Strong West Cork influence helps Cork minors claim Munster title

Joe Carroll’s Cork minors proved too strong for Tipperary and claimed the 2022 Munster LGFA minor A title in Mallow recently.Leading 1-6 to 1-2 at the interval, a brace of second half goals helped the Rebels run out deserving 3-11 to 2-5 winners.

Abigail Ring (Cloyne) provided the bulk of the newly crowned provincial champions scores with a personal haul of 1-9. Éire Óg’s Orlaith Cahalane kicked 0-2 and Aghada’s Rachel Leahy added two goals.

The victorious Cork team also included Ilen Rovers’ Emma Hurley, O’Donovan Rossa’s Lia Hogan, Kinsale’s Caoimhe Heffernan, Clonakilty’s Millie Condon, Siobhán Callanan, Katie O’Driscoll and Kate O’Donovan.

‘Tipperary put it up to us and we knew they would,’ Joe Carroll told The Southern Star.

‘We knew that from having played them earlier in the championship. It was a very tight game as was the Munster final. Tipp very much put it up to us. Even though we were only four points up at half time, I was happy because we had played quite well. I knew we would kick on in the second half, given the opportunity, and we did.’

Next up for Joe Carroll’s side is an All-Ireland LGFA minor semi-final against whoever emerges from the Ulster championship. That last-four encounter will not take place until July.

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Dominic Gallagher’s Cork U16’s also finished the weekend as provincial champions. Cork won the 2022 Munster U16 LGFA ‘A’ grade thanks to a 3-10 to 2-3 defeat of Kerry in Mallow.

The aid of a strong wind saw the Kingdom make life difficult for Cork in the opening half. Gallagher’s side led 0-6 to 1-1 at the interval before finding another gear and kicking for home thanks to a dominant second half showing.

O’Donovan Rossa’s Niamh O’Sullivan finished the afternoon two goals, taking her tally to four green flags in three games. Mourneabbey’s Deirdre Cronin continued her excellent season with 0-7. The remainder of the Cork U16 scores came from Erins Own’s Aoibhínn O’Neill (1-1), Aghada’s Brianna Smith and Kinsale’s Catherine Murphy (0-1 each).

West Cork’s Kate and Leah Carey (Ilen Rovers), Eabha O’Donovan and Niamh O’Sullivan (O’Donovan Rossa) Catherine Murphy (Kinsale), Eleanor Keating and Amy McKennedy (Tadhg MacCarthaigh) took home Munster U16 medals.

‘We are delighted with the win as a lot of work went in since late last year when we started our trials,’ Cork U16 manager Dominic Gallagher commented.

‘The management team have put a lot of effort in to the Cork setup and the players have worked equally as hard. Everyone was delighted with the outcome of the Munster final.

‘Our goals were very important and Aoibhínn (O’Neill) got the first one at an important time. O’Donovan Rossa’s Niamh O’Sullivan has had a tough time with injuries but responded with two very important goals for us as well.’

As with their Cork minor counterparts, the All-Ireland U16 ‘A’ semi-finals will not take place until late June. This year’s yet to be decided Ulster champions will be Cork’s opponents in the penultimate round.