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Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Síofra O’Shea contributed a combined 4-6 throw at Birr as Kerry underscored his TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship credentials with an emphatic Group 1 win over Cavan.
Despite encountering early resistance at Offaly headquarters, the Munster team switched style with Ní Mhuircheartaigh and O’Shea in excellent scoring form. Substitute Andrea Murphy, who plays her club soccer in the capital with Foxrock-Cabinteely, also shot a goal in the second half to give manager Declan Quill something to think about ahead of next weekend’s decisive clash against provincial rivals Cork. .
The Kingdom had broken the stalemate through a Danielle O’Leary point, before their Ulster counterparts responded with similar efforts from Lauren McVeety and Aisling Gilsenan.
Responding to Ní Mhuircheartaigh’s first score of the game, Cavan’s dynamic forward Aishling Sheridan made a superb left-angle shot between the posts.
However, the threat of Kerry’s attack was growing and Ní Mhuircheartaigh scored a point with his left foot in the ninth minute. At a standstill at 0-3 apiece during the first half water break, Kerry subsequently took control at the restart.
After collecting a direct ball into the square, O’Shea unleashed a magnificent shot that passed the defenseless Cavan goalkeeper Elaine Walsh.
With his tail now up and after an excellent combination of play between O’Shea and Niamh Ní Chonchúir, Ní Mhuircheartaigh comfortably scored a second goal from Kerry.
While Breffni’s women narrowed the gap to five with contributions from Donna English and Gilsenan, scores from Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Lorraine Scanlon ensured that the Kingdom took a 2-7 to 0-6 lead in the interval.
The end result was effectively out of the question six minutes into the restart when Kerry added another pair of goals to his already substantial tally. Ní Mhuircheartaigh tapped the net with a Hannah O’Donoghue pass and then became a provider for a compound finish from Murphy.
Cavan finally interrupted this scoring sequence courtesy of Gilsenan’s unanswered points and impressive Englishman, only for Kerry to respond with another devastating bombardment. Ní Mhuircheartaigh released O’Shea for her second goal of the tie in the 44th minute, preceding Eilis O’Leary, Scanlon, Fiadhna Tagney and O’Shea herself by four points on the rebound.
To his credit, Cavan finished the contest in good spirits. Gilsenan (two), substitute Emma Halton and Sheridan found rank and can at least bring this positive ending to their decisive encounter with Cork at the same location fifteen days from now.
Kerry: C Butler; C Lynch, A Desmond, S Murphy; N Carmody, A O’Connell, C Murphy; L Scanlon 0-2, M O’Connell; D O’Leary 0-1, N Ní Chonchúir, A Galvin; H O’Donoghue 0-1, S O’Shea 2-2, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 2-4 (1f).
Subs: A Doherty for Lynch (15), A Murphy 1-1 for D O’Leary (25), E O’Leary 0-1 for O’Connell (43), F Tagney 0-2 for Ní Mhuircheartaigh (48), M O’Connor for Ní Chonchúir (59).
They dig: E Walsh; M Smith, S Lynch, J Moore; M Sheridan, N Keeneghan, E Corcoran; D English 0-2, C Dolan; C Finnegan, L McVeety 0-1, A Gilsenan 0-5 (4f); G Sheridan 0-1, A Sheridan 0-3, T O’Reilly.
Subs: E Halton 0-1 for Corcoran (ht), H Smith for Lynch (38), Z Fay for Finnegan, H Fitzsimons for M Smith (both 40), R Dolan for O’Reilly (59).
Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow)
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