BY GER McCARTHY
ILEN Rovers, St Colum’s and O’Donovan Rossa celebrated Drinagh Co-Op West Cork LGFA adult championship final successes to round off the region’s 2024 adult competitions.
Along with Kinsale (Division 1), three adult champions were also crowned on a busy weekend of ladies football in the West Cork region.
Castlehaven’s Union Hall pitch played host to a marvellous Division 2 final. That’s because the outcome of Ilen Rovers and Tadhg MacCarthaigh’s evenly-fought battle remained in the balance right up until the final whistle.
The Caheragh club raised a green flag to get proceedings underway before building a 1-8 to 1-6 interval lead. Led by player of the match Kate Carey, Ilen fought back impressively during the second period. Carey’s two goals, her second which helped end Tadhg MacCarthaigh’s challenge, put the seal on a hard earned 3-12 to 2-14 victory. Ellen Hurley top scored for the runners-up by amassing 1-7. Clodagh O’Neill (1-4), Rachel Leonard, Emma O’Donovan and Jennifer Collins (0-1 each) completed the Caheragh side’s total. As for Ilen Rovers, 2-3 from Kate Carey proved crucial to the Division 2 final’s eventual outcome. Maebh Collins (1-4, 2f), Carla O’Regan (0-3, 1f), Alice Bushe and Emma Hurley (0-1 each) were Ilen’s other scorers in a terrific decider.
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St Colum’s proved too strong for a gallant Keelnameela in the 2024 West Cork LGFA Division 3 final at Drimoleague. Four points up at the break, a 2-5 to 1-3 win saw the Kealkill club pushed to the limit throughout a closely-fought affair.
Goals in either half from Clodagh Downey and Eliza Wiseman proved decisive for a St Colum’s team that took time to remember a special team-mate, the late and much-loved Kerrie O’ Connell after accepting the Division 3 trophy. Player-of-the-match Maggie Coppinger, Muireann Cronin, Letitia Deasy, Faye Murnane, Clodagh Downey and Lily O’Sullivan were amongst St Colum’s top performers.
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O'Donovan Rossa celebrate defeating Kinsale in the Drinagh Co-Op West Cork LGFA Division 4 final.(Photo: Paddy Feen)
The West Cork Division 4 trophy was claimed by O’Donovan Rossa’s junior team following a comprehensive win over their Kinsale equivalents in Clonakilty.
Orla McCarthy netted a hat-trick and added an additional point for the Skibbereen club during their 3-13 to 1-6 triumph. Kate O’Donovan, Áine McCarthy (0-5 each), Emer McCarthy and Aoife Hurley (0-1 each) were also on target with Orla McCarthy deservedly taking home the player of the match award.
That regional success came hot on the heels of the 2023 All-Ireland JAFC champions’ recent Cork LGFA Division 2B county league final win over near neighbours Castlehaven. A 1-16 to 0-5 O’Donovan Rossa victory was attained thanks to Holly Brickley (1-5), Aoife O’Driscoll (0-6), Mallaidh O’Neill (0-3), Sharon Beechinor and Aoife Hurley (0-1 each) scores.
