Castlehaven and O’Donovan Rossa off to winning starts in Cork LGFA county championships

CASTLEHAVEN’S all-conquering ladies’ football team has made history by claiming their first-ever Cork LGFA senior football championship victory.

Niamh O’Sullivan had the distinction of scoring the West Cork club’s first-ever senior championship point and Alice O’Driscoll raised their first green flag as the Haven joined the county’s senior ranks.

Much more importantly however, Dinny Cahalane’s side overpowered Bride Rovers 2-14 to 0-2 and got their Group 2 campaign off to a positive start.

Leading 1-6 to 0-2 at the break in Moneyvohallane, Castlehaven took advantage of a strong wind to ease to victory. Niamh O’Sullivan (1-2), Alice O’Driscoll (1-1), Mairead O'Driscoll (0-4), Gráinne O’Sullivan (0-3), Hannah Sheehy (0-2), Lisa O'Mahony and Ellen Connolly (0-1 each) were amongst the winners scorers.

Castlehaven are not in action again until September 10th where they travel to current county champions Mourneabbey for what should be a cracking encounter. Mourneabbey saw off Aghada 4-9 to 3-9 last weekend with Cork seniors Laura Fitzgerald (1-4) and Doireann O’Sullivan (1-2) on target.

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Clonakilty’s opening Cork LGFA SFC Group 1 fixture ended in defeat to St Val’s in Ahamilla on Sunday.

Up 1-3 to 0-4 at the break, St Val’s converted a second-half penalty en-route to a 2-12 to 0-5 triumph. Despite the loss, Síofra Pattwell (0-2), Moira Barrett, Aisling Moloney and Kate O’Donovan were on target for the hosts. Ciara McCarthy (0-5) and Laura Buttimer (1-1) top scored for the winners.

In the same group, Éire Óg defeated Inch Rovers 3-13 to 0-3 with Eimear Scally (1- 5), Sadbh McGoldrick (1-1) and Marie O’Leary (0-3) impressing for the Ovens club.

Kinsale begin their Group 1 campaign away to Éire Óg on September 3rd with Clonakilty travelling to Inch Rovers a week later.

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The 2023 Cork LGFA intermediate county championship gets underway this weekend with Naomh Abán and Rosscarbery Ladies’ Group 1 encounter in Ballyvourney the pick of the ties.

Last year’s Cork junior A champions and All-Ireland finalists, Naomh Abán, are on a mission to reach the senior grade and will start as favourites. But Rosscarbery Ladies have been going well so far this year, pushing senior club Castlehaven all the way before coming up short in the West Cork Division 1 final. It should be a cracking encounter on Saturday with Group 1’s third team, Araglen Desmonds Buí, waiting in the wings.

Valley Rovers begin life as an intermediate club away to Glanmire on Sunday, The Brinny club is hoping to bounce back from last year’s relegation from the top tier. A young Rovers panel faces a tough task however, in a group containing Abhainn Dalla, Donoughmore and Glanmire. It is the toughest possible start for Valleys against a Glanmire side that has contested the last three IFC county finals.

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There is huge West Cork interest in this year’s Cork LGFA junior A football championship with three of the region’s clubs – Bantry Blues, O’Donovan Rossa and Dohenys – involved.

Rossas kick-started their JAFC campaign with a terrific 3-12 to 0-6 win away to Midleton. It took a full team effort to help the Skibbereen club get off the mark with Cork minor Éabha O’Donovan converting a penalty and finishing with 1-4. Kate O’Donovan (1-2), Laura O’Mahony (1-1), Fionnuala O’Driscoll (0-2), Sarah Hurley, Triona Murphy and Kate O’Connell (0-1 each) were also amongst the O’Donovan Rossa’s scorers.

In the same championship, fellow West Cork LGFA club, Bantry Blues, conceded a late goal and lost 2-13 to 3-8 at home to Douglas. Wolfe Tone Park played host to a cracking junior A encounter in which the Blues utilised a strong wind to build a commanding 3-6 to 0-6 interval lead. Zara Barry and Sarah Bishop found the net prior to Aisling Stock converting a penalty as the Blues looked in complete control.

Admirably, Douglas redoubled their efforts after the break. It was 3-8 to 1-13 in Bantry’s favour with less than two minutes remaining and after Aisling Stock scored a point from her second penalty of the afternoon.

Douglas kept pressing and were rewarded for their increased second half efforts with a match-winning goal. Crestfallen at the final whistle, Bantry were a match for their opponents throughout the afternoon. Sarah Bishop (1-4), Aisling Stock (1-1, two penalties), Zara Barry (1-0), Eve Murphy, Jessica Gleeson and Megan McSweeney (0-1 each) scored for the Blues.

Bantry has little time to wallow in defeat ahead of a eagerly-anticipated county championship local derby with O’Donovan Rossa in Skibbereen on Sunday. On the same afternoon, Dohenys begin their 2023 campaign with a tough assignment away to Douglas.

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There was plenty of action in the lower junior grades of the Cork LGFA county championships last weekend.

Mallow proved too strong for West Cork’s St Colum’s and registered a comprehensive win in the opening round of the junior C county.

The Kealkill club hope to rebound this coming weekend where Beara are the visitors to Kealkill for what should be a terrific match-up.

Muintir Gabriels lost their junior D county opener, 1-14 to 1-4, away to a strong St Finbarr’s line-up. The West Cork side will hope for a better result when Ballinhassig visit Ballydehob next Monday evening.

On the same evening, in the junior E county championship, a West Cork derby between Clann na nGael and Bandon takes place in Drimoleague. Both sides will be eager for victory in a championship round-robin series that also includes Cloyne, Kildorrery and Kilworth.

The Tadhg Mac Carthaigh team that got their 2023 Cork LGFA JBFC campaign off to a winning start away to Nemo Rangers last Monday evening.

Tadhg MacCarthaigh travelled to Nemo Rangers for the West Cork LGFA club’s first junior B county fixture of the season on Monday night.

A terrific performance saw the Caheragh outfit register a 1-13 to 1-6 Group 1 victory with Alaia O’Sullivan scoring the winner’s goal. Ellen Hurley (0-4), Maureen Keating, Jennifer Collins, Rachel Leonard (0-2 each), Amy McKennedy and Helena Collins (0-1 each) completed an excellent night’s work for the West Cork side.

Courcey Rovers and Bishopstown are the two other clubs in Tadhg MacCarthaigh’s group.