BANTRY Blues and Tadhg MacCarthaigh’s Cork Credit Unions Cork LGFA county league promotion pushes continued on another busy weekend of club football.
Bantry Blues’ Division 2 promotion bid received a timely boost following a 3-10 to 1-3 triumph at home to Valley Rovers in Wolfe Tone Park. A keenly-contested West Cork derby saw the Blues lead by seven points at the interval before netting three second-half goals. Caoimhe Craig (1-1), Ellen Murphy and Lisa Lynch (0-1 each) scored for Valleys in a game Rachel Murphy (2-1), Sarah Bishop (1-3), Aoife Kingston (0-3), Myra Downey, Caitlin O’Mahony and Cliodhna O’Shea (0-1 each) earned Bantry an important win.
Also last weekend, Division 2 pacesetters Carrigaline proved too strong for another West Cork club, Rosscarbery Ladies, in Carrigaline. Despite the 5-15 to 0-7 loss, Ross remains three points behind the leaders, level with Bantry, and very much in the promotion hunt. Fiona O’Callaghan, Sandra O’Donoghue (0-2 each), Ciara O’Rourke, Ciara Whooley and Emily Hodnett (0-1 each) were on target for a Rosscarbery team in which Ciara Dennehy and Katelyn French played superbly. Elsewhere in Division 2, Douglas defeated Inch Rovers 7-4 to 1-7.
In Division 3, Tadhg MacCarthaigh joined a clutch of clubs in joint-second spot thanks to a 3-20 to 0-5 defeat of Mallow in Caheragh. The West Cork club’s second win in three outings was attained thanks to a super all-round team display. Ellen Hurley’s personal haul of 1-8 was the highlight. Sheelagh O’Donovan, Alaia O’Sullivan (1-2 each), Rachel Leonard (0-3), Katie Kingston (0-2), Amy McKennedy, Kate Barry and Helena Collins (0-1 each) completed Tadhg Mac Carthaigh’s impressive total.
Dohenys suffered a 4-9 to 2-9 loss away to Donoughmore in the same division. Bishopstown continue to lead the way atop Division 3 following a 1-17 to 0-5 victory in Watergrasshill. Midleton proved too strong for Nemo Rangers, winning 5-6 to 0-11 to stay within one victory of the leaders.
Sinéad O'Donovan scored 1-4 as Clonakilty beat Kinsale in Division 1.
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Clonakilty defeated West Cork LGFA rivals Kinsale to join Castlehaven at the summit of the Cork LGFA Division 1 Group 2 standings on Sunday.
Ahamilla hosted a local derby in which the home side played into a strong wind but managed to build a 1-7 to 0-1 interval lead. Using the elements to their advantage after the break, Clon ran out 2-14 to 2-3 winners. Sinead O’Donovan (1-4) and Siofra Pattwell (0-5) provided the bulk of the winners’ scores. Katie O’Driscoll, Keelin McCarthy, Aisling Moloney, Kiya O’Mahony and Aoife O’Flynn Meade were also on the Brewery Town’s scoresheet.
O’Donovan Rossa’s wait for a first Division 1 Group 1 victory goes on. The Skibbereen side were missing a host of regulars in losing 4-12 to 0-6 at home to an undefeated Glanmire on Sunday. Aoife O’Driscoll, Lia Hogan, Sarah Hurley, Orla McCarthy and Fionnuala O’Driscoll were on target for Rossa’s. Aishling McAllen, Lucy Greene, Ava McCarthy, Evie Twomey, Niamh McAllen, Aoife Treacy and Michelle Dullea scores elevated Glanmire into a share of the group lead alongside Aghada.
The Cork senior county champions travelled to Mourneabbey and registered a superb 3-10 to 0-10 victory including Róisin Phelan (1-3), Lauren Linehan (0-4), Clare Walsh (1-1) and Kaitlin Smith (0-2) scores. In the same group, Éire Óg got off the mark in this year’s league following a 4-9 to 1-4 defeat of St Val’s.
O'Donovan Rossa lost 4-12 to 0-6 at home to an undefeated Glanmire in Division 1 Group 1.
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Beara travelled to Kilshannig on Friday evening and played their part in a ten-goal Division 4 cracker. The home side came out on top, 6-10 to 4-9, despite a valiant Beara effort. Maria O’Neill, Ellie O’Sullivan, Eimear O’Shea, Anna Downing and Lucy Downing were the pick of the rural side’s top performers.
At the opposite end of the Division 4 table, a third consecutive Bandon victory has the Lilywhites sitting in first place. Down 0-8 to 2-2 at home to Erin’s Own, the West Cork club rebounded superbly to maintain their perfect start and run out 4-6 to 3-14 winners. Hannah Buckley, Laura Cummins, Aoife Walsh and Evelyn McCarthy were amongst Bandon’s scorers in a game Claudia McCarthy, Emma Tarrant, Sarah O’Connor, Aoife Walsh and Hannah Buckley stood out.
Elsewhere in Division 4, Rockbán and St Finbarr’s drew 2-11 to 3-8 on the same day Ballinora overpowered St Peter’s 3-12 to 1-7.
In Division 5, Ibane Ladies lost a shootout, 4-12 to 3-10, away to St Michael’s. Another West Cork club, Clann na nGael, were given a walkover by Dromtarriffe. Both West Cork representatives are currently three points behind a four-way lead for the division.
A Division 6 West Cork derby went Ilen Rovers’ way and at the expense of Muintir Gabriels last Sunday. Ilen’s 5-8 to 2-7 victory sent Rovers top of the table and maintained their perfect league record. Maria Connolly, Maebh Collins (2-1 each), Keelin Murphy (0-5), Emma Hurley (1-0) and Ava Murphy (0-1) scored for the winners.
In the same division, Courcey Rovers lost 3-8 to 2-2 away to Kildorrery, Ballinhassig overcame Macroom and Glanworth had two points to spare at home to Naomh Fionnbarra.
In Division 7, St Colum’s received a walkover from St Nick’s while in Division 8, Keelnameela produced one of the performances of the weekend to defeat Na Piarsaigh 2-7 to 2-6. Aoife McCarthy (1-4), Jaynell Andersen (1-0), Sorcha McCarthy (0-2) and Katie Gadzar (0-1) scored for the West Cork club to maintain their perfect start to their league campaign.
