THE penultimate rounds of this year’s Drinagh Co-Op West Cork LGFA Championships will feature a series of blockbuster semi-finals.
Kinsale will host Dohenys, and Clonakilty travel to Union Hall to face Castlehaven in the last four of this year’s West Cork Division 1 competition.
Tuesday, July 28th, is the scheduled date for both semi-finals with Castlehaven looking to build on their preliminary round win over last year’s Division 1 winners O’Donovan Rossa.
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A tight opening half saw Haven leading by two points before three second-half goals cemented Finbarr Santry’s side’s place in the penultimate round.
It finished 3-10 to 0-8 in Castlehaven’s favour thanks to 1-7 from top scorer Mairead O’Driscoll. Chloe McCarthy and Hannah Sheehy each notched 1-1, while Amy McCarthy also raised a white flag.
Despite the defeat, Skibb’s Éabha O’Donovan scored 0-5 with Orla McCarthy, Mallaidh O’Neill and Emily Byrne also featuring on the Skibbereen club’s scoresheet.
Last year’s runners-up Clonakilty will be Haven’s opponents after receiving a bye into the semi-finals.
Kinsale have home advantage for the visit of Dohenys in the other Division 1 semi-final. The latter were pushed to the limit before edging Rosscarbery 1-11 to 2-6 following a cracking preliminary-round clash.
Dohenys scores were provided by Ava O’Donovan (0-7), Michelle Love (1-1), Clara Duggan, Rachel McCarthy and Mairead Crowley (0-1 each). Rosscarbery had Sandra O’Donoghue (1-2), Áine Hayes (1-1), Sarah Hayes (0-2) and Bríd Collins (0-1) in good scoring form.
Kinsale emerged 5-16 to 4-11 winners following a high-scoring preliminary round shootout with Valley Rovers. A Caoimhe Horgan hat-trick of goals along with two Jenny Murphy green flags cemented Kinsale’s progression. Mary Clare Murphy, Sophie Collins, Abbey O’Brien and Rachel O’Brien also contributed to Kinsale’s victory.
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We are also down to the final four in this year's West Cork LGFA Division 2 Championship.
Tadhg McCárthaigh will host Bantry Blues in Aughaville on July 28th. Ilen Rovers face Ibane Ladies in the other semi-final.
Both Tadhg McCárthaigh and Bantry received byes into the penultimate round. The Caheragh club has already tasted success this term – a 1-16 to 2-5 win over Bandon saw the Aughaville side claim the Cork LGFA Division 3 county league title.
So, Tadhg McCárthaigh will start as favourites against a youthful Blues team that exited the Division 2 county league at the quarter-finals stage following defeat to Inch Rovers.
On the opposite side of the draw, Ilen Rovers secured a Division 2 semi-final berth thanks to a 1-18 to 2-9 defeat of Bandon.
Rovers’ scores came via Maebh Collins (1-6), Emma Hurley (0-5), Carla O’Regan, Keelin Murphy (0-3 each) and Clare Collins (0-1). Orla Weblin and Clodagh Barry goals plus Laura Cummins and Evelyn McCarthy points weren’t enough to keep the Lilywhites in the competition.
Ibane Ladies overcame Beara 5-13 to 2-7 to set up a semi-final meeting away to Ilen. Leading 3-5 to 0-6 at the break, Ibane added two further goals to secure their place in this year’s West Cork Division 2 decider.
The winners had an even spread of scores among Cliona Harte (2-1), Orlaith Deasy (1-3), Alice O’Leary (1-1), Hannah Twomey (0-4), Ciara Deasy (1-0), Grace Tobin (0-2), Caoimhe Ní Bhuachalla and Meabh O’Sullivan (0-1 each).
Despite the loss, Beara gave a fine account of themselves and had Cork inter-county senior Áine Terry O’Sullivan in top form. O’Sullivan scored 2-3 with Ellie O’Sullivan (0-2), Shannon Hanley Murphy and Katie O’Sullivan (0-1 each) completing Beara’s total.
The Beara squad that lost to Ibane Ladies in the West Cork LGFA Division 2 Championship.
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St Colum’s got the ball rolling in this year’s West Cork LGFA Division 3 Championship with a preliminary-round win away to Keelnameela.
The Kealkill club registered a convincing 5-11 to 2-7 victory to set up a semi-final at home to Kilmacabea. All five goals came in the opening half, as scores from Abbie O’Sullivan (2-6), Fiona Crowley (2-2), Katie Dineen (1-1), Paula O’Mahony (0-2) and Emma Healy (0-1) sent St Colum’s through.
Aoife McCarthy (1-4, including one two-pointer) top scored for Keelnameela. Katelyn O’Neill (1-1), Gillian McCarthy, Michelle O’Driscoll, Grace McCarthy and Erin McCarthy (0-1 each) were also on target.
Kealkill will host St Colum’s and Kilmacabea’s semi-final on Sunday, July 26th with a 3pm throw-in.
It will be an historic occasion because that game will mark Kilmacabea’s first appearance in the West Cork LGFA Championship as an adult club.
The Leap side are unlikely to be overawed as they reached this year’s Division 8 county league semi-finals – their first time competing at that level – before losing to St Mary’s.
Muintir Gabriels and Clann na nGael received byes into their Division 3 last-four encounter. That clash is scheduled for Ballydehob on Tuesday, July 28th at 7.30pm.
The West Cork LGFA Division 4 semi-finals, incorporating clubs’ junior teams, see Rosscarbery Ladies hosting Castlehaven in one semi-final. The winners of O’Donovan Rossa and Kinsale’s preliminary round tie will travel to Clonakilty in the other last-four tie.

