West Cork straight into county senior football semi-finals

West Cork 1-14   

Éire Óg 1-10

TOM LYONS REPORTS

WEST Cork maintained their 100 per cent record in the county senior football championship to top Group 1 and qualify directly into the semi-finals.

The divisional side made it three wins in a row when they beat Éire Óg in Ovens on Monday evening, while the Mid Cork club, third in the group behind Mourneabbey, go into the quarter-finals.

This game featured a number of players who lined out for Cork in an All-Ireland semi-final loss to Dublin the previous afternoon in Croke Park and they certainly didn’t hold anything back in this lively encounter. Martina O’Brien, Niamh Cotter, Áine Terry O’Sullivan, Libby Coppinger and Emma Spillane all played prominent parts for West Cork, while Eimear Scally was the stand-out player for Éire Óg.

‘That’s our third win and we go straight into the semi-final,’ said a pleased West Cork manager Brian McCarthy. “Very pleased with the girls tonight. 

‘In fairness to Éire Óg, John Cleary has them well drilled and they really put it up to us in the first half. Once we got the girls in at half time and asked for more effort, they stepped it up in the second half. 

‘We were missing some players tonight but it’s very much about the panel this year and as a divisional team, we’re always missing a few. The girls who came in played very well and the girls who had a tough day in Croke Park yesterday really made a great effort as well. I was really pleased with every one of the players.’

There was nothing between the teams in the first half after Aoife Scally and Libby Coppinger had swapped early goals, West Cork having their noses slightly in front for much of the half. 

West Cork had points from outstanding full forward Áine Terry O’Sullivan (two frees), hard-working midfielder Niamh Cotter (two from play) and lively wing forwards Eve Murphy and Laura O’Mahony, while Eimear Scally (two from frees, one from play), Emma Cleary, Shauna Cronin and Isobel Sheehan replied for Éire Óg. It was 1-6 each at the break.

While Éire Óg had points from Emma Cleary and Eimear Scally early in the second half to take the lead, West Cork responded superbly with scores from Áine Terry O’Sullivan (play and free), Rachel Murphy following a great solo run, and Laura O’Mahony, to lead by 1-10 to 1-8 at the three-quarter stage.

Maebh Kelly cut the lead to a single point to start the last quarter but it was West Cork who finished stronger, Libby Coppinger very prominent and Eimear Scally having to retire from sheer exhaustion.

Points from O’Sullivan (play and free), Coppinger and Fiona Keating, in response to a single effort from Emma Cleary, free, finished off a game that was lively and entertaining all through.

Scorers
West Cork: Áine Terry O’Sullivan 0-6 (4f); Libby Coppinger 1-1; Niamh Cotter, Laura O’Mahony 0-2 each; Fiona Keating, Eve Murphy, Rachel Murphy 0-1 each. Éire Óg: Eimear Scally 0-4 (2f); Aoife Scally 1-0; Emma Cleary 0-3 (1f); Isobel Sheehan, Shauna Cronin, Maebh Kelly 0-1 each.

West Cork: Martina O’Brien (Clonakilty); Christina O’Sullivan (Beara), Sarah Hayes (Rosscarbery), Siobhán Courtney (Castlehaven); Cliodhna Maguire (Rosscarbery), Emma Spillane (Bantry), Maggie Coppinger (St Colum’s); Niamh Cotter (Beara), Clare O’Leary (Clonakilty); Laura O’Mahony (O’Donovan Rossa), Rachel Murphy (Bantry), Eve Murphy (Bantry); Fiona Keating (Courcey Rovers), Áine T O’Sullivan (Beara), Libby Coppinger (St Colum’s). Subs: Niamh T O’Sullivan for L O’Mahony (45), Eimear O’Leary (Valley Rovers) for E Murphy (55).

Éire Óg: Lisa Crowley; Rebecca Sheehan, Elaine Scally, Aobha Hickey; Maebh Cahalane, Isobel Sheehan, Aisling O’Connell; Aoife Nic an Bháird, Laura Cleary; Shauna Cronin, Emma Cleary, Maebh Kelly; Áine Cronin, Eimear Scally, Aoife Scally. Subs: Alanna Hickey for E Scally (45), Ciara Sheehan for Á Cronin (50), Fiona Nagle for R Sheehan (53).

Referee: Maurice Mulcahy (Lisgoold).