Skibb and Dohenys have home advantage in county junior A football semi-final showdowns

DOHENYS and Tadgh MacCarthaigh confirmed their respective Cork junior county A and B semi-final berths this past weekend.

We are reaching the knockout stages and business end of this year’s senior, intermediate and junior county championships.

Dohenys cemented a home county junior A county semi-final spot courtesy of a 0-16 to 2-4 defeat of West Cork rivals Bantry Blues on Sunday. Megan McSweeney netted an early Bantry goal but the Dunmanway club rebounded positively to lead 0-9 to 1-2 at the break.

Bantry goalkeeper Seadhna O’Sullivan played superbly throughout and, despite losing Sarah Bishop to a black card, the Blues rallied in the closing stages with Jessica Gleeson netting their second goal. Dohenys finished strongly however, scoring four unanswered points to run out convincing winners.

Dohenys’ scorers included Mairead Crowley and Ruth Collins (0-5 each), Cork senior Melissa Duggan (0-4) and Rachel Collins (0-2). The winner’s standout players included Melissa Duggan, Ruth Collins and Eirinn O’Donovan. Bantry Blues’ scores came via Megan McSweeney, Jessica Gleeson (1-0 each), Caitlin O’Mahony, Sarah Bishop, Aoife Kingston (0-1 each).

The other JAFC fixture completed last weekend involved Midleton overcoming Douglas 3-10 to 0-3. So, the final JAFC round-robin positions sees O’Donovan Rossa topping the table on maximum points from their four games. Dohenys finished second on nine oints with Midleton third and Douglas fourth. Bantry Blues missed out on a county semi-final berth despite a positive overall season.

This Sunday, O’Donovan Rossa will host Douglas and Dohenys will entertain Midleton in this year’s JAFC county semi-finals, both games with a 3pm throw-in.

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Castlehaven lost 3-8 to 1-12 in Group 2 of the Cork LGFA senior football championship at home to a more experienced Fermoy team on Sunday. Two goals in four minutes handed Fermoy a 2-4 to 1-6 interval advantage. Castlehaven also missed a first-half penalty and the concession of a third green flag saw Fermoy emerge two-point winners.

Ellen Buckley netted Castlehaven’s solitary goal in a game Gráinne O’Sullivan (0-4), Mairead O’Driscoll (0-3), Niamh O’Sullivan, Hannah Sheehy (0-2 each) and Shelly Daly also scored. Dinny Cahalane’s side travels to an Aghada team on top form following their 4-14 to 0-4 defeat of Bride Rovers in both side’s final group match next Sunday.

Clonakilty’s SFC Group 1 victory at home to Kinsale is published elsewhere in this edition. The Brewery Town’s latest win means the West Cork club has an outside chance of making the top two group county semi-final qualifying spots.

That requires Clonakilty pulling off a shock win away to joint-leaders and in-form Éire Óg on Thursday evening. The Ovens club were pushed to the limit before seeing off St Val’s last weekend. Eimear Scally top scored with 1-7 in a 1-11 to 0-13 Éire Óg win against a St Val’s team also in county semi-final contention.

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Tadgh MacCarthaigh were already assured a junior B county semi-final berth before last Sunday’s clash with joint-group leaders Bishopstown. The two sides played out a thrilling 1-12 to 1-12 draw, an outcome that confirmed the Caheragh club’s county semi-final at home to one of the championship favourites, Carrigaline. Ellen Hurley (0-4), Amy McKennedy (0-3), Katie Kingston (1-0), Alaia O’Sullivan, Maureen Keating (0-2 each) and Rachel Leonard (0-1) scored for Tadgh MacCarthaigh.

Beara picked up their second junior C county championship victory of the season away to St Michael’s last weekend. A 5-12 to 0-9 win was attained courtesy of 4-6 from former Cork senior Áine Terry O’Sullivan who is enjoying a superb year. Becky O’Sullivan (1-2), Katie O Sullivan, Anna Downing, Emma O’Donoghue and Ruby Downing (0-1) were also on the scoresheet during a terrific Beara display.

Beara has two remaining round-robin games against Ballinora (on Sunday) and St Peter’s to try and secure a junior C county semi-final appearance.

Clann na nGael registered their first junior E county win of the season following a 3-11 to 2-11 Group 2 success at home to Kildorrery last weekend.

The Ibane Ladies team that remain unbeaten after edging Glanworth 4-9 to 3-11 to stay top of the Cork LGFA JFFC round-robin group standings.

Ibane Ladies maintained their perfect junior F county championship record with a third straight win. A narrow 4-9 to 3-11 defeat of Grenagh put Ibane top of the round-robin standings thanks to Grace Tobin (1-8), Roisin Ni Bhuachalla (1-1), Ellen O’Riordan and Alison McCarthy (1-0 each) scores.