A 66th minute free from Katie Quirke rescued a draw for the Cork ladies in a cracking Division 1 encounter with Waterford in Piltown this afternoon (2-9 apiece).
First half strikes from Annie Fitzgerald and Lauren McGregor sent the Déise seven points up but the Rebelettes rallied. Goals from Daire Kiely and Erika O'Shea either side of the break brought Cork level. Emma Murray's third point from play in the last minute snuck Waterford back in front but Quirke held her nerve from that last gasp free.
Pat Sullivan's side led 2-4 to 1-3 at the interval. In the third minute, a crossfield ball from Caragh McCarthy found Annie Fitzgerald who beat Meabh O'Sullivan from close range. Libby Coppinger replied with Cork's opening point on six minutes.
The visitors kicked three wides before Lauren McGregor split the posts at the other end. Eimear Kiely pointed for Cork before Emma Murray got a trademark solo score. A Katie Quirke white flag left two between them.
On 23 minutes, a Kellyann Hogan free dropped short and Lauren McGregor booted the loose ball to the bottom corner. Hogan added two frees to leave the hosts seven up with 26 on the clock (2-4 to 0-3). Cork hit back a minute before the break. Coppinger forced a turnover and Daire Kiely found the net.
On the restart, Waterford netminder Evelyn O'Brien tipped over Emma Cleary's shot. Another defence splitting run from Emma yielded her second point. Hogan's third free left Waterford five in front after 33 minutes (2-6 to 1-4). Points from Katie Quirke and Eimear Kiely got Cork back within a score. On 43 minutes, midfielder Erika O'Shea billowed the cobwebs to level up matters for the first time (2-7 apiece).
Waterford regained the lead when Caragh McCarthy finished a patient move. Déise corner back Aoife Murray made a goal saving block from Aoife Healy before Quirke equalised again. In the last minute, Hannah Power supplied Emma Murray who struck her third off that reliable right boot. Karen McGrath dropped a ball short and Aine O'Neill was sin binned as the hosts tried to hold on. Quirke had the last word six minutes into added time.
Scorers for Waterford: L McGregor 1-1, K Hogan 0-4 (4fs), A Fitzgerald 1-0, E Murray 0-3, C McCarthy 0-1.
Scorers for Cork: K Quirke 0-5 (3fs), E O'Shea, D Kiely 1-0 each, E Kiely 0-2, E Cleary, L Coppinger 0-1 each.
Waterford: E O’Brien; C Murray, M Dunford, A Murray; H Power, K Hogan, E Power; Karen McGrath, E Murray; A O'Neill, L McGregor, A Waring; A Fitzgerald, B McMaugh, C McCarthy.
Subs: S McGuckian for Fitzgerald (50), C Hynes for McCarthy (56), M Comerford for Waring (61).
Cork: M O’Sullivan; S Kelly, E Meaney, D Kiniry; A Healy, H Looney, M Duggan; E O’Shea, L Coppinger; E Cleary, R Leahy, D Kiely; K Quirke, E Kiely, A Ring.
Subs: O Cahalane for Ring (HT), L O'Mahony for Coppinger (41), B O'Sullivan for D Kiely (41), E Jack for Cleary (63), S McGoldrick for Healy (63).
Referee: S Mulvihill (Kerry)
