Cork LGFA county leagues throw in this weekend
THE 2025 Cork LGFA county leagues get underway this weekend with West Cork and Beara representatives spread across eight senior divisions.
This season’s top tier has split 12 clubs into two groups of six and includes four West Cork entrants. Freshly-minted senior club O’Donovan Rossa gained promotion to Division 1 and the county's top grade thanks to last year’s memorable county and provincial intermediate title successes.
Similar to most clubs, the Skibbereen side will be missing some regular starters in the opening weeks of the county leagues. On the plus side, Laura O’Mahony is going well with the Cork seniors, as are Allie Tobin and Éabha O’Donovan at minor inter-county level. Rossas were defeated 2-9 to 0-7 by Mourneabbey in the 2024 Division 2 decider but are eager to hit the ground running against the same opposition in this weekend’s league starter in Skibbereen.
Defending Division 1 champions St Val’s get things underway at home to 2024 senior county champions Aghada. Éire Óg and Glanmire’s clash in Ovens completes an exciting first weekend of Group 1 action.
All three West Cork clubs competing in Group 2 of Division 1 enjoy home advantage on the first Sunday of the county leagues. Castlehaven welcome Fermoy to Moneyvohallane, Ahamilla hosts Clonakilty and Bride Rovers’ clash while Naomh Abán travel to Kinsale.
Union Hall-Castletownshend club Castlehaven lost 2-9 to 1-8 to St Val’s in last year’s Division 1 semi-final and will be hoping for an improvement this time around. Mairead O’Driscoll, Shelly Daly, Alice O’Driscoll and Ellen Maguire performed consistently in the Haven’s previous campaign. The West Cork club will look to their U21 ranks over the coming months, beginning with a meeting against a Fermoy team they netted six goals against in last September’s senior A championship group phase.
2024 Cork senior B county champions Clonakilty have David Aherne back at the helm as the Brewery Town begins their league odyssey against Bride. Clon lost last year’s Division 1 league decider to St Val’s but rebounded to lift the county B senior trophy. Cork seniors Siobhán Callanan and Katie O’Driscoll plus Millie Condon (camogie) should feature later in the campaign.
A West Cork LGFA Division 1 adult championship title was the highlight of a positive 2024 for Kinsale. Defeated by Clonakilty in last year’s senior B county final, Kinsale’s thriving underage setup suggests another positive 12 months lies ahead. Expect Caoimhe Horgan, Catherine Murphy and Orla Finn to feature prominently once again this term.
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Elsewhere in the Cork LGFA county leagues, Bantry Blues get their Division 2 campaign underway at home to Inch Rovers. In the same division, Rosscarbery Ladies and Valley Rovers are scheduled to meet in Rosscarbery. It is a busy weekend for the former, whose U21s take on St Michael’s in a rearranged Cork U21 county championship quarter-final.
West Cork’s Division 3 representatives, Dohenys and Tadhg MacCarthaigh, are both on the road this weekend – The Caheragh club travels to Midleton while Dohenys are in Bishopstown.
Last year’s Division 4 runners-up Bandon host Ballinora. In the same division, Beara enjoys home advantage for the visit of St Peter’s. Division 5 sees Ibane Ladies away to Lisgoold and Clann na nGael travelling to St Michael’s.
Ilen Rovers are amongst the favourites for this year’s Division 6 League trophy and start off at home to Naomh Fionnbarra. Muintir Gabriels take on Ballinhassig and Courcey Rovers face Macroom. St Colum’s host Grenagh in Division 7 while Keelnameela begins at home to St Mary’s in Division 8.
