WEST Cork’s influence on this year’s Cork ladies senior football panel has been boosted by the addition of two highly-rated young players from the region.

While there are familiar faces like Dohenys’ Melissa Duggan, Áine Terry O’Sullivan from Beara and O’Donovan Rossa’s Laura O’Mahony, it’s encouraging to see new players handed an opportunity to impress.

Both Amy McKennedy (Tadhg MacCarthaigh) and Niamh O’Sullivan (Castlehaven) have been included in Joe Carroll’s 38-player senior squad.

For Caheragh footballer McKennedy, who turned 20 this Thursday, this is her eighth successive season being involved on Cork panels, stretching back to her U13 days; she was on the Cork U16 team that won Munster in 2022 and contested the All-Ireland final. The UCC second year student – currently on the college’s Giles Cup team – has mainly played at full back for Cork teams up along the grades, while lines out at midfield for Tadhg MacCarthaigh.

For Niamh O’Sullivan, who also turns 20 this year, this is the next step in her football story. A regular in Castlehaven’s attack since 2021, O’Sullivan has impressed in her club’s rise to the senior ranks, boosting her medal collection along the way, winning junior, intermediate and senior B titles. UCC student O’Sullivan, who played for Cork U14s and U16s, can line out anywhere in the forward line, but has made full forward her with the Haven.

The addition of McKennedy and O’Sullivan swells the West Cork numbers in the Cork panel. As well as vice-captain Duggan, Áine Terry O’Sullivan and Laura O’Mahony, Emma Hurley (Ilen Rovers) and the Clonakilty duo of Katie O’Driscoll and Siobhan Callanan are also involved.

Emma Cleary, daughter of Cork senior football manager John Cleary of Castlehaven, is captain this season, and is one of four Éire Óg players on the squad, alongside Gemma Young, Lisa Murphy and Sadhbh McGoldrick.

Naomh Abán have three players involved, Grace Murphy, Lydia McDonagh and Rosie Corkery. Kate Redmond and Maisie O’Callaghan fly the Kinsale flag on the county’s top football team.

Interestingly, and considering how they dominated Cork ladies football for so long, there is only one Mournabbey player on the panel right now, the influential Máire O’Callaghan.

Cork must plan for the 2026 season without a number of stalwarts, as 2025 captain Sarah Leahy and Shauna Cronin have opted out of the panel, Libby Coppinger’s full inter-county is on camogie, while Hannah Looney has signed an AFLW deal.

The 2026 Cork ladies senior football panel includes: Abbie O’Mahony (Glanmire), Abigail Ring (Aghada), Aimee Corcoran (Erins Own), Aimee Savage (Lisgoold), Áine Terry O’Sullivan (Beara), Amy McKennedy (Tadhg MacCarthaigh), Aoife Healy (St Colman’s), Caoimhe Moore (Abhann Dalla), Caoimhe Richmond (Glanmire), Ciara Hughes (St Val’s), Ciara McCarthy (St Val’s), Dara Kiniry (Lisgoold), Eirne Ní Dheasmhunmaigh (Bishopstown), Emma Cleary (Éire Óg), Emma Hurley (Ilen Rovers), Gemma Young (Éire Óg), Grace Murphy (Naomh Abán), Kate Redmond (Kinsale), Katie Horgan (Knocknagree), Katie O’Driscoll (Clonakilty), Katie O’Farrell (Aghada), Katie Quirke (Bride Rovers), Laura O’Mahony (O’Donovan Rossa), Leah Hallihan (Bride Rovers), Lisa Murphy (Éire Óg), Lydia McDonagh (Naomh Abán), Maire O’Callaghan (Mourneabbey), Maisie O’Callaghan (Kinsale), Melissa Duggan (Dohenys), Niamh O’Sullivan (Castlehaven), Rachel Leahy (Aghada), Rachel O’Regan (Carrigaline), Rachel Sheehan (Passage), Rosie Corkery (Naomh Abán), Sadhbh McGoldrick (Éire Óg), Sarah Murphy (Bride Rovers), Shauna Kelly (Araglen Desmonds Bui), and Siobhan Callanan (Clonakilty).