HAVEN MARCH ON – Their fifth Premier SFC semi-final in a row against St Finbarr’s wasn’t as entertaining as previous encounters but if we were to pick one word to describe Castlehaven’s 0-18 to 0-14 win, it’s comfortable. Brian Hurley was on song, especially in the first half with a haul of 0-8 and a 100 percent conversion rate. The Cork forward finished with 0-11 overall. Jack Cahalane showed real drive in creating goal chances and looked dangerous throughout. That the Haven won playing without the Cahalane brothers, Conor and Damien, for most of the contest is notable too. Nemo Rangers await in the final, a team the Haven beat in the decider last year.
ROSSAS ON A ROLL – The rise of the O’Donovan Rossa LGFA team is remarkable. The Skibbereen side beat Naomh Abán by 0-12 to 1-8 in the county intermediate final, earning a place at the senior grade in Cork for the first time in Rossas’ history. Their rising star Éabha O’Donovan stood up with a clutch free to win it for the West Cork side in injury time. Four championship titles (2023 Cork, Munster and All-Ireland junior, and 2024 Cork intermediate) in the space of just over a year is a remarkable feat. Who’s to say they can’t win another provincial title or make a go at the senior championship in 2025.
DOUBLE DREAM ALIVE – The Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas hype train doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. They beat Castlehaven’s second string by 1-10 to 0-10 to seal a place in the Carbery JAFC final against either Kilmacabea or St Mary’s, and this semi-final win keeps their football and hurling junior A double alive. In a tight affair, they trailed 0-8 to 0-7 heading into the final 20 minutes until they hit the net on 43 minutes and kept their lead for the remainder of the game. For a club that experienced their last junior A triumph in 2010 in either code, to reach both finals is an astonishing feat and will be recognised in the Castletownkenneigh community for years to come.
Diarmuid Ó Mathúna's football manager John Roche.
THE WEST DENIED – Goals win games, that was the unfortunate saying of the weekend for both Adrigole and Gabriel Rangers who lost their respective intermediate A football semi-finals to Boherbue and Glanmire by the same scoreline (1-9 to 0-11), denying us an all-West Cork county final. Adrigole were leading 0-11 to 0-5 after 40 minutes but found themselves one point adrift deep into added time with Boherbue’s goal coming on 59 minutes. Gabriels conceded a goal on the stroke of half time after a free that dropped short got met with a Glanmire player fisting it home. Rangers had the chance to take the game to extra time late on but saw their last attempt go wide. What could have been.
BAL REIGN SUPREME – Ballinascarthy are a county intermediate camogie team after their premier junior championship final 0-9 to 0-5 win over Milford. To put it in context, the Avondhu club won the senior All-Ireland camogie title as recently as 2016 and have Cork legend Ashling Thompson in their ranks. A magnificent achievement for the Pedler’s Cross club that had star performances from player of the match Millie Condon, Moira Barrett, Annie Condon and much more. Could we see another West Cork club rise through the divisions?
