Goals the difference as Clonakilty defeat Kinsale to claim Cork LGFA senior B county title

Sinead O'Donovan and Aisling Moloney proved to be the match winners for Clon.

CHAMPIONS: Clonakilty captain Meabh O'Donovan runs towards her team mates with the LGFA Senior B trophy. Pic: Howard Crowdy

Cork LGFA senior B county final

Clonakilty 2-5 Kinsale 0-5

Sinead O’Donovan and Aisling Moloney goals proved crucial as Clonakilty defeated Kinsale to claim the Cork LGFA senior B county title at a windswept MTU Cork on Sunday.

An all West Cork LGFA county decider delivered plenty of entertainment in front of a packed attendance despite awful weather conditions.

A gale wind favoured Clonakilty in the opening half, Kinsale in the second and forced both teams to alter their tactics throughout and engaging hour.

Clonakilty twice found the net and those goals proved the deciding factors between two evenly matched sides. Sinead O’Donovan netted inside three minutes before Aisling Moloney’s long range attempt flew in under the crossbar to hand Clonakilty a 2-2 to 0-2 interval lead.

Clonakilty's Meabh O'Donovan manages to keep the ball well away from Kinsale's Juliet Cronin. Pic: Howard Crowdy

Former Cork senior Orla Finn twice fired over to get Kinsale back in the game but it was Clonakilty stalwarts, Martina O’Brien, Siobhán Callanan, Méabh O’Donovan and Ashling Hutchings who helped their team negotiate a tricky second period.

Barrett and Aoife O’Flynn Meade scores made it 2-4 to 0-4 heading into the closing stages. Kinsale did rattle the Clonakilty crossbar late on, but their opponents saw out the remaining time to claim a first senior trophy and qualification for this year’s Munster LGFA senior B championship.

Scorers for Clonakilty: S O’Donovan (1-2), A Moloney (1-0), M Barrett, A O’Flynn Meade, M Condon (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kinsale: O Finn (0-2), C Horgan, J Cronin, C Murphy (0-1 each).

CLONAKILTY: M O’Brien; N Kennedy, S Callanan, N Desmond Collins; R Shanley, A Hutchings, M O’Donovan (captain); M Barrett, K O’Donovan; A Moloney, K O’Driscoll, M Condon; S Pattwell, S O’Donovan, K O’Mahony.

Subs: A O’Flynn Meade for K O’Mahony (ht), L Daly for S Pattwell (37).

KINSALE: G Cowhig; C Heffernan, E O’Brien, A Casey; M O’Callaghan, C O’Callaghan, D Tyner; K Redmond, L Copithorne; C Horgan, J Murphy (captain), J Cronin; A McCarthy, C Murphy, O Finn.

Subs: C O’Donnell for A McCarthy (20), N Buckley for K Redmond (36, inj), K Redmond for L Copithorne (44), H Deasy for C Heffernan (58).

Referee: Deirdre Cronin (Naomh Fionnbarra).