BY GER McCARTHY
CLONAKILTY are in the hunt for a Cork LGFA senior county championship semi-final place following another action-packed weekend.
The Brewery Town joined Aghada and Éire Óg at the summit of the senior championship’s Group 1 standings following a terrific win over Bride Rovers in Rathcormac.
Leading 0-10 to 0-2 at the break, Clon had to withstand a Bride second-half comeback. The West Cork club won by a single point, 0-17 to 1-13, to stay firmly in the hunt for a county semi-final berth. Katie O’Driscoll, Sinead O’Donovan, Ciara Ryan (0-4 each), Aoife O’Flynn Meade (0-2), Aisling Moloney, Kiya O’Mahony and Laura Daly (0-1 each) were on target for Clonakilty.
In the same group, Kinsale lost 3-15 to 2-10 away to Éire Óg. Orlaith Cremin (2-1) and Laura Cleary (0-7) helped the Ovens club overcome a gutsy opponent. Caoimhe Horgan (1-6), Sadhbh O’Leary (1-1), Jenny Murphy (0-2) and Kate Redmond (0-1) were amongst Kinsale’s scorers. Clonakilty host fellow group leaders Aghada in Ahamilla on September 15th. Bride Rovers travel to Kinsale on the same weekend.
Elsewhere in the Cork LGFA SFC, two early goals saw Castlehaven lose 2-8 to 0-7 to Group 2 leaders Glanmire at the Pike. Orlaith Roche top scored for the winners with 1-3 in a game Niamh McAllen, Aishling McAllen and Abbie O’Mahony also featured prominently. Despite the loss, Ellie McCarthy (0-3), Niamh O’Sullivan (0-2), Hannah Sheehy, Alice O’Driscoll (0-1 each), Emma McCarthy and Jessica McCarthy played well for the visitors. The Haven will look to register their first senior win at home to Fermoy in a fortnight’s time.
St Val’s held county champions Mourneabbey to a 1-9 to 0-12 Group 2 draw in Mourneabbey. Doireann O’Sullivan (0-6) and Laura Walsh (0-4) provided the bulk of the host’s scores. Niamh McNabola netted Val’s solitary goal.
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Naomh Abán joined West Cork’s Rosscarbery and O’Donovan Rossa in a share of the intermediate grade’s championship lead.
An emphatic 5-25 to 0-3 victory over Donoughmore was secured with 15 Lydia McDonagh points and 2-2 from Annie Maher in Ballyvourney. Grace Murphy, Joanne Kelly and Amy McDonagh also raised green flags. Valley Rovers suffered a 1-13 to 1-8 loss to Abhainn Dalla in Kanturk. Next weekend, Rovers take on O’Donovan Rossa in a must-win game while Rosscarbery host Donoughmore.
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Things are tightening at the top of the Cork LGFA junior A championship with four clubs – Dohenys, Bantry Blues, Douglas and Midleton – separated by three points.
The Blues lost their first county championship match of the season following a 0-15 to 1-11 defeat to Dohenys in Wolfe Tone Park. Rachel Murphy (0-5), Zara Barry (1-0), Sarah Bishop (0-2) Mairead Dullea, Eve Murphy, Megan McSweeney and Kate Keevers (0-1 each) supplied Bantry’s scores.
Midleton defeated Araglen Desmonds Buí 2-21 to 1-4. Douglas edged Rockbán 3-7 to 1-8 despite Laura O’Sullivan (1-2), Ashleigh Hendley, Nicola Sheehan, Claire Ahern, Sarah McGrath and Sarah Ahern scoring for the latter. The Blues travel to Midleton in two weeks time when Dohenys will host Douglas.
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Tadhg MacCarthaigh’s second junior B championship outing of the season ended in victory. Aughaville was the venue for the West Cork side’s meeting with Carrigaline.
The teams were level at the break, 1-5 to 2-2, before Tadhg MacCarthaigh clawed back a three-point deficit to win 2-9 to 2-6.
Ellen Hurley (2-4), Kate McCarthy (0-2), Emma O’Donovan, Rachel Leonard and Amy McKennedy (0-1 each) contributed to the Caheragh side’s scores. Tadhg MacCarthaigh must beat Bishopstown in their final Group 1 game and hope leaders Nemo Rangers defeat or draw with Carrigaline to reach the semi-finals.
Beara were beaten 3-10 to 1-7 away to Mallow in the junior C county championship. Maggie Kingston (1-0), Miriam Sheehan (0-2), Ciara Murphy, Sinead Murphy, Anna Downing, Sarah Hanley and Emma O’Donoghue scored for the visitors.
Muintir Gabriels produced a battling display before losing 3-12 to 2-10 at home to Kilworth in the JEFC. In the junior F county, Clann na nGael travelled to Banteer and made it two wins out of two thanks to a 5-10 to 2-9 success over the hosts.
Rachel O’Donovan snr. (2-1), Lucy O’Driscoll (2-0), Rachael O’Donovan jnr. (0-4), Katie O'Driscoll (1-0), Gráinne McCarthy, Shannon O'Mahony (0-2 each) and Eabha Collins (0-1) were amongst Clann na nGael’s scorers.
