BRIDE were comprehensive winners of the battle of the Rovers at Rathcormac on Sunday night in their Cork LGFA championship clash.

Report Rory Noonan Echo

From start to finish they were the better side and it was only late on when the game was well over as a contest that Inch got their goals, but by that stage, they were no more than consolation scores.

Bride were impressive all over the pitch with Aoife O’Riordan rock solid at centre-back and Ava Barry and Lilly Murray working hard in midfield. Up front Inch had no answer to the likes of Grace Kearney and Katie Quirke in what was a very impressive display by the home side.

While they won’t use it as an excuse Inch were not helped by a mix-up seeing them having to start without jerseys and wear bibs. It made it a bit more difficult for them to pick out players before their jerseys eventually arrived halfway through the first half.Just 30 seconds in and Bride were in front when Kearney split the posts before Leah Hallahan doubled their lead. Katie Quirke raised their third white flag as the home side were dominating the early exchanges. With six minutes gone they got their first goal when Quirke beat several players to raise a green flag, with Emma Roches and Hallahan adding points to make it 1-6 to no score. It took Inch 14 minutes to get their opening score, as the lack of jerseys was definitely not helping their cause when Annie Walsh pointed from a free. But Bride continued to dominate, with Kearney adding their second goal to increase their lead. Quirke and Lilly Murray raised white flags before Ann Marie O’Connor got Inch’s second point.Hallahan got Bride’s third goal before Quirke added their fourth from a penalty after Maeve Leamy was fouled.Kearney got the last score of the half as Bride were well in control at the break, leading by 4-9 to 0-2.

It continued in much the same way in the second half with Quirke adding to her tally early on, before Murray for their fifth goal. Another green flag from Quirke helped them to a 6-11 to 0-2 lead after 37 minutes. Bride kept going forward in search of scores and two goals from sub Ciara Morrisson made it 8-13 to 0-3, before Walsh hit two points for Inch.

By far their best player on the pitch she added a goal to reduce the deficit and when Danielle O’Shea was fouled they were awarded a penalty, which Noelle O’Donovan slotted home. But Bride kept going and Jen Cahill raised their ninth green flag for the final score on their comprehensive win. Scorers for Bride Rovers: K Quirke 3-5 (1-0 pen, 0-2 f), C Morrisson 2-1, G Kearney, L Hallahan, L Murray 1-2 each, J Cahill 1-0, M Leamy, E Roche, L Quirke 0-1 each. Inch Rovers: A Walsh 1-3 (0-1f), N O’Donovan 1-0 pen, AM O’Connor, S Harrington 0-1 each.

BRIDE ROVERS: Sarah Murphy; Aislinn O’Connor, Trish O’Sullivan, Jess Riordan; Rebecca Walsh, Aoife O’Riordan, Laura Quirke; Ave Barry, Lilly Murray; Maeve Leamy, Grace Kearney, Emma Roche; Leah Hallahan, Katie Quirke, Eleanor Ahern.Subs: J Cahill for E Roche, C Morrisson for G Kearney (both 37), N Parle for M Leamy (42), K Roddis for R Walsh (45), A Murray for J Riordan (49).

INCH ROVERS: Karen Walsh; Aoife Walsh, Emma Cosgrove, Megan O’Donovan; Danielle O’Shea, Lisa Harnett, Grainne O’Neill; Aoife Higgins, Lydia Williams; Sarah Harrington, Annie Walsh, Grace Rooney; Chloe O’Donovan, Noelle O’Donovan, Anne Marie O’Connor.Subs: C Harrington for C O’Donovan (41), J Cahill for M O’Donovan (43), A Budds for L Williams (50), N O’Connor for G O’Neill, C Barry for AM O’Connor (both 55).Referee: Cathal McAllister, Aghada.