Barrett looking for 14th title with Donoughmore

Tonight Donoughmore bid for a 14th Senior A county title when they face Inch Rovers in the Tesco Homegrown Ladies SFC final at Páirc Uí Rinn (7.45pm).

This will be the sixth successive showdown between both former All-Ireland club title holders, with Inch leading the stats with three wins to two.

For each of Donoughmore’s 13 previous titles — the most any Cork club has won since the championship started in 1976 — Mossie Barrett has been at the helm.

A semi-final win over Clonakilty in September (3-12 to 2-5) was a massive relief for Barrett, who believes the semis have always been his side’s “Achilles Heel”.

“We performed very well and we played within ourselves I thought. For the past few years we’ve found it hard to get over the line in semis, but we did. That said, we know we have to up it against Inch.”

Having missed last year’s showdown, 2011 All-Ireland-winning Cork captain Amy O’Shea returns for Inch, but it’s not yet known if Jenny Duffy or Jill Horan will make an appearance having not featured in the 2012 championship. Player selection aside, revenge will be on the cards given Donoughmore ousted the then 2010 All-Ireland club champions 12 months ago.

“We lost our shape in last year’s final, and that suited them down to the ground,” admitted coach O’Shea. “If you don’t take your chances against them you’re in trouble, because they’ll just keep grounding you down, so we’ve to be at our best for 60 minutes. Anything less won’t do.”

Cork players Annie, Ann Marie and Annie Walsh will be to the fore for Inch, while Donoughmore will look to the likes of former intercounty stars Emer Walsh, Linda Barrett and Aisling O’Connor.