Cork LGFA: Big guns reaffirm championship credentials

Cork's Laura O'Mahony celebrates. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

Aghada and Mourneabbey reaffirmed their Cork Credit Unions Cork LGFA senior championship credentials with impressive victories on Sunday.

2024 senior county champions Aghada began the defence of their title in emphatic fashion away to St Val’s in Cloughduv. Eric Smith’s side netted five goals in a 5-15 to 0-3 Group 1 hammering with Cork inter-county dual player Hannah Looney contributing 2-4.

Bríanna Smith, Cork senior captain Sarah Leahy and Katie O’Farrell also found the net in a one-sided contest in which Abigail Ring kicked eight points.

Also in Group 1, newly promoted O’Donovan Rossa clashed with West Cork rivals Castlehaven for the first time in five years. A cracking game took place in Skibbereen with the Haven leading 3-2 to 1-6 at the short whistle.

Having overcome another West Cork neighbour, Clonakilty, the previous weekend, Rossa’s dug deep to register a 3-10 to 3-4 triumph and make it back-to-back senior championship wins.

All-Ireland minor winning forward Éabha O’Donovan top scored for O’Donovan Rossa with 0-5. The winners’ goals came via Cork senior Laura O’Mahony, Mallaidh O’Neill and Kate O’Donovan. Fionnuala O’Driscoll, Aoife O’Driscoll and Emer McCarthy also featured on Rossa’s scoresheet.

Aghada and O’Donovan Rossa’s top of the table clash in Rostellan will be the highlight of next Sunday’s senior championship fixtures. Castlehaven and Clonakilty’s local derby will not be far behind.

Mourneabbey surprisingly missed out on the knockout stages of last year’s Cork LGFA SFC but reminded everyone of their credentials with a facile victory at home to Bride Rovers last Sunday.

The North Cork club racked up ten goals en-route to seeing off an inexperienced Bride Rovers and made it two wins out of two in Group 2.

Emerging talent Laura Walsh netted a hat-trick with former inter-county star Ciara O’Sullivan (two), Anna Ryan (two), Bríd O’Sullivan, Grace Cronin and Deirdre Cronin also raising green flags.

Elsewhere in Group 2, Glanmire bounced back from their previous loss to Éire Óg with an 8-11 to 2-6 victory at home to Kinsale. Orlaith Roche, Evie Twomey and Cork’s Abbie O’Mahony were amongst the goals for Glanmire.

Despite a second consecutive loss, Jenny Murphy (2-1) and Caoimhe Horgan impressed for a battling Kinsale. Glanmire will look to build on that encouraging display away to Bride Rovers next weekend while Kinsale will be anxious to bounce back at home to Éire Óg.

Naomh Abán and Midleton lead the way atop the Cork LGFA intermediate county championship standings.

Both clubs recorded their second consecutive championship wins with the Ballyvourney club seeing off Rosscarbery 1-18 to 1-4. Lydia McDonagh scored nine points in a game Joanne Kelly found the net and Grace Murphy, Roisín Lehane and Gráinne Lucey were also on target.

2024 junior A county champions Midleton secured a second IFC win in as many outings thanks to a 2-13 to 0-10 defeat of Fermoy. Next weekend’s Naomh Abán and Midleton clash could be a precursor to this year’s intermediate county final.