O’Donovan Rossa 3-10
Castlehaven 3-4
BY KIERAN McCARTHY
THE new kids on the senior block are paying scant regard to their established neighbours.
One week after O’Donovan Rossa beat Clonakilty in their first-ever Cork Credit Unions Senior Championship game, they were at it again – this time local rivals Castlehaven came up short against the Skibbereen high-fliers.
This first-ever senior championship meeting of the two neighbours didn’t disappoint. The high-noon showdown in Skibb lived up to its billing on Sunday, with three goals in the opening six minutes. It was fast and frantic.
Captain fantastic Laura O’Mahony, after winning the throw-in and sparking an attack, gave the home team the dream start with a goal in the first move of the game.
Castlehaven's Alice O'Driscoll is challenged by O'Donovan Rossa's Laura O'Mahony.
‘It resembled a goal that I got against Scartaglin in last year’s Munster intermediate semi-final – it just seemed to open up in front of me. It’s one of those that is over before you can even think about it,’ the Skibb footballer reflected.
But Castlehaven, now in their third year at senior level, didn’t panic. Instead, they hit back with two quickfire goals to take the lead, 2-0 to 1-0.
Haven’s ability to find the net kept them in front during the first half, as Gráinne O’Sullivan (2) and Niamh O’Sullivan (1) had all rattled the net by the 23rd minute. The visitors led 3-2 to 1-4, and despite being without Mairead O’Driscoll and Ellie McCarthy in attack, Castlehaven would have been satisfied with this position. Having lost their opening Group 1 game to St Vals the previous weekend, they were hoping this derby could spark their campaign.
O’Donovan Rossa picked off the last two points of the first half to reduce the gap at the break to just two, 3-2 to 1-6, but they weren’t pleased with their display.
‘There were elements to our game that we had talked about during the week but we hadn’t executed them,’ Laura O’Mahony explained.
‘We have high standards for ourselves and we didn’t meet our targets in that first half, and we knew we had to up our game because Castlehaven are a good team.’
Castlehaven's Shelley Daly under pressure from O'Donovan Rossa's Triona Murphy.
The Rossas responded with a superb second-half showing – turning a two-point deficit into a six-point winning margin, while restricting Castlehaven to just two points after the break.
With All-Ireland winning Cork minor Éabha O’Donovan, who finished with 0-5, finding her range, and two goals in succession midway through the half by Kate O’Donovan and Mallaidh O’Neill, the Rossas seized control to build a commanding 3-10 to 3-2 lead inside the final quarter.
The Haven were struggling for scores and kicked their only two points of the half in the closing stages.
As well as goals from Gráinne O’Sullivan and Niamh O’Sullivan, Castlehaven had points from Gráinne again, Ellen Buckley, Emma Daly and Amy McCarthy. O’Donovan Rossa also had a strong spread of scorers: Éabha O’Donovan 0-5; Laura O’Mahony, Mallaidh O’Neill, Kate O’Donovan 1-0 each; Fionnuala O’Driscoll, Aoife O’Driscoll 0-2 each; and Emer McCarthy 0-1.
So, bragging rights and valuable Group 1 points stayed in Skibbereen, as the Rossas continue to make their presence felt at senior ranks. They have climbed the grades in recent seasons, collecting junior and intermediate silverware, but are well aware that senior is a whole new ball game. Still, with wins over Clon and now Haven, the early signs are encouraging.
Castlehaven's Amy McCarthy is challenged by O'Donovan Rossa's Sarah Hurley.
‘We don’t want to come up and go through the motions,’ O’Mahony stated.
‘We want to be competitive at this level, and we have shown that in the last two games.
‘If you look at the teams we played at intermediate level, like Naomh Abán, they would make a good senior team as well, so there is quality in that grade too.
‘Coming up to senior, we have high expectations and high standards for the group.’
O’Donovan Rossa also carry momentum, not only from recent county, Munster and All-Ireland winning campaigns, but from lifting the West Cork LGFA Division 1 title before the senior championship began. That has helped maintain the winning habit, though the next hurdle is the toughest yet – county champions Aghada, away, this Thursday night (August 28). It’s a chance for James O’Donovan’s team to test themselves against the top side in the county.
‘The physicality at senior level is definitely something you notice, even in terms of the refereeing – there is more left go than we would have been used to at junior and intermediate levels. That can make the game more exciting because it has that bit of a bite,’ O’Mahony added, as Skibb continue to take the step up in their stride.
Lisa Harte and Jessica Beechinor (both in Australia) and Kate O’Connell (America) are regulars from last season who are not involved this year, but the panel has the depth to cope with those absences.
‘Emer Mac was away last summer but she’s back now and absolutely flying,’ O’Mahony pointed out.
While Skibb look to build on their opening results, Castlehaven – county senior B champions in 2024 – will be eager to bounce back when they host Clonakilty this Thursday evening.
For Skibb and Haven, this first senior championship meeting is the next chapter in their rivalry. And the Rossas landed the first blow.
