After 237 days without a competitive game, Cork returned to action exactly as they would have wished, overcoming Wexford by 3-12 to 1-8 in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship at Páirc uí Rinn.
Paudie Murray’s Cork side started slowly with the sides level at two points apiece in the early stages. However, the 2018 All-Ireland winners began to settle in to the contest, with Orla Cronin’s accuracy from frees helping Cork establish a lead. Amy Connor found the net in the opening half as she struck 1-2 in the first 30 minutes of action, with Cronin’s five first half frees contributing to a 1-8 to 0-6 half-time lead.
Linda Bolger converted three placed balls and Shelley Keogh added two well taken scores from play for Wexford.
Wexford managed to hit back with a goal in the early stages of the second half to cut their arrears to two points. With Ciara O’Connor excelling at centre back, they continued to frustrate their opponents with Cork only leading by three at the water break.
However, Cork summoned all their experience and a second Amy O’Connor goal sealed the victory. Substitute Saoirse McCarthy added a third as Cork found the scores they needed to set up a top of the table clash against Galway next weekend.
Murray told RedFM sport after the game that he was happy to get the win on their first outing in the championship.
"It looked every day of the 237 days or whatever it is. We needed it. Fair play to Wexford, but Wexford have improved greatly this year. Kevin Tattan is doing a great job down there.
"We're a changed side from last year. We had five new girls in there today, so there's going to be a learning from our side.
"The good news for us is that we're in the quarter final, I think that's all that we were looking for. We're just looking forward now to two week's time, that's the big game - not next week [against Galway]."
Murray though feels Cork did well against a well organised Wexford side, who defended well in Páirc uí Rinn, but says there are improvements to be made.
"The only crib we had at half time was that we weren't moving the ball quick enough, against a gale force wind I thought some of our play was quite good.
"It was probably the third quarter that annoys me a bit, we just went away from what we were good at, we slowed the game down and left them come at us."
You can listen to Paudie's interview with RedFM Sport's Lauren Guilfoyle in full here:
