Kerry 5-7
Cork 2-9

by Dan Kearney

Siofra O’Shea and Danielle O’Leary struck for 2-4 and 1-2 respectively as Kerry produced a super second half to defeat a spirited Cork by seven points at a resplendent but windy Páirc Uí Chaoimh and advance to the quarter-finals of the TG4 All Ireland Championship.

Kerry outscored Cork by 4-4 to 0-3 in a power packed second half as the home side couldn’t cope with the All Ireland champions intensity.

Kerry, playing into the breeze, got off to the best possible start when Niamh Ní Chonchúir smashed the ball to the back of the net after two minutes.

Danielle O’Leary nearly had a second goal  a minute later but shot wide and Cork punished them to the full when Aine O’Sullivan raised a green flag with a fine individual effort after initially losing control.

Katie Quirke from a free and a Melissa Duggan shot that came off Mary Ellen Bolger’s fingertips pushed Cork two ahead  although Siofra O’Shea replied with a free after a foul on O’Leary.

Cork were the dominant team however and Hannah Looney sliced through for a point which was followed by a superb goal from Katie Quirke in the 15th minute to push Cork 2-6 to 1-1 ahead, as Cork turned over the Kerry kickout.

Rosie Corkery, Abbie O’Mahony, and  Laura O’Mahony added points before Kerry got a welcome brace of scores from an O’Shea free and substitute Caoimhe Evans left Kerry with a more manageable 2-6 to 1-3 deficit at half time.

Quirke scored within seconds of the second half throw in but then Kerry got the goal they craved when after a fine turnover from Evans, O’Leary found O’Shea for a goal.

Whereas Kerry were passive in the first half, they were now much more aggressive and O’Shea scored her second goal in the 38th minute after an exchange of passes with O’Leary.

O’Shea added a free and O’Leary, now looking dangerous, scored from play, followed by scores from O’Shea (free), O’Leary and O’Shea from play once more before Cork got a welcome reply from Aoife Healy but the visitors lead by 4-7 to 2-9 with 46 played.

Another series of passes between O’Leary and O’Shea saw O’Leary finish for Kerry’s fifth goal to finish off the Cork challenge.

Kerry are now certain of a home quarter final but Cork must travel to Mayo next weekend to keep their season alive.

Scorers - Kerry: S O’Shea 2-4 (0-3f), D O’Leary 1-2, N Ní Chonchúir 1-0, R Dwyer 1-0, C Evans 0-1.

Cork: K Quirke 1-2 (0-2f), A O’Sullivan 1-0, L O’Mahony 0-2, M Duggan 0-1, H Looney 0-1, R Corkery 0-1, A O’Mahony 0-1, A Healy 0-1

Kerry: M.E. Bolger; E Lynch, E Costello, F O’Donoghue; N Broderick, A O’Connell, C Lynch; M O’Connell, A Galvin; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, N Quinn; D O’Leary, R Dwyer, S O’Shea. Subs: A Dillane for N Broderick, C Evans for N Quinn (both 23), R Rahilly for F O’Donoghue( 29, J Lucey for N Carmody 47, K O’Connor for R Dwyer 55.

Cork: S Murphy; S Kelly, S Leahy, M Duggan; A Corcoran, S Cronin, R Corkery; M O’Callaghan, A Healy; A O’Mahony, L O’Mahony, K Horgan; A O’Sullivan, H Looney, K Quirke. Subs: E Cleary for R Corkery H/T, A McDonough for K Horgan 41, L Hallihan for A O’Sullivan 549 A Ring for L O’Mahony 49, S McGoldrick for M O’Callaghan 50.

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).

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