Three West Cork teams bid for county LGFA football glory

CLONAKILTY, Castlehaven and O’Donovan Rossa will all contest Cork LGFA county finals this weekend.

MTU plays host to an intriguing triple-header of county deciders on Saturday.

O’Donovan Rossa take on Naomh Abán in the junior A county final curtain-raiser at 12pm. That is followed by the 2022 Cork LGFA intermediate county final between Castlehaven and Glanmire at 2pm.

The third match of a cracking trilogy involves Mourneabbey and Éire Óg facing off in the senior A county final for the second year in a row at 4pm.

As if that wasn’t enough, the following afternoon, Clonakilty will bring the curtain down on their season by taking on Fermoy in the senior B county final with a 2pm throw-in at MTU.

Beforehand, Valley Rovers will attempt to avoid relegation from the top tier in a play-off against Inch Rovers at the same MTU venue (12pm throw-in).

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Mourneabbey will defend their Cork LGFA senior A crown against the club they defeated in last year’s final, Éire Óg, having come through a tough examination from Aghada last Sunday.

The reigning Cork and Munster champions recorded a 1-15 to 2-6 semi-final victory thanks to 1-3 from Laura Fitzgerald plus Doireann O’Sullivan (0-8), Ciara O’Sullivan and Ellie Jack (0-2 each) scores. Aghada gave a fine account of themselves with Rachel Leahy, Bríanna Smith, Hannah Looney and Katie O’Farrell impressing on a day Amy O’Connor (penalty) and Roisín Phelan found the net.

Eimear Scally’s hat-trick, including two converted penalties, helped Éire Óg see off Bride Rovers’ spirited challenge in last Sunday’s senior A semi-final at Ovens. The home side won 5-13 to 0-11 to reach a second consecutive county final with Laura Cleary (1-2) and Orlaith Cahalane (1-1) also on the winners’ scoresheet. Katie Quirke top-scored with seven points in reply for Bride.

Clonakilty will contest this year’s senior B county decider following two impressive victories last week. A 5-17 to 0-8 midweek senior B quarter-final win at home to Valley Rovers was attained courtesy of Sinead O’Donovan (2-2), Millie Condon (2-1), Kiya O’Mahony (1-1), Katie O’Driscoll (0-5), Siofra Pattwell (0-3), Orla Lowney and Jenny Quinn (0-2 each) and Ellen Hall (0-1) scores. Eimear Kiely, Rachel O’Sullivan and Carol Cremin impressed for the Brinny club.

Another West Cork derby saw Clonakilty edge Kinsale 2-9 to 1-8 in last Sunday’s senior B semi-final. Without the injured Orla Finn, Sadhbh O’Leary (1-1), Caoimhe Horgan, Faye Ahern and Aoife Keating provided Kinsale’s scores. Ciara Ryan had a terrific evening, scoring 1-7, along with Sinead O’Donovan’s (1-1) and Áine O’Leary (0-1) to book Clon’s county final berth.

Fermoy will take on the Brewery Town in this year’s senior B final following a 4-10 to 0-5 quarter-final defeat of Inch Rovers and last Sunday’s 2-12 to 0-15 win over St Val’s. Played in Cloughduv, Abbie Scannell and Aisling Daly’s goals proved crucial in an evenly-fought encounter with Val’s. Caitlin Duffy, Aoife O’Sullivan and Michelle Parker were also on the winners’ scoresheet.

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All roads lead to MTU for Castlehaven and their supporters on Saturday, as the West Cork club looks to add an intermediate title to numerous junior county successes

Dinny Cahalane’s side has been in terrific form this year, seeing off Araglen Desmonds Buí, Abhainn Dalla, Donoughmore and Rosscarbery to reach the decider.

Perennial challengers Glanmire will provide formidable opposition in the IFC decider after defeating Rosscarbery, Bantry Blues and Araglen Desmonds Buí. A close game is anticipated on the same ground Castlehaven edged Dohenys on free-kicks to win last year’s JAFC.

West Cork club Bantry Blues will face Donoughmore in an intermediate relegation play-off in Kilmichael on October 9th.

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Last weekend’s final round of JAFC games saw O’Donovan Rossa book their place in this year’s county final courtesy of a 7-20 to 0-4 defeat of Beara. Éabha O’Donovan (1-8), Kate O’Donovan (1-5), Lisa Harte (2-1), Laura O’Mahony (1-2), Sarah Hurley (1-1), Allie Tobin (1-0), Finouala O’Driscoll (0-2) and Fiona Leonard (0-1) scores sent Rossas into the final.

Naomh Abán will be the Skibbereen club’s opponents having finished joint-top of the JAFC championship table with Rossa’s on nine points apiece.

The O'Donovan Rossa team that defeated Beara to qualify for this Saturday's Cork LGFA junior A county final against Naomh Abán at 12pm in MTU.

Dohenys’ hopes of squeezing into the junior A county final ended following a 1-8 to 2-5 draw with Douglas. Noelle O’Mahony (1-3), Ruth Collins (1-0) and Katelyn Sheehan (0-2) provided the Dunmanway club’s scores in a game Douglas earned a draw with a last-minute free.

Other results involving West Cork clubs in junior competitions saw Muintir Gabriels complete their junior D round-robin championship with a 5-10 to 3-3 defeat of St Peter’s.

Bandon qualified for a junior E county semi-final after seeing off Clann na nGael, 7-11 to 1-6. Ava Long (3-6), Anna Daly (2-1), Sophie Hurley and Rachel O’Donovan (1-0 each) provided the bulk of the winners’ scores. Ilen Rovers lost 4-6 to 2-11 to Dripsey in the junior F championship.

The Bandon team that qualified for the Cork LGFA junior E county semi-finals thanks to a 7-11 to 1-6 win over Clann na nGael last weekend.

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West Cork LGFA club Kinsale lost a cracking U14 A county semi-final to Inch Rovers, 4-10 to 4-9 last weekend. Despite being ten points down at one juncture, Kinsale staged a stunning comeback but lost out by a single score. Emma McSweeney (2-4), Emma Jones (0-4), Lily Collins, Clodagh O’Kelly (1-0 each) and Lauren Balaur (0-1) were on target for a Kinsale side Kara Dillon, Ava O’Sullivan and Emma McSweeney also impressed.

Tadgh MacCárthaigh’s hopes of reaching a U14C county final were dashed by Bishopstown in Aughaville. The maroon and white ran out 4-6 to 0-7 winners in a game Ria Buckley, Rebecca Deasy, Laura Kingston and Ella O’Sullivan scored for a battling Caheragh.

Rosscarbery’s U14D county championship campaign ended with a 0-15 to 2-6 defeat away to St Peter’s in Rockchapel. Emily Hodnett and Aoibhe O’Sullivan found the net for the West Cork club with Tara Hourihane, Etaoin Hayes, Caoimhe Hennessy and Aislinn Santry also scoring. Etaoin Hayes, Sophie O’Donovan and Roisin O’Shea were the pick of Rosscarbery’s top performers.