Cork's flurry of goals sees them retain Munster title

A four-goal first half blitz saw Cork retain their TG4 Munster Senior Championship title at Mallow.

Two green flags from Libby Coppinger, along with efforts from Kaire Quirke and Ciara O'Sullivan, saw Cork in a commanding lead at half time and they needed it all after a brilliant fightback by Kerry in in the second half.

The Kingdom will also rue two missed penalties in the second half which cost them dearly in the end.

Doireann O’Sullivan opened the scoring for Cork in the first minute and she added a second from a free a minute later.

Kerry had the chance to take the lead when Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh played a superb ball to Hannah O’Donoghue but Meabh O’Sullivan saved superbly to deny her a goal.

Eimear Kiely increased Cork’s lead before they got the first goal of the final. Orlaith Cahalane played in Coppinger to give Ciara Butler no chance of saving. O’Sullivan raised another white flag, before Anna Galvin got Kerry off the mark, to make it 1-4 to 0-1 after seven minutes.

O’Sullivan added another from a free before Cork got their second goal. Cahalane and O’Sullivan were involved again for Coppinger to make it 2-5 to 0-1.

Aishling O’Connell got Kerry’s second point and Niamh Ní Chonchúir added another for them as they started to settle and come more into the game.

Ciara O’Sullivan and Lorraine Scanlon exchanged points to make it 2-6 to 0-4 after 20 minutes. Some last ditch defending by Kerry denied Cork another goal, before Cahalane raised a white flag to extend her side’s lead.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh scored from before Cork scored their third goal of the first half. Katie Quirke picked up the ball and found Ciara O’Sullivan to find the back of the net to see Cork lead 3-8 to 0-6.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Doireann O’Sullivan both