GER McCARTHY sets the scene as the county ladies football championships reach the knockout stage

CASTLEHAVEN, Clonakilty and Kinsale will contest the Cork LGFA senior B county semi-finals with at least one West Cork club guaranteed to make this year’s decider.

There were shocks aplenty in the senior championship last weekend, not least Mourneabbey’s elimination from the top grade’s knockout phase.

The defending county champions were defeated 3-8 to 3-7 by 2023 intermediate winners Glanmire. That Group 2 result along with St Val’s 1-14 to 0-7 victory over Fermoy sent the former and Glanmire through to the senior A county semi-finals.

That duo was joined in the last four by Group 1 qualifiers Aghada and Éire Óg. The Ovens club travel to St Val’s while Aghada host Glanmire in Sunday’s final four showdowns.

This weekend’s senior B county championship semi-finals, involving clubs that failed to make the senior A knockout stages, sees Kinsale travelling to Mourneabbey and Clonakilty welcoming Castlehaven to Ahamilla.

That all West Cork semi-final clash will be a repeat of the two sides’ 2023 meeting at the same juncture. The Haven triumphed 3-8 to 0-10 on that occasion before overcoming Fermoy to lift the senior B trophy. Ellie McCarthy, Niamh O’Sullivan, Hannah Sheehy and Ellen Connolly are expected to lead Castlehaven’s attack against a Clonakilty team that will look to Sinead O’Donovan, Katie O’Driscoll, Aoife O’Flynn Meade and Moira Barrett for scores.

Kinsale put up a terrific showing to draw 4-9 to 3-12 with Aghada in their final Group 1 outing last Sunday. The West Cork side fought back from a 4-6 to 2-7 interval deficit and fully deserved their hard-earned point. Caoimhe Horgan (0-6), Juliette Cronin, Jenny Murphy (1-1 each), Sadhbh O’Leary (1-0), Catherine Murphy (0-2), Kate Redmond and Orla Finn (0-1 each) were on target. Kinsale will hope those scorers plus Amy Casey and Caoimhe Heffernan can cause an upset against Mourneabbey.

It proved a profitable week for Kinsale as they also claimed the 2024 Cork LGFA U16A title at the expense of Inch Rovers. A 5-4 to 2-7 county final victory was attained thanks to Emma McSweeney (2-1), Lily Collins (1-1), Vivienne O’Callaghan, Emma Jones (1-0 each), Aine Kearney and Hannah Deasy scores.

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There are three West Cork clubs involved in this weekend’s intermediate county semi-finals.

Last year’s All-Ireland junior A champions O’Donovan Rossa cemented a home semi-final against fellow West Cork LGFA rivals Valley Rovers thanks to a convincing 6-18 to 0-3 victory over Abhainn Dalla. Éabha O’Donovan (0-8), Fionnuala O’Driscoll (2-0) and Aoife O’Driscoll (1-2) top scored for the Skibbereen club in a one-sided game. Kate O’Donovan (1-2), Laura O’Mahony, Mallaidh O’Neill (1-1 each), Lisa Harte and Emer McCarthy (0-1 each) were also on the scoresheet.

Fionnuala O'Driscoll scored two goals in the convincing win against Abhainn Dalla.

Valley Rovers will be O’Donovan Rossa’s county semi-final opponents thanks to an excellent 5-9 to 3-10 win away to Inch Rovers. Eimear Kiely (1-5), Laoise Collins (2-1), Katie Lynch (1-2), Cliona Reardon (1-0), Eve O’Dwyer and Daire Kiely were on target for Valley’s.

Last year’s intermediate county runners-up, Naomh Abán, powered into the last four with a 0-15 to 0-2 victory at Rosscarbery. The two clubs will meet for the second time in seven days in Sunday’s semi-final at Ballyvourney. Cork senior Lydia McDonagh scored six points for a Naomh Abán team that also had Annie Maher (0-3), Grace Murphy, Gráinne Lucey (0-2 each), Joanne Kelly and Mary Ellen Kelleher (0-1 each) on the scoreboard. Kellianne French was Rosscarbery’s solitary scorer who will be hoping for a better showing in Ballyvourney this weekend.

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Bantry Blues secured a Cork LGFA junior A county semi-final berth courtesy of a terrific win at home to Araglen Desmonds Buí at Wolfe Tone Park. Leading 1-8 to 1-2 at the interval, the Blues kicked on in the second period and finished 2-17 to 1-4 victors. Megan McSweeney (1-2), Mairead Dullea (1-1), Rachel Murphy (0-4), Sarah Bishop (0-3), Eve Murphy (0-2), Emma Spillane, Ali O’Sullivan, Kate Keevers, Cliodhna O’Shea and Elaine O’Sullivan Connell (0-1) scored for Bantry.

Next up is a tough semi-final away to a Midleton side that defeated the Blues 1-8 to 0-5 in their previous championship meeting. Bantry will hope in-form Kate McCarthy, Lucy Coakley, Cliodhna O’Shea, Kate Keevers and Laura O’Sullivan can reverse that scoreline.

Dohenys finished the junior A group stage with a fifth consecutive win, 1-14 to 1-2 away to Rockbán, and host Douglas in this weekend’s other semi-final.

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Tadhg Mac Carthaigh bowed out of the junior B county championship despite a gutsy showing in Sunday’s semi-final away to Erin’s Own. The West Cork representatives lost 3-15 to 0-16 but can reflect on another positive campaign. Ellen Hurley (0-9), Kate McCarthy, Jennifer Collins (0-2 each), Rachel Leonard, Clodagh O’Neill, Amy McKennedy (0-1 each) scored for the Caheragh club against an Erin’s Own team who will play Nemo Rangers in the county final.

Beara’s junior C county championship campaign concluded with a gut-wrenching 3-9 to 3-8 loss away to competition favourites Ballinora. Maureen O’Sullivan (2-1), Christina O’Sullivan (0-3), Clare O’Shea, Claire Power, Sinead Murphy and Sarah Hanley (0-1 each) scored for an improving Beara team that missed out on a semi-final spot by two points.

Kate McLoughin’s last-minute goal earned Bandon a 1-4 to 0-7 draw with Youghal and confirmed the Lilywhites’ place in the last four of this year’s junior D county championship. McLoughlin (1-1), Ava Long (0-2) and Laura Cummins (0-1) scored for Bandon. Ilen Rovers remain undefeated atop the junior D standings and are also through to the last four.

Muintir Gabriels’ final junior E championship game ended in defeat to Naomh Fionnbarra. Dripsey denied Clann an nGael a junior F county semi-final appearance following defeat in the West Cork club’s final Group 2 outing. Keelnameela conclude their junior G county campaign at home to St Mary’s on Sunday.