Kildare held by last-minute equaliser in thrilling league opener with Cork

Kildare 2-7

Cork 1-10

The Kildare ladies mirrored their male counterparts in producing a superb away performance to kick off their league season and, much like The Lilies in Omagh, could well have taken all of the points away from MTU Arena.

Pat Sullivan’s side flew out of the blocks in this clash and led by two as the game approached the 10-minute mark after a pair of excellent Aoife Murnane scores. However, despite a dominant opening spell from The Lilies, their poor use of the chances that they created stopped them from kicking away early. Kildare had eight first half wides with seven coming in the first 11 minutes.

After Kildare’s early wastefulness, a Katie Quirke free at the other end had the game back to a single point.

Mayah Doyle added Kildare’s third before Quirke added another free to restore the one-point margin. Grace Ní Mhurchú then levelled this game at 0-3 in the 20th minute with a fine point off her favoured left foot as Cork began to get a foothold in proceedings.

An incisive run from Aoife Murnane again opened up Cork as the Maynooth forward turned provider for Aoife Rattigan who curled over a lovely point.

An Alannah Prizeman free pushed Kildare two clear following a Cork 3v3 violation up the field with the new LGFA rules being felt to the fullest extent throughout this game.

Two clear and approaching half-time, things looked good for The Lilies but it looked like there was going to be some late punishment for their profligate shooting when Melissa Duggan sliced through The Lilies’ back-line and drilled the ball into the back of the net.

It looked to be a gut-punch end to an impressive first half showing but Kildare had a late first half haymaker of their own to come. The home side held possession at the back as they sought to close out a fine outcome from an underwhelming display, but one exchange between defenders showed too much of the ball to Alannah Prizeman who sharply intercepted. The Naas forward found the undoubted star of the day, Aoife Murnane, who drove towards goal and blasted the ball into the roof of the net in confident style. The visitors in white led 1-5 to 1-3 at the break.

Aoife Murnane had a field day in this game and part of the reason was the space that was created in behind the Cork defence. When defending, all three Kildare forwards that were left up stood on the half-way line and, naturally, brought their markers in red shirts with them. The drawing in of those defenders left acres for Kildare’s forwards, and in particular Aoife Murnane, to run into.

The second half also got off to a brisk start with Cork in the ascendency this time around. Captain Emma Cleary was first on the scoresheet after the break to reduce the gap back to one.

The teams then felt the full weight of the fresh regulations when they were both punished for delaying an opposition restart and conceded what became close-range free, after being brought up, for Katie Quirke and Alannah Prizeman to knock over.

Cork corner-forward Leah Hallihan was the player to level things when she was put through by Quirke in the 35th minute amidst an unsettled spell for Kildare.

Gilt edge goal chances at both ends were missed as the tension ramped up while the game remained all square at 1-6 to 1-6. Alannah Prizeman was denied by Caoimhe Richmond when she was sent through one-on-one with the Cork stopper with all the time in the world. The Naas forward is a lethal finisher and, because of that fact, the travelling fans in white were shocked not to see the net bulge.

The home supporters were given that very same feeling when Rachel Fennin brilliantly denied full-forward Katie Quirke who had a clear sight at goal herself in the 48th minute.

Kildare did eventually breach the Cork net once again and it was Aoife Murnane who did so in fine style with 11 minutes to go. It was glorious from the Maynooth forward who cut across the ball on her left foot and left Caoimhe Richmond stranded as the ball cannoned off the post and into the net.

The Rebels responded impeccably with the game’s next three points to level things with a fourth Katie Quirke free being followed by two super scores from late substitute Abigail Ring.

Kildare had one last push to take the full set of points home and Jessica Harney, moments before being taken off, brilliantly restored their narrow advantage when she spun and fired over a super score from a tight angle in the 57th minute

The Lilies held possession and maintained control deep into added time but Cork eventually got their key turnover and a subsequent free on the counterattack. 

Katie Quirke made this game level from the close-range set-piece as Kildare came away with a more than deserved draw at 2-7 to 1-10 from a cracking game.

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Kildare, Aoife Murnane 2-2, Alannah Prizeman 0-2 (0-2 frees), Aoife Rattigan 0-1, Mayah Doyle 0-1, Jessica Harney 0-1.

Cork, Katie Quirke 0-5 (0-5 frees), Melissa Duggan 1-0, Abigail Ring 0-2, Grace Ní Mhurchú 0-1, Emma Cleary 0-1, Leah Hallihan 0-1.

KILDARE: Rachel Fennin; Emma Wheeler, Ruth Sargent, Mia Doherty; Hazel McLoughlin, Lisa Shaw, Laoise Lenehan; Nanci Murphy, Gillian Wheeler; Mayah Doyle, Ciara Wheeler, Aoife Rattigan; Aoife Murnane, Lara Curran, Alannah Prizeman. Subs: Jessica Harney for Lara Curran (2 minutes), Molly Aspell for Mayah Doyle (38 minutes), Meabh McDonagh for Gillian Wheeler (42 minutes), Roisin Forde for Aoife Rattigan (45 minutes), Amy Mahon for Jessica Harney (57 minutes), Abaigh Cahill for Alannah Prizeman (60 minutes).

CORK: Caoimhe Richmond; Aimee Corcoran, Dara Kiniry, Katie Horgan; Melissa Duggan, Sadbh McGoldrick, Rosie Corkery; Aoife Healy, Abbie Mahony; Rachel Leahy, Grace Ní Mhurchú, Emma Cleary; Rachel O'Regan, Katie Quirke, Leah Hallihan. Subs: Aine O'Sullivan for Rachel O'Regan (42 minutes), Kate Redmond for Abbie O'Mahony (49 minutes), Abigail Ring for Leah Hallihan (49 minutes), Ciara Hughes for Rosie Corkery (57 minutes).

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow)