Midleton secure Junior A county title and Intermediate status for 2025

The East Cork club overcame three yellow card offences and a late Dohenys fightback to join the county’s Intermediate ranks in 2025.

Sat, 19 Oct, 2024 - 18:50

Ger McCarthy

Cork LGFA junior A county final: Midleton 1-8 Dohenys 1-6

Intermediate football awaits Midleton following their Cork LGFA Junior A county final success at the expense of Dohenys in Cloughduv on Saturday afternoon.

The East Cork club overcame three yellow card offences and a late Dohenys fightback to join the county’s Intermediate ranks in 2025.

Qualifying for this year’s Munster LGFA junior A championship was the cherry on top for a winning team in which Sadhbh Beausang top scored with 0-6.

Cork LGFA senior Ava McAuliffe ran herself into the ground as did Dohenys’ inter-county representative Melissa Duggan. Yet, it Midleton’s defensive tenacity, coupled with their ability to see out difficult periods whilst down to fourteen and thirteen players, that saw the Magpies deservedly win out.

Lucy Cashman’s 18th minute goal was the highlight of an otherwise attritional opening half that ended with the Magpies 1-4 to 0-3 in front.

There was no holding back in the ferocity of either team’s tackling throughout the afternoon. That made every score hard earned, especially during a sometimes frenetic second period.

Sadhbh Beausang (two) and Lucy Wallace scores moved Midleton 1-7 to 0-3 ahead before Deirdre Corcoran was yellow carded for a foul in the Midleton square.

Ava O’Donovan converted the resulting penalty prior to Rachel McCarthy firing over to make it a one-score game, 1-7 to 1-4, heading into the closing stages.

Ava McAullife’s yellow card added to Midleton’s woes. Yet, Dohenys’ inability to punish their opponents saw the East Cork club, now back to their full complement, hold out for a 1-8 to 1-6 victory despite suffering a third yellow card deep into injury time.

Scorers for Midleton: S Beausang 0-6 (2f), L Cashman 1-0, M Beausang and L Wallace 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dohenys: A O’Donovan 1-3 (pen), M Crowley 0-2 (2f), R McCarthy 0-1.

MIDLETON: R Power; C Kearney, D Corcoran, M Kelly; K O’Sullivan, M Beausang, S Cronin; L Wallace, A Quirke (captain); A McAuliffe, S Beausang, L Cashman, M Wallace, R Quirke, L Kenneally.

Substitutes: J Keegan O’Connell for R Quirke (48), A McCarthy for L Kenneally (60), L Daly for L Cashman (61).

DOHENYS: K Corcoran; A Blewitt, A Hayes, Michelle Duggan (captain); C Aherne, A Duggan, M Collins; Melissa Duggan, E O’Donovan; A O’Donovan, N O’Mahony, L Crowley; H McCarthy, M Crowley, R McCarthy.

Substitutes: K A Buttimer for R McCarthy (54), G O’Mahony for K Crowley (55).

Referee: Justin Murphy (Grange LGFA).