a shot at goal from Leahy. Cleary snuck Cork 0-6 to 1-2 ahead at the break.
The wind picked up again at the start of the second period. The leaders shot two wides before Lauren McGregor got blocked down by Shauna Kelly. A Waterford turnover was punished by Laura O’Mahony who punched her second point.
Four Cork points arrived in the space of two minutes as the visitors struggled to win possession off their own kickout. Cleary struck her third from play before two more white flags followed from Katie Quirke. For her second, Waterford number one Evelyn O’Brien smothered a shot from O’Mahony in the build-up Quirke lashed the rebound between the posts. With fifteen minutes left, Quirke beat three defenders and offloaded to Hannah Looney. Cora Murray was on the line but couldn’t keep out the effort from the Cork dual star. A point from Eimear Kiely left it 1-11 to 1-2. 1-7 without reply from the Rebelettes.
The Déise refused to throw in the towel. On 52 minutes, a pinpoint kick pass from Lauren McGregor found Clodagh Carroll and she cracked a shot home with the aid of the crossbar. 1-1 in the second half for the Gailltir attacker. Emma Fitzgerald also nailed a consolation free. The last four points belonged to Cork as Sadbh McGoldrick, Lydia McDonagh, Looney and Cleary finished the job.
Both sides finished with fourteen players as referee Jonathan Murphy from Carlow flashed yellow cards to captains Hannah Power and Maire O’Callaghan.
