Rossas and Dohenys to clash in Cork JAFC final

DOHENYS and O’Donovan Rossa will clash in the 2023 Cork LGFA junior A county final at MTU on Saturday afternoon (2pm throw-in).

The two West Cork sides qualified in the top four of this year’s JAFC round-robin section before Rossas saw off Douglas 0-10 to 0-4 and Dohenys defeated Midleton 2-9 to 1-6 in the semi-finals.

Yet to lose a championship game in 2023, O’Donovan Rossa’s 0-15 to 2-6 defeat of Dohenys earlier in the campaign makes the Skibbereen club slight favourites ahead of throw-in. Having lost last year’s county final to Naomh Abán, Rossas will look to in-form Laura O’Mahony, Éabha O’Donovan, Fionnuala O’Driscoll and Kate O’Donovan for inspiration.

As for Dohenys, their solitary JAFC loss came at the hands of this weekend’s county final opponents. The Dunmanway club will relish an opportunity to atone for their 2021 junior A county final loss to Castlehaven on 30-metre frees at the same MTU venue. Noelle O’Mahony (1-2), Mairead Crowley (0-5), Melissa Duggan (1-1) and Ruth Collins (0-2) were amongst the Dunmanway club’s scorers against Midleton this past weekend.

Having met O’Donovan Rossa three times already this season, Dohenys will be eager for another crack off their West Cork rivals in what should be a thrilling junior A county decider.

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Naomh Abán will face Glanmire in Saturday’s Cork LGFA intermediate county final after a 5-19 to 3-2 win over Valley Rovers last weekend.

The 2022 county and Munster junior A champions set up a meeting with a Glanmire team desperate to avoid a fourth consecutive JAFC county final loss. Against Valleys, Naomh Abán built a 2-9 to 1-2 interval lead before scoring three additional goals in the second period. Lydia McDonagh (2-2), Annie Maher (2-1) and Grace Murphy (1-4) provided the bulk of the winners' scores. Rosie Corkery, Gráinne Lucey (0-3 each), Eimear Murphy, Amy McDonagh (0-2 each), Colleen Phelan and Joanne Kelly (0-1) were also on target.

Kinsale’s hopes of joining Castlehaven in next Saturday’s Cork LGFA senior B county final were dashed by Fermoy. A cracking semi-final ended 1-8 to 1-7 in Fermoy’s favour despite Aoife Keating (1-2), Caoimhe Horgan (0-4) and Faye Aherne (0-1) scoring for Kinsale. Saoirse Moore (1-2), Aoibhe Carey (0-4), Abbie Scannell and Michelle Parker (0-1 each) scores gave Fermoy a chance to retain a senior B trophy they defeated Clonakilty for 12 months ago.

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Tadhg MacCarthaigh are one match away from reaching this year’s junior B county final but face a formidable opponent in Carrigaline at Caheragh on Saturday. The winners of that encounter will face either Rockbán or Bishopstown in the county decider.

Beara lost 1-10 to 1-18 to St Peter’s in the Cork LGFA junior C county championship last Sunday. Anna Downing (0-3), Katie O’Sullivan (1-0), Ellie O’Sullivan, Ciara Murphy, Clare O’Shea and Ruby Downing (0-1 each) were amongst the rural side’s scorers.

Bandon qualified for the junior E county semi-finals courtesy of a 3-15 to 1-7 defeat of Kildorrery. Kate McLoughlin (1-4), Ava Long (0-5), Emma Tarrant (1-2), Anna Daly (1-1), Caoimhe Foley, Niamh Sugrue and Laura Barr (0-1 each) scored for the lilywhites.

Ibane Ladies will take on Dripsey in this year’s junior F county semi-finals on October 15th following a 4-13 to 1-5 win over Banteer. Alison McCarthy (2-1), Tara Fleming (0-5), Ellen O’Riordan (1-2), Katelyn Dineen (1-0), Caoimhe Ni Bhuachalla (0-3), Annie Condon and Roisín Ni Bhuachalla (0-1 each) scored for an Ibane side in which Katelyn Dineen was the best player on view.

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7TH

(all finals taking place at MTU, Cork)

Cork LGFA senior B county final: 12pm, Castlehaven v Fermoy.

Cork LGFA junior A county final: , 2pm, Dohenys v O’Donovan Rossa.

Cork LGFA intermediate county final: 4.15pm, Naomh Abán v Glanmire.

Cork LGFA junior B county semi-final: 3pm, Tadhg MacCarthaigh v Carrigaline in Caheragh.