Dohenys ladies' footballers will be looking to eradicate the memory of two previous county final losses when the West Cork club take on Abhainn Dalla in the county junior B decider at Clondrohid on Saturday (3pm throw-in).
BY GER McCARTHY
DOHENYS ladies’ footballers will be looking to eradicate the memory of two previous county final losses when the West Cork club take on Abhainn Dalla in the county junior B decider at Clondrohid on Saturday (3pm throw-in).
Last season’s 2-9 to 1-8 defeat to Glanmire and the 4-17 to 1-13 reversal at the hands of Aghada in 2016 sees Dohenys entering this weekend’s third consecutive junior B county final in determined mood.
Tony White’s side may have fallen at the last hurdle for the past two seasons but the Dunmanway club’s resolve to finally get their hands on the Cork LGFA trophy and gain promotion to the county junior A ranks has never been stronger.
Another positive league campaign helped Dohenys negotiate the opening rounds of this year’s championship where Courcey Rovers (6-13 to 3-6), Bishopstown (4-16 to 4-9), Tadhg MacCarthaigh (5-12 to 3-5) and Funcheon Gaels (2-8 to 2-2) were all dispatched before securing safe passage to Saturday’s showdown with Abhainn Dalla.
A young and energetic Newmarket-Kanturk amalgamation should test Dohenys to the full but Tony White believes his side are up for the challenge and ready to make the next step in the Carbery club’s development.
‘Saturday’s final will be our third in a row and it is all to play for,’ White said.
‘Preparations have gone very well for us this year in that we were involved in the ladies’ junior A and B league which provided plenty of tough games. Dohenys were the only B team in that division – because of a grading based on last year’s result – and we managed to get to the league final which was positive.
‘Naomh Abán beat us in the league final but it was the best possible preparation for heading into the championship. We topped our championship group so here we are again heading into our third county final in three years. Hopefully, we can do it this year.’
Melissa Duggan is Dohenys’ marquee player but the impressive strides made by her hometown club has seen the Cork stalwart, Aileen Murphy, Caitriona Moloney and Michelle Duggan (Melissa’s sister) earn their places on the West Cork divisional squad defeated by Mournaabbey in the county senior final replay last weekend.
Dohenys have suffered enough county final heartache over the last two years but a change of venue from CIT to Clondrohid plus a more experienced squad bodes well for Saturday’s clash.
