Cork Get Season Back on Track

VALERIE Mulcahy scored 0-11 as Cork bounced back from last Sunday’s shock defeat against Kerry by scoring a twelve-point victory over Clare in this evening’s (Friday) TG4 Munster ladies senior football championship clash.

The reigning provincial and All-Ireland champions were too good for the hosts in Shannon as they ran out 0-20 to 0-8 winners.

Cork had suffered a first championship defeat since the 2010 All-Ireland quarter-final defeat against Tyrone last weekend.

But Eamonn Ryan’s charges are now back in contention for a tenth successive Munster crown – with Clare and Kerry scheduled to meet in the final round of round-robin fixtures in Scartaglin next Saturday evening.

In what was a must-win fixture for Cork, they were driven forward by the scoring prowess of Mulcahy, who scored four of her points from placed balls.

It was Clare who got off to the better start but three unanswered points from Rockbán attacker Mulcahy tied the game at 0-4 apiece after 13 minutes.

Cork went on to lead by 0-7 to 0-5 with 22 minutes on the watch, with Allstar Mulcahy contributing five of those scores.

Cork also had Deirdre O’Reilly and dual star Briege Corkery in superb form as they kicked on to lead by 0-10 to 0-6 at the break.

By half-time, Mulcahy had scored 0-7, including four frees, and the Rebelettes almost netted before half-time as Rhona Ní Bhuachalla saw her chance brilliantly saved by Clare goalkeeper Susan Higgins.

Cork drove home their superiority in the second half and with ten minutes remaining, they led by double scores, 0-16 to 0-8.

Mulcahy had ten points to her name by then while Geraldine O’Flynn, sub Doireann O’Sullivan and Annie Walsh were also on the scoresheet.

Niamh O’Dea top scored for Clare with 0-3, including a free, from centre forward and the Banner County must now defeat Kerry in their final game to have a chance of making the provincial decider.

By Jackie Cahill