Six in-a-row chasing Cork fire four goals in comfortable victory over Monaghan

Lidl National Football League Division 1

Cork 4-14 Monaghan 1-7

By Rory Noonan

A COMFORTABLE win for Cork in their Lidl Division One ladies football clash with Monaghan at Mallow.

Cork took the lead inside the first minute when Doireann O’Sullivan pointed, with Aine O’Sullivan increasing their lead from the re-start.

With just two minutes gone, the Rebels got their first goal when Aishling Hutchings set up Doireann O’Sullivan with a brilliant through ball.

Emma Spillane burst forward from the backline, to make it 1-3 to no score with four minutes on the clock and they went further ahead when Orla Finn pointed from a free.

Six minutes in Monaghan got off the mark, when Rosemary Courtney pointed a free and a minute later she blazed wide, with the goal at her mercy. Her sister, Cora, got their second point, but Cork went straight back up the pitch to get their second goal, with Eimear Scally chipping the keeper, to make it 2-4 to 0-2.

Cora got Monaghan’s third point, but the signs weren’t looking good for them, as Finn turned provider for Brid O’Sullivan to score Cork’s third goal, with 16 minutes gone.

Finn increased their lead, before Monaghan hit back with a goal of their own, with Rosemary Courtney finding the back of the net, to make it 1-3 to 3-5.

Two Orla Finn points, with Cora replying for Monaghan, made it 3-7 to 1-4 as half-time approached.

Scally got the last score of the half to see the Rebels well in control at half-time.

The second-half saw Cork continue to dominate, with early points from Finn extending their lead.

Any chance of a Monaghan comeback were well and truly dashed  in the 41st minute when Ciara O’Sullivan got Cork’s fourth goal, with Linda Martin letting her shot slip through her hands.

Aoife and Ciara McAnespie pointed for Monaghan, but a strong last 10 minutes from the Rebels saw them run out convincing winners.

Two from Finn, along with points from Shauna Kelly and Scally made it 4-14 to 1-6, with Rosemary Courtney getting the last score of the game.

Scorers for Cork: E Scally 1-2, D O’Sullivan 1-1, B O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan 1-0 each, O Finn 0-8 (5f), A O’Sullivan, E Spillane, S Kelly 0-1 each.

Monaghan: R Courtney 1-2 (2f), C Courtney 0-3, A McAnespie, C McAnespie 0-1 each.

CORK: M O’Brien; A Kelleher, M Ambrose, E Spillane: M O’Callaghan, B Casey, S Kelly; M Duggan, A Hutchings; B O’Sullivan, D O’Sullivan, O Farmer; A O’Sullivan, E Scally, O Finn.

Subs: C O’Sullivan for A O’Sullivan, E Meaney for  R  Casey, L Coppinger for O Farmer, A Barrett for A Kelleher, C Moore for M O’Brien, A Nic a Bharid for B O’Sullivan, L Cleary for D O’Sullivan, C Collins for S Kelly, N Quinn for E Scally, A O’Sullivan for E Spillane.

MONAGHAN: L Martin; J Fitzpatrick, F Courtney, A McAnespie; S Coyle, H Kingham, H McSkeane; S Courtney, M Atkinson; E McAnespie, R McKenna, R Courtney; G McKenna, C Courtney, C McAnespie.

Subs: E Woods for S Coyle, B Ward for F Courtney, K Duffy for G McKenna, S McConnell for E McAnespie, C Nelly for H McSkeane.

Referee: E Moran, Kerry.