Red-hot Éabha O’Donovan hits 1-11 for unbeaten Rebels

BY GER McCARTHY

O’DONOVAN Rossa’s Éabha O’Donovan scored 1-11 as Cork maintained their undefeated run in this year’s Munster LGFA minor championship.

Jamie Cronin’s young squad registered a fourth consecutive provincial championship victory, hammering Limerick 4-20 to 1-4 at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s 4G pitch on Saturday.

Having seen off Clare, Kerry and Waterford in their previous outings, Cork maintained their perfect start by building a 0-11 to 1-2 interval lead. The second period saw a dominant Cork net four late goals and ease to victory.

Hannah Sheehy (Castlehaven), Kate Carey, Leah Carey, Maebh Collins (all Ilen Rovers), Catherine Murphy, Maisie O’Callaghan (both Kinsale), Allie Tobin, Éabha O’Donovan (both O’Donovan Rossa) and Amy McKennedy (Tadhg MacCarthaigh) are the West Cork representatives on this year’s Cork minor panel.

Of those, O’Donovan Rossa’s Éabha O’Donovan underlined her growing reputation with a standout display against Limerick. Kicking 1-11, O’Donovan topped the scoring charts on a day Ilen Rovers’ Maebh Collins (1-3) and Kate Carey (1-0) plus Kinsale’s Catherine Murphy (1-0) also contributed. Órlaith Cremin (0-3), Holly Quirke (0-2) and Amy Sheppard (0-1) were also on target.

‘The first half was a bit rocky, but we got going in the second half and it just opened up for us. Overall it was a good team performance,’ Éabha O’Donovan said.

‘That was a really consistent performance,’ Cork manager Jamie Cronin added. ‘We delivered a very strong second-half performance, similar to the Waterford win, and scored four goals in the last quarter. Éabha (O’Donovan) stood out up front for us.

‘Our half-back line was extremely strong too and their turnovers provided the platform for many of our attacks.’

A place in the Munster LGFA minor final is not yet confirmed despite Cork’s unbeaten record. The Rebels travel to Tipperary on April 6th for their final round-robin fixture.

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The Cork U16 A and B squads are scheduled for Munster LGFA action this weekend. Denis Mulvihill’s (Valley Rovers) Cork U16A panel faces a tough challenge away to Kerry on Sunday (2pm). Kenneth Burns’s Cork U16Bs (12pm throw-in) will also be involved in the double-header against the Kingdom in Brosna.

The Rebels were pushed to the limit in their previous Munster LGFA U16A fixture a fortnight ago. Amid awful weather conditions, Cork had to come from four points down before seeing off Tipperary 1-10 to 1-9 in Mallow. Courcey Rovers’ Caoimhe Foley and Ilen Rovers’ Carla O’Regan were on the scoresheet that afternoon. That duo along with Clonakilty goalkeeper Róisín Duggan stood out for a Cork side that can expect an equally testing time against Kerry.

Aislinn Santry (Rosscarbery), Emma Burchill (Castlehaven), Hannah Deasy (Kinsale) and Katie Crowley (Courcey Rovers) are the West Cork LGFA representatives on this year’s Cork U16B panel. Crowley scored 0-2 in her side’s 1-11 to 0-3 Munster championship win over Tipperary last time out. Naomh Abán’s Róisín Ní Liatháin top scored with 0-5 on that occasion and both players will be vital to Cork U16B’s chances of overcoming Kerry this weekend.