ILEN Rovers, Dohenys, Bandon and Kilmacabea were among West Cork’s winners on the opening weekend of the 2026 Cork Credit Unions Cork LGFA championships.

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SENIOR

Naomh Abán began life as a senior club with a 3-10 to 2-8 Group 2 victory at home to Castlehaven in Ballyvourney.

The 2025 county and provincial intermediate champions had Joanne Kelly (1-5), Róisín Lehane (1-1), Rosie Corkery (1-0), Lydia McDonagh (0-3) and Amy McDonagh (0-1) on their scoresheet.

Emma McCarthy, Áine Daly and Aoife McCarthy impressed for a Haven team that entertain local rivals O’Donovan Rossa on Sunday.

Elsewhere in Group 2, last year’s senior county runners-up Aghada had five points to spare in their 1-11 to 1-6 win away to Glanmire. Abigail Ring (0-4), Sarah Leahy, (1-0), Kaitlin Smith, Mary Leahy (0-2 each), Róisín Phelan, Rachel Leahy and Emma Farmer (0-1 each) scored for the winners.

Orlaith Roche, Aoife Treacy, Olivia McAllen and Aishling McAllen were among Glanmire’s scorers. Aghada host Naomh Abán in round two this weekend.

Clonakilty and Mourneabbey are the early senior championship Group 1 pacesetters.

A match report on Clon’s 2-9 to 1-9 victory over Kinsale can be found elsewhere in this edition of this section.

As for Mourneabbey, Ronan McCarthy’s side sounded an early warning to the other senior contenders with a resounding 4-14 to 2-12 win away to St Val’s.

Laura Walsh top scored with 0-7 for a Mourneabbey team that also had Sarah Finnegan (2-0), Roisin O’Sullivan, Máire O’Callaghan (1-1 each), Lauren Finnegan (0-2), Doireann O’Sullivan, Ciara O’Sullivan and Bríd O’Sullivan (0-1 each) on their scoresheet.

Mourneabbey host Clonakilty on Sunday. Reigning county champions Éire Óg also enter the fray this weekend – the Ovens club are in Kinsale for their senior championship opener.

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INTERMEDIATE

Dohenys got their intermediate championship campaign off to a flier with a 2-15 to 2-6 Group 1 win away to Valley Rovers.

The Dunmanway club, winners of the junior A county title last season, flew out of the traps and had 1-7 on the scoreboard before Valley Rovers responded. Cork senior Melissa Duggan, Rachel McCarthy, Kellie Ann Buttimer, Ciara Aherne and Maggie Collins stood out for the winners.

Shona Cronin accounted for 2-4 of Valleys’ total with a returning Daire Kiely adding a two-pointer.

Ava O’Donovan (0-5), Rachel McCarthy (1-2), Kellie Ann Buttimer (0-4), Claire Hurley (1-0), Michelle Love, Ciara Aherne, Mairead Crowley and Clara Duggan (0-1 each) scored for Dohenys. The latter welcome Fermoy to Dunmanway on Sunday.

Midleton overcame Fermoy 5-13 to 3-9 in last weekend’s other Group 1 clash.

Into intermediate Group 2 where Rosscarbery Ladies fell to a 3-13 to 0-11 loss at Douglas. Ciara O’Rourke was amongst the West Cork club’s top scorers in a game Áine Hayes and Sandra O’Donoghue also contributed.

In the same group, Bride Rovers showed they will be a force to be reckoned with this year following a 5-6 to 1-13 win over Inch Rovers. Rosscarbery host Bride on Sunday.

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JUNIOR A

Bantry Blues put in a battling display before losing 4-13 to 2-8 at home to Carrigaline in Group 1 of the JAFC on Sunday.

Myra Downey played superbly and scored 2-5 for the Bantry club. Kate McCarthy, Allie O’Sullivan and Ella McCarthy (0-1 each) also contributed. The Blues’ other standout players included Myra Downey, Molly O’Sullivan, Bernadette O’Flynn and Laura O’Sullivan.

Next up for Bantry is a trip to Abhainn Dalla this coming weekend. The latter were beaten 1-12 to 1-6 by Erins Own in their championship opener.

Tadhg MacCárthaigh suffered a gut-wrenching 5-6 to 0-20 Group 2 junior A championship defeat at home to last year’s junior B county champions Bishopstown in Aughaville.

The Caheragh club will look to rebound away to Rockbán who overcame Ballinora 5-13 to 3-8 on Sunday. Maureen Keating, Ellen Hurley (0-6 each), Emma Hegarty (0-5), Amy McKennedy (0-2) and Helena Collins (0-1) were Tadhg MacCárthaigh’s scorers against Bishopstown.

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JUNIOR B

Three goals helped Ilen Rovers see off Watergrasshill 3-9 to 0-10 in the West Cork club’s JBFC Group 1 opening tie at Watergrasshill.

Maebh Collins (1-4), Emma Hurley, Keelin Murphy (1-2 each) and Sarah Connolly (0-1) were on target for a clinical Rovers. Ilen hosts a Nemo Rangers team coming off a narrow 4-8 to 3-12 loss at home to Lisgoold this weekend.

There was more good news for West Cork LGFA clubs in Group 2 of the junior B championship where Bandon won and Ibane Ladies drew.

The Lilywhites powered past Donoughmore 3-19 to 0-3 and got their campaign off to the best possible start. An excellent team performance saw Bandon’s Evelyn McCarthy, Clodagh Barry, Ava Long, Caoimhe O’Regan, Laura Cummins and Kate O’Connor provide the winners’ scores.

On the same afternoon, Ibane Ladies travelled to St Peter’s and played out an entertaining 1-10 to 1-10 draw. Cliona Harte (1-1), Orlaith Deasy (0-4), Hannah Twomey, Alice O’Leary (0-2 each) and Eimear Whelton (0-1) scored for an Ibane team in which Katelyn Dinneen and Ellen O’Riordan stood out.

Ibane host Bandon in what should be a cracking local derby on Sunday.

Kilmacabea registered a win over St Colman’s in their first-ever Cork Credit Unions Cork LGFA junior E championship fixture.

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JUNIORS

Beara lost 4-8 to 0-8 at home to Naomh Fionnbarra in the opening round of the 2026 junior C county championship.

Cork inter-county senior Áine Terry O’Sullivan top scored with 0-5 for the hosts. Clare O’Shea kicked three points for a Beara team in which Patricia Dunne and Eimear O’Shea also stood out.

Beara’s next Group 1 fixture is away to Araglen Desmonds Buí who lost 5-15 to 2-5 to St Finbarr’s last weekend.

Courcey Rovers recorded a terrific 4-9 to 2-5 junior D county championship Group 2 win away to Macroom. The Ballinspittle club welcome Glanworth on Sunday with the visitors hoping to build on their 3-12 to 1-5 victory over Knocknagree.

On to the junior E grade where Kilmacabea marked their first-ever competitive adult championship tie with a 2-12 to 2-9 victory at home to St Colman’s in Leap.

Nell Kinsella starred for the West Cork club and kicked 2-8. Kellianne French (0-2), Claire O’Donovan and Lauren O’Donovan (0-1 each) also contributed.

In the same group, a West Cork derby between Clann na nGael and St Colum’s was won by the Scorchers, 1-15 to 1-9.

Despite the loss, All-Ireland camogie winner Libby Coppinger scored three points for the Kealkill side. Serene Lehane (1-0), Paula O’Mahony (0-3), Abbie O’Sullivan (0-2) and Kate O’Sullivan (0-1) were also on target.

Kilmacabea travel to St Colum’s on Sunday while Clann na nGael are away to St Colman’s.

Muintir Gabriels are up and running in the junior F county championship following a 3-9 to 2-8 Group 1 win away to Na Piarsaigh.

Keelnameela put in a brave effort before falling 5-6 to 3-7 away to Grenagh in Group 2 of the junior G county championship. Aoife McCarthy (1-4), Shauna O’Driscoll (1-1), Leah O’Sullivan (1-0), Erin McCarthy and Lucy Collins (0-1 each) scored for the West Cork club. Gillian McCarthy and Grace McCarthy also stood out for a Keelnameela side that will look to rebound at home to St Nick’s.