FIVE West Cork clubs will represent their region in this year’s Cork Credit Unions Cork LGFA county league finals.
Bantry Blues, Bandon, Ilen Rovers, Keelnameela and St Colum’s all have final fever as they chase silverware ahead of the championship season.
Whilst that group of five has league finals to look forward to, West Cork’s last remaining Division 1 representative fell short at the penultimate round. Kinsale had home advantage for the visit of Glanmire in their Division 1 league semi-final clash on Sunday. Caoimhe Horgan’s first-half goal kept the home side in touch but it was a more clinical Glanmire that changed ends 0-8 to 1-2 ahead.
Despite a spirited second-half display, Kinsale lost 1-13 to 1-6 with Horgan accounting for 1-4. Jenny Murphy and Caoimhe O’Callaghan were also on the Kinsale scoresheet in a semi-final Caoimhe Heffernan, Anna Kelleher and Emma O’Brien impressed. Gaby Cashman, Olivia McAllen, Evie Twomey, Ally McCarthy and Michelle Dullea played well for the winners.
An understrength Naomh Abán also came up short in their Division 1 semi-final, losing 3-11 to 0-3 to reigning senior county champions Aghada in Rostellan.
Amy McDonagh, Lydia McDonagh and Joanne Kelly were the Ballyvourney side’s scorers in a tie Bríanna Smith amassed 2-2 for Aghada.
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A Division 2 county league West Cork derby between Bantry Blues and Rosscarbery went the way of the latter in Wolfe Tone Park last weekend. The outcome did not prevent Bantry from progressing to this year’s Division 2 league decider however, and the West Cork side will face first-placed Carrigaline in Carrigaline on Sunday.
For their part, Rosscarbery rounded off a positive league campaign by registering a 1-9 to 0-8 victory over Bantry. Grainne O’Brien (0-5), Ciara O’Rourke (1-2), Ciara Whooley and Sarah Hayes (0-1 each) were on target for a Ross team eager to carry their momentum into this year’s championship. Sarah Bishop (0-3), Eve Murphy (0-2), Laura Dempsey, Myra Downey and Rachel Murphy (0-1) were the Blues’ scorers, and Bantry will be hoping for an improved performance against Carrigaline in the league decider.
In Division 3, another West Cork LGFA derby saw Tadgh MacCarthaigh edge Dohenys 1-11 to 2-6 following an entertaining encounter in Dunmanway.
The hosts began positively and led 2-3 to 1-4 at the short whistle. An improved Tadgh MacCarthaigh second-half performance saw the Caheragh club run out two-point winners however, thanks in part to Ellen Hurley’s superb total of 1-8. Alaia O’Sullivan (0-2) and Maureen Keating (0-1) were Tadgh Mac Carthaigh’s other contributors in a clash Abbie McCarthy (1-2), Ava O’Donovan (0-3), Ciara Galvin (1-0), Mairead Crowley (0-2) and Gemma O’Mahony (0-1) provided Dohenys’ scores.
Bishopstown and Midleton finished first and second respectively in the final standings and will contest this weekend’s Division 3 county league decider.
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Bandon will take on Erin’s Own in the Division 4 county league final. The Lilywhites wrapped up an undefeated campaign and solidified their place in the league decider courtesy of last weekend’s impressive 3-9 to 2-8 defeat of Rockbán.
A perfect league record of seven wins out of seven was achieved thanks to Hannah Buckley and Anne Marie Troy goals. Aoife Callanan, Jane Tarrant and Aisling O’Connor also impressed for the West Cork club.
Erin’s Own edged out Ballinora for a place in this year’s Division 4 final on scoring difference after defeating the latter 6-16 to 1-7 last Sunday. In the same division, Beara received a walkover from St Finbarr’s.
Clann na nGael finished off their Division 5 county league fixtures in style thanks to a resounding victory at home to Knocknagree. Kathlyn McCarthy (1-2), Lorraine O’Neill (0-4), Aoife Collins, Niamh Daly (1-0 each), Katie O’Driscoll and Roisin O’Driscoll (0-1) were on target in the Scorchers’ 3-8 to 0-12 win. Goalkeeper Caoimhe Hurley, who produced a string of superb saves, was Clann na nGael’s standout performer.
Elsewhere in Division 5, Ibane Ladies lost 4-14 to 2-6 away to first place finishers and county league finalists, Youghal. The latter will take on Ballincollig for the league trophy.
Clann na nGael rounded off their Division 5 county league programme with victory at home to Knocknagree.
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Ilen Rovers finished top of the Division 6 county league table with an unblemished record after Courcey Rovers handed the West Cork club a walkover last weekend. Sixth-placed Muintir Gabriels brought the curtain down on their Division 6 campaign with a comprehensive 8-7 to 1-13 victory over Macroom. Ilen Rovers will face Ballinhassig in the Division 6 league decider.
There was more good news for West Cork LGFA with St Colum’s victory over St Catherine’s cementing a Division 7 county league final berth. Leading by two points at the conclusion of a tight first half, the Kealkill club produced a storming second-half performance to run out 3-9 to 1-7 winners. Lily O’Sullivan (1-3), Clodagh Downey (1-1), Ella Downey (0-3), Claire O'Sullivan (1-0) and Katie Dineen (0-2) efforts have set up a county league final meeting with St Colman’s. Seren Lehane, Katie Dineen, Fiona Crowley, Maggie Coppinger and Laetitia McSweeney were the pick of St Colum’s best players.
Another West Cork club, Keelnameela, completed a marvellous Division 8 odyssey by overcoming Ballycastle 7-11 to 1-4 and qualifying for this season’s county league decider. The win over Ballycastle secured the division’s runners-up berth for a delighted Keelnameela.
Mitchelstown will be the West Cork club’s opponents in the league final after Meadhbh Coomey (2-4), Sinead Mears (3-1), Aoife McCarthy (1-2), Orla Barrett (1-1), Jaynell Anderson (0-2) and Moira McCarthy (0-1) wrote their names on the winners’ scoresheet.
