KINSALE, Castlehaven, O’Donovan Rossa, Tadhg MacCarthaigh, Ilen Rovers and Keelnameela were amongst West Cork’s winners on another hectic weekend of Cork LGFA county championship action.
Kinsale kick-started their senior championship campaign with a first Group 1 victory in three attempts at home to Bride Rovers last weekend. A six-goal first-half blast decided the contest before the West Cork club ran out convincing 7-14 to 2-15 winners. Caoimhe Horgan had an afternoon to remember, accruing 3-3 of Kinsale’s total. Cork senior Sadhbh O’Leary contributed 2-2 including a converted penalty. Catherine Murphy (2-1), Orla Finn (0-5), Jenny Murphy and Kate Redmond were also on the scoresheet. Juliette Cronin, Emma O’Brien, Caoimhe Heffernan and Grainne Cowhig impressed for the winners.
In the same group, an understrength Clonakilty put in a battling display before losing at home to Aghada. Down five points at the interval, the West Cork club stormed back into contention and were within a point of their opponents before Aghada found another gear. 1-7 from Emma Farmer and 1-2 from Cork senior Hannah Looney helped Aghada record their third consecutive win, 2-14 to 2-5. Sinead O’Donovan (1-2), Cork senior Katie O’Driscoll (1-1), Meabh O’Donovan and Aoife O’Flynn Meade were Clon’s scorers in their final group fixture.
Kinsale travel to an undefeated Aghada for their concluding Group 2 outing this weekend. The former requires a victory plus an Éire Óg loss to Bride Rovers to have any chance of forcing a top-two group finish. On current form, qualification for the senior B county championship alongside Clonakilty looks the likeliest outcome for a rejuvenated Kinsale.
In Group 1 of the senior championship, Castlehaven rounded off their opening phase with a morale-boosting 6-11 to 1-8 win at home to Fermoy. That outcome alleviated relegation fears and cemented a senior B championship berth for the Union Hall-Castletownshend side. Ellie McCarthy (2-2), Ellen Connolly (2-1), Hannah Sheehy (1-3), Niamh O’Sullivan (1-0), Alice O’Driscoll (0-2), Gráinne O’Sullivan, Emma Daly and Ellen Buckley were on target for the Haven. Group 1’s Mourneabbey, Glanmire and St Val’s will battle it out for the two senior A county semi-final spots. Fermoy face Bride Rovers in this year’s senior relegation play-off.
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A West Cork derby between O’Donovan Rossa and Rosscarbery saw the Skibbereen side come out on top, 2-17 to 0-5, in the Cork LGFA intermediate county championship on Sunday. Leading 0-10 to 0-3 at the short whistle, Kate O’Donovan and Éabha O’Donovan (penalty) second-half goals helped secure a comprehensive O’Donovan Rossa victory. An out-of-sorts Rosscarbery’s scores came via Kellianne French (0-2), Ciara O’Rourke, Etaoin Hayes and Grainne Hodnett (0-1 each). Éabha O’Donovan (1-9), Kate O’Donovan (1-3), Laura O’Mahony (0-4) and Fionnuala O’Driscoll scored for the home team.
Laura O'Mahony kicked 0-4 in O'Donovan Rossa's latest intermediate win.
Elsewhere in the intermediate grade, Naomh Abán overpowered Valley Rovers 3-11 to 0-3 in Ballyvourney. Lydia McDonagh, Amy McDonagh and Joanne Kelly found the net for a Naomh Abán team in which Grace Murphy, Annie Maher, Gráinne Lucey and Clodagh Murphy also contributed important scores. Abhainn Dalla proved too strong for Donoughmore, winning 4-13 to 1-3 ahead of this weekend’s final round of group fixtures.
O’Donovan Rossa, Naomh Abán and Rosscarbery have already rubber-stamped their intermediate county semi-final berths. One from Inch Rovers, Abhainn Dalla and Valley Rovers will join that trio in the last four. Inch and Valley’s meet in a crucial match-up while Abhainn Dalla travel to O’Donovan Rossa and Rosscarbery host Naomh Abán.
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Bantry Blues’ hopes of securing a Cork LGFA junior A county semi-final berth suffered a setback away to Midleton. The West Cork club were a point behind at half time until a Midleton goal swung the result in the East Cork side’s favour. Sarah Bishop (0-2), Megan McSweeney, Eve Murphy and Elaine O’Sullivan Connell scores couldn’t prevent a 1-8 to 0-5 Bantry loss.
Dohenys maintained their undefeated start with a 1-13 to 1-4 win at home to Douglas while Rockbán overcame Araglen Desmonds Buí 2-15 to 0-8 thanks to Sarah McGrath, Laura O’Sullivan, Claire Ahearn, Abby Twomey, Sarah O’Reilly, Nicola Sheehan, Ashleigh Hendley and Nikki Hosford scores. This weekend’s final round of group games sees an already-qualified Dohenys travelling to Rockbán. Bantry Blues host a winless Araglen requiring victory to cement a county semi-final berth. Douglas take on Midleton.
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Tadhg MacCarthaigh qualified for this year’s Cork LGFA junior B county semi-finals following a superb 2-20 to 3-8 Group 1 victory away to Bishopstown. Ellen Hurley (1-8), Jennifer Collins (1-1), Amy McKennedy, Clodagh O’Neill, Kate McCarthy (0-3 each), Rachel Leonard and Olivia Collins (0-1 each) were on target for the West Cork club.
Ibane Ladies were not so fortunate, losing 2-9 to 1-7 at home to Watergrasshill in Group 2 and missing out on a junior B championship last four berth. Tadhg MacCarthaigh will travel to Erin’s Own and Nemo Rangers will host Watergrasshill in this year’s JBFC county semi-finals.
Beara picked up their first junior C county championship win of the campaign thanks to a 1-7 to 0-7 triumph over St Peter’s. Sarah Hanley (1-1), Christina O'Sullivan, Anna Downing (0-2 each), Sinead Murphy and Maggie Kingston (0-1 each) were on target for a Beara side that concluded its group stage fixtures away to undefeated Ballinora.
Ilen Rovers made it four wins out of four in the junior D county championship thanks to a hard-fought 4-18 to 4-7 success at home to Ballinhassig. Kate Carey (2-4), Maebh Collins (1-4), Emma Hurley (1-2), Carla O'Regan (0-4), Keelin Murphy (0-3) and Alice Bushe (0-1) confirmed Rovers’ semi-final berth with a game to spare.
Happy faces all around for the Keelnameela team that registered their maiden Cork LGFA junior G county championship victory of the season 2-12 to 2-10 over Castlemagner last weekend.
Another West Cork club, Bandon, overpowered Macroom to stay joint-third and one win away from reaching the last four. Ilen travel to St Finbarr’s while Bandon host Youghal in this weekend’s concluding round of games.
As for other West Cork clubs, Muintir Gabriels lost 4-15 to 2-3 in the JEFC. In the junior F grade, Clann na nGael were overpowered by Dripsey but there was better news for Keelnameela in the junior G competition. Shauna McCarthy and Gene Crowley green flags helped Keelnameela pick up their first junior G victory following a 2-12 to 1-10 success over Castlemagner. Rachel O’Sullivan, Michelle O’Driscoll, Ciara Barrett, Meadhbh Coomey, Gene Crowley and Shauna McCarthy were also on target for the West Cork club.
