CORK got off the mark in Division One Group Two with a 1-18 to 0-9 victory over Derry in the Loup.
It was the Rebels who led at the break on a scoreline of 1-11 to 0-7. Orla Cotter raised the green flag early in the half as the All-Ireland champions pulled ahead, but Karen Kielt kept the home side ticking over from the placed ball.
Derry were much more settled in the second-half, with Karen Kielt and Aileen McCusker sweeping in behind the half-back line and releasing the ball early into the Derry forwards. The Oak Leafers did carve out a few goal chances, but they could not convert them as the Cork defence held firm.
Mairéad McNicholl and Aoife Shaw both pointed for Derry, but Katelynn Hickey and Amy O’Connor extended Cork’s lead by raising the white flag. Amy O’Connor thought she had put the visitors further ahead when her shot found its way into the Derry net, but she was judged to have fouled the ball,
“It was a more positive performance than last week and it was good to see that, for periods of the game, we matched the All-Ireland champions. Cork are a good side and they are well structured, but there was times when you could see elements of what we are working on in training coming through,” said Derry manager Ciaran Cunningham.
Cunningham was pleased at his side’s performance and the manner in which they are developing as a side, saying: “I keep stressing to the girls that we are a team in transition and that it will take a couple of weeks to get our game plan together.
"The positive thing is that progress is already evident, I would much rather work with a team that is in development than a finished article because you have scope to do things. It is now that the hard work really begins as we work towards get a more settled team and, given the performance, it is disappointing that we have a bye week next week, but we will get the girls together and have a good in-house game as we set our sights on getting a victory under our belts.”
Seven points from the sharpshooting Niamh Mallon helped Down see off Wexford in Division Two. Captain Paula Gribben and Sara Louise Carr were also on the scoresheet as the Mourne girls ran out victors, 0-12 to 0-7.
In Division Three, Racheal Merry hit 1-3 as Armagh proved too strong for Dublin, the Orchard side getting off to a winning start on a 1-12 to 1-5 scoreline.
