The West Cork Sciath na Scol girls' football finals held in Clonakilty delivered drama and entertainment, reports Tom Lyons

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Roinn 1 (15 a-side)

Scoil Mhuire agus Bharra, Bantry 0-5

Kealkill 0-3

MAYBE the final score was the lowest of the day but this was a marvellous contest between the near neighbours. Both defences were on top, producing wonderful blocking and interceptions, with both goalkeepers excelling. 

Kealkill, against the breeze, looked slightly better in the first half and were in a good position when leading by 0-3 to 0-2 at the break.

It was hell for leather in a marvellous second half as Bantry levelled and the game was scoreless for a long way because of the outstanding defending. In the closing minutes Bantry kicked two points to hit the front but in the very last attack of the game, Kealkill had a great chance of a winning goal only to see Bantry goalkeeper Ellie McCarthy bringing off a miracle save to become the hero of the hour. 

Scoil Mhuire agus Bharra, winners of Roinn 1 Girls, with Cork footballer Ruairí Deane. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Scorers for Bantry were Lily Rose O’Donovan, two points, Evelyn Minehane, Mary Keohane and Kacey O’Sullivan, with Meghan O’Neill, Anna Connolly and captain Millie Lynch also starring. 

Kealkill, who had won Roinn 3 in 2023, and Roinn 2 in 2024 and 2025, were competing in Roinn 1 for the first time and had stars in the excellent Alice Cronin, a chip off the old block, Caoimhe Crowley, long-kicking Gracie McCarthy in goal, Aoife Hurley, Ciara O’Sullivan, Emma O’Connor and Jude Keohane. 

Bantry: E McCarthy, E Gibbons, M O’Neill, E O’Sullivan, K O’Brien, SM Kingston-Fitzgerald, M Lynch, LR O’Donovan, M Keohane, K O’Sullivan, A Quirke, A Connolly, Sophie O’Leary, E Minehane, C Sheedy. Also, C Allen, S Buseveca, Sadie O’Leary, G O’Donovan, K Creedon, N Wanatowska, J Wanatowska, W Stos, M Tyner, A Collins, A O’Keeffe, A Daly, T McCarthy, S Bhattacharya, Eva Agesh, Esha Agesh.

Kealkill: G McCarthy, A Hurley, K Kirwan, A O’Donovan, C Crowley, A Hourihane, N Murnane, E O’Connor, C O’Sullivan, A McCarthy, A Cronin, A Maddock, J Keohane, S Vaughan, A O’Flynn. Also, G O’Neill, F Collins, E McCarthy, L Thomas, E Hohinann, S O’Shea.

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Roinn 2 (13 a-side) 

Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Uí Choileáin, Cloch na gCoillte 4-5

Scoil an Chroí Naofa Castletownbere 1-1

An extremely strong Gaelscoil proved too strong for the Beara girls in this well-fought final. 

Displaying strength, pace and skill, Gaelscoil dominated with the breeze in the first half and a goal by Lylah Ní Chionnaith set them on the way to a big lead at half time. 

Castletown gave their all in an entertaining second half, kicking 1-1 from Lizzy O’Shea and Aislinn Lowney, with Lowney outstanding and Robin Healy winning lots of possession, but were unable to close the gap on the strong winners. 

Do Gaelscoil, bhí Eve Pléamoinn, Alice Stiobhard (captain), Frankie Ní Mhurchú, Brittany Ní Dhonnabháin, Naya Ejim agus Isla Ní Chearbhaill ar fheabhas. 

Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Uí Choileáin: A Ní Laighin, E Pléamoinn, F Ní Mhurchú, B Ní Dhonnabháin, H Ní Liatháin, M Ní Chalnáin, A Stiobhard, I Ní Chearbhaill, N Ejim, L Ní Chionnaith, E Déiseach, C Nic an Ghoill, S Breathnach, ER Ní Fhoghlú, C MacGiolla Mhuire, S Ní Chíosáin, L Ní Chaoimh, K Ní Fheicheallaigh, L Nic Ambróis, H Ní Liam, Sara Nic Chárthaigh, B Nic Adaimh, Sadhbh Nic Chárthaigh, A Ní Chaoimh, L Nic Airt, L Ní Chróinín 

Scoil an Chroí Ró Naofa: A O’Sullivan, C Lehane, E O’Sullivan, R Healy, R Minehane, A Lowney, G O’Sullivan, L Orpen, C Harrington, M Sullivan, R Lehane, R O’Neill, N Barry, L O’Shea, L Sullivan, R Kelly, E Hennessy, Terela.

Gaelscoil Mhichíl Uí Choileáin, winners of Roinn 2, with Cork footballer Ruairí Deane. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

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Roinn 3 (11 a-side) 

Timoleague 3-3

Bunscoil Fachtna, Rosscarbery 2-4

Having watched the boys’ team winning their final, the girls from Timoleague were under pressure to follow suit. 

Ross played with the wind in the first half but failed to score as Timoleague kicked a point. 

The second half produced a thriller. Isabel Harte opened the Timoleague scoring with 1-3 in quick succession. Ross rallied but were hit by two goals from Méabh Doyle. 

Timoleague NS, winners of Roinn 3 Girls, with Cork footballer Ruairí Deane. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

It was far from over as Ross rallied again with goals from Clodagh Duggan and Ciara Kavanagh and points from Kavanagh. 

With a gap of only two points, the excitement was fierce as the players battled it out. Ross were unlucky with a disallowed goal and Timoleague hung on to complete the double for the school. Best for the winners were Isabel Harte, Lara Foley, Caelinn Coomey and Juliet Griffin, while captain, Amy Murphy, tried very hard for Ross. 

Timoleague: J Lynch, A Keohane, A McInerney, L Foley, J Griffin, C Coomey, I Harte, J O’Leary, C Coughlan, M Doyle, K O’Rourke. Also, S Hunbidge, C O’Sullivan, L O’Riordan, A Leahy, A Coffey, D Couse. 

Bunscoil Fachtna: R O’Donovan, A Wycherley, L Ronan, S Dullea, A Murphy, F O’Driscoll, S Ní Dhonnabháin, C Kavanagh, A Murphy, E O’Driscoll, S Kurylo. Also, E Bradshaw, M Mojsaska, C O’Driscoll, C Duggan, E Dullea, G O’Mahony, E Duggan.

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Winners of the Roinn 4 final Kilmeen NS with Cork footballer David Buckley. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Roinn 4 (9 a-side)

Kilmeen 2-10 

Scoil Chúil Aodha, Barr d’Inse 4-2

A marvellous game between two excellent, evenly-balanced teams. Cúl Aodha got off to a great start with two goals from the outstanding Amy Ní Thuama, who was to finish with a whopping 4-1 to her credit. 

Kilmeen recovered to lead at the break by 2-2 to 2-1, with goals from Ava Sutton and Micheala Keohane. 

Amy Ní Thuama kicked two more goals in the second half, but the point-scoring ability of Kilmeen proved vital as they hung on for a two-point win. Allanah Crowley kicked three, Aisling Dunne, Eadaoin Collins and Amber Whooley two each, and Micheala one. 

Bhí an captaen, Holly Ní Chríodáin ar fheabhas i lár na páirce do Chúl Aodha agus d’imir Vivienne Chionnfhaolaidh do d’fhoireann Chorcaí. 

Kilmeen: K O’Sullivan, E Barry, E Collins, Anisha, A Dunne, M Keohane, A McCarthy, A Whooley, A Crowley, R O’Driscoll, A Sutton, H Dullea, E Bonner, A Dullea, S Hayes, C Keohane, M Sheehy, H Hayes.

Scoil Chúil Aodha: A de Faoite, J Ní Cheallaigh, A Ní Thuama, I Swann, H Ní Chríodáin, V Ní Chionnfhaolaidh, H NicChárthaigh, A Ní Thuama, M Papatski. Freisin, R Ní Lionaird, R Nic Aodha, F Ní Laocha, R Ní Thuama, Ní Ríordáin, A Ní Chéilleachair, C Ní Chárthaigh, C Ní Mhaolchiaráin.

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Roinn 5 (7 a-side)

Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh 4-8

Ballinacarriga 5-4

Nine goals scored and only a single point separated the sides at the final whistle. Early on, it seemed as if it was going to be a goal shootout as the teams traded goals. 

Ballinacarriga were goal-hungry as they found the net five times in the first half, with scores from Lily O’Sullivan (3), Olivia O’Brien and Caelinn Hayes. Not to be outdone, Béal Átha hit back with three of their own from Maggie Ní Luasa and Áine Ní Dhuinín, adding five points as well. It was Ballinacarriga in front by a point, 5-0 to 3-5, at the break. 

It was equally close in the second half as the Béal Átha defence really tightened up and contained the opposition to four points from Elizabeth Bowles and Ayesha Daly. The Gaeltacht girls kicked one vital goal in that second half and added three points to inch in front for a nerve-racking one-point victory. 

Fuair Áine Ní Dhuinín 3-6 i rith an chluiche dos na buathóirí, while cousins, Áine Ní Dhuinín and Aoibhín Ní Choitir, combined very well. Olivia O’Brien, Elizabeth Bowles and captain, Eadaoin McCarthy led the way for the gallant Castle girls. 

Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh: R Ní Thuama, Á Ní Laoire, Á Ní Choitir, Á Ní Chroinín, M Ní Luasa, Áine Ní Dhuinnín, Áisling Ní Dhuinnín Freisin, R Crooks, A P Ní Shuibhne, A Ní Laoire, C Ní Chreimín, G Ní Choinceannáin, E Ní Luasa, A Ní Bhuachalla, J Ní Luasa, S Ní Ríogáin, A Ní Thuama, M Ní Laoire. 

Ballinacarriga: C McCarthy, L Howard, A Daly, C Hayes, E McCarthy, O O’Brien, L O’Sullivan, E Bowles, C Duggan.

Scoil Fhionbarra Ballingeary, winners of Roinn 5, with Cork footballer David Buckley. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

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Roinn 6 (7 a-side) 

Caheragh 12-8 

Lisheen 6-1

A superb Caheragh team found the goal trail early and registered the highest tally of goals on the day. There wasn’t a weak link on this team, every player shining. Lisheen found themselves outgunned and under pressure but showed tremendous spirit by clocking up six goals themselves, a score that would have won most games.

The Caheragh NS team that won the Roinn 6 final with Cork ace Ruairí Deane. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Half-time score was 6-5 to 5-1 in favour of Caheragh. Star of the show for the winners was Holly Connolly Jeffrey who scored a massive 8-1, the top individual score of the day. Other scorers included Hannah Reen 3-1, Isabel Cronin 1-3, Vivienne McCarthy 0-2, Gabriele Dilbaite 0-1. 

Goalkeeper Sarah Louise O’Shea, and midfielders Hannah Collins and Emma O’Driscoll, played their hearts out for Lisheen, who also lost the boys’ final.

Caheragh: K Needham, J Murray (captain), H Connolly-Jeffrey, C O’Farrell, G Dilbaite, I Cronin, V McCarthy, H Reen. Also, E Murray, A Kingston, A O’Sullivan, L Murray, L Mortimer. 

Lisheen: SL O’Shea, EM Jennings, A Cadogan-Pyburn, H Collins, E O’Driscoll, E Crowley, K Crowley. Also, G Meidler, S Swanton.