Match Report:

The Kerry Ladies produced the perfect response to last weekend’s defeat to Dublin , when they

defeated All Ireland champions Cork by one point in Brosna on Sunday.

Played in very wet and windy conditions, it was a day when heart and resilience would prove to be

every bit as important as the skill levels that were on show.

A cross field wind favoured neither team , but after 5 minutes of play it was Kerry’s Lorraine Scanlon

who drew first blood, when she pointed a free after a foul on wing forward Cassandra Buckley.

Corner forward Laura Rodgers suffered an unfortunate hand injury on 6 minutes. Her replacement

Sarah Houlihan was soon into the action and pointed after good work from Aislinn Desmond and

Lorraine Scanlon. Kerry were rampant at this stage, and further points followed from Bernie Breen ,

Scanlon (free), and Amanda Brosnan to leave Kerry on 5 points to Cork no score with 11 minutes

gone in the first half.

The livewire Houlihan got in on the action again, and after opening up the Cork defence with a

brilliant solo run , she pointed when a goal looked on.

Cork got their first score of the match on 16 minutes , when wing forward Annie Walsh slotted over

after a good passing move. Cork were now coming more into the game, and scored their second

point when Emma Farmer pointed a 14 metre free, after a foul on Jess O’Shea .

Cork were awarded a controversial penalty in the 24th minute when referee Keith Delahunty deemed

Annie Walsh to be fouled inside the rectangle, and Emma Farmer duly stuck the penalty away

expertly for a goal. Cork were now within a point of Kerry, 1-2 to 0-6, and looking dangerous.

The Kerry defence were standing firm however, and led expertly by captain Desmond, Caroline Kelly,

Kate O’Sullivan and Aisling Leonard, they managed to keep Cork scoreless for the rest of the first

half. Maria Quirke was also proving to be a bundle of energy around the middle of the field for Kerry.

Indeed, it was Kerry who finished the stronger, and after a great bout of possession football, Bernie

Breen scored a point with her left leg on 28 minutes. On the stroke of half time, Sarah Houlihan

pointed from a free following a foul on Lorraine Scanlon, to leave the half time score; Kerry 0-8 Cork

1-2.

With just 20 seconds gone in the second half, Cork struck an early blow to the Kingdom’s chances

when Ciara O’Sullivan goaled to level the game , after a Kerry turnover in the middle of the field.

Cork now pressed on and took the lead for the first time with a point from a free by Annie Walsh.

The Kerry rearguard was under severe pressure but held firm until the 43rd minute of the game when

Annie Walsh once again pointed for the Rebelettes to put them 2 points up. Neither defence was

giving an inch , and the longer the game went on the more it looked like it was going to be Cork’s

day. The Kerry girls had a different idea, and in the 53rd minute wing back Aisling Leonard pointed on

the run ,after Bernie Breen showed massive courage to dive in, and win a ball off 3 Cork players over

near the sideline.

With time ticking away ,Kerry kept pressing, and Houlihan popped over her 4th point in the 27th

minute to level up the game Kerry 0-10 to Cork 2-4. On the stroke of full time, Kerry substitute

Megan O’Connell was fouled while in the act up shooting, up stepped the imperious Houlihan once

more to put the ball over the bar, and Kerry ahead by one point. Referee Delahunty blew the full

time whistle soon afterwards and Kerry had defeated the All Ireland champions .

Credit must be given to both teams for the football that they produced last Sunday in very difficult

conditions. The Brosna GAA club must be credited for their wonderful facilities and the excellent

shape that their pitch is in.

Full Time ; Kerry 0-11 Cork 2-4.

Kerry;

ELAINE O SULLIVAN , AISLING O CONNELL, AISLINN DESMOND, KATE O SULLIVAN, AISLING LEONARD (0-1), CAROLINE KELLY, CIARA MURPHY, DENISE HALLISSEY, MARIA QUIRKE, CASSANDRA BUCKLEY, LORRAINE SCANLON (0-2, 2 FREE), BERNIE BREEN (0-2), LAURA ROGERS, AMANDA BROSNAN (0-1), ANNA GALVIN.

Subs: SARAH HOULIHAN (0-5, 2 FREE) for RODGERS 5 MINS, GINA CROWLEY for O’CONNELL 25 MINS, PATRICE DENNEHY for BUCKLEY 40 MINS, CAOIMHE O’SULLIVAN for BROSNAN 57 MINS