FIVE-GOAL Kinsale were crowned 2022 Drinagh Co-op West Cork LGFA U15A champions following victory over O’Donovan Rossa in Barryroe.
A close opening half saw Kinsale leading by two points, 2-6 to 1-7, before dominating the second period and going on to win 5-10 to 1-11.
Catherine Murphy top-scored for the winners with 2-6 and was ably assisted by the final’s MVP, Caoimhe Horgan, who contributed 2-3. Lily Collins (1-0) and Lydia O’Sullivan (0-1) completed Kinsale’s total. On the same evening, Éabha O’Donovan kicked nine points, Orla McCarthy (1-0) and Holly Brickley (0-2) for an O’Donovan Rossa that pushed their opponents to the limit. Caoimhe Horgan, Catherine Murphy, Tara Mulcair, Kate Carmody and Ava McCarthy were the pick of the newly crowned West Cork LGFA U15 A grade champions best players.
Castlehaven defeated Beara 2-10 to 2-8 and claimed the 2022 Drinagh Co-op West Cork U15B title in Kealkill. Amid difficult weather conditions, the Haven built a 0-7 to 0-3 interval lead. Credit to Beara who turned things around in the second period and led 2-8 to 1-8 with less than a minute remaining.
A 1-2 injury-time blast saw Castlehaven deservedly win out by two points at the end of an entertaining clash in which the winning team’s Caoimhe Flannery was voted MVP.
A number of West Cork clubs were involved in Cork LGFA U16 county championship action last weekend. O’Donovan Rossa hosted Mallow in a U16B county semi-final in Skibbereen last Saturday. The West Cork side produced a terrific display to emerge 3-13 to 0- 5 winners. Éabha O’Donovan was in excellent form and contributed 1-11 of Skibb’s total. Holly Brickley (1-1), Orla McCarthy (1-0) and Ella Hayes (0-1) rounded a superb victory for an O’Donovan Rossa side that will take on the winners of Ballinora versus Naomh Abán in this year’s county U16B decider.
Glanmire overcame Tadgh MacCarthaigh to set up an U16A county final meeting with Mourneabbey. Despite a heroic effort, Tadgh MacCarthaigh lost 1-9 to 2-3 in what has been a hugely positive year for the West Cork LGFA club.
Elsewhere in the Cork LGFA U16 county championships, Bandon beat Dromtarriffe 4-13 to 5-5 and progressed to this year’s U16 A2 county decider against either Midleton or Nemo Rangers on November 19th.
Anna Crowley, Maggie France (1-4 each), Sarah Burrows (0-3), Evelyn McCarthy, Molly O’Donovan (1-0 each) and Clodagh Barry (0-2) were on target for the lilywhites. Kate O’Leary, Niamh O’Mahony and Leah Crean’s combined efforts helped send Bandon through to a county final.
Rosscarbery travelled to Ballincollig for a U16 B2 county championship semi-final last Saturday. Ballincollig proved too strong and ended the West Cork side’s county aspirations following a narrow 4-6 to 2-11 victory.
