Aghada and Éire Óg set for Cork LGFA senior A county final rematch

Elsewhere Glanmire and O’Donovan Rossa have qualified for this year’s senior B county final.

Isobel Sheehan of Eire Og battles past Ciara Hughes of St Vals during their Ladies' Senior A FC semi-final clash at Ovens. Picture: David Keane.

Aghada and Éire Óg will contest the Cork Credit Unions Cork LGFA senior A county final for the second year in a row after coming through their respective last four encounters.

Reigning county champions, Aghada, emerged from a serious Mourneabbey test last Sunday.

Róisín Phelan’s goal handed the reigning champions an early 1-3 to 0-1 lead. Mary Leahy added another green flag to leave Mourneabbey trailing 2-4 to 0-2 on the quarter hour.

Laura Walsh pulled a goal back for the North Cork club but they still trailed 2-6 to 1-4 at the short whistle.

There was only a goal between the sides when Phelan proved Aghada’s hero once again, converting a 37th minute penalty. Kaitlin Smith netted Aghada’s fourth and match-clinching goal as the senior A titleholders saw out the remaining time to win 4-10 to 1-9.

Éire Óg qualified for a fifth consecutive senior A county final appearance thanks to a comprehensive 1-16 to 1-7 win over St Val’s.

In a repeat of last year’s semi-final, Cork senior Emma Cleary’s first half goal proved crucial as Éire Óg kept a St Val’s team, in which Ciara McCarthy (1-5) starred, at arm’s length throughout the second half.

Shauna Cronin, Laura Cleary, Orlaith Cahalane and Sadbh McGoldrick were the pick of Éire Óg’s top performers.

Glanmire and O’Donovan Rossa have qualified for this year’s senior B county final.

The former proved too strong for Clonakilty in last weekend’s semi-final at the Pike, Sallybrook. A tight opening half saw the home side build a four-point interval lead, 1-7 to 1-3.

Glanmire completely dominated the second period however and held their West Cork opponents scoreless. Repeating their opening half hour total, Glanmire went on to book a senior B county final berth by emerging 2-14 to 1-3 winners.

Evie Twomey and Orlaith Roche top scored with 1-1 apiece. Glanmire’s other scorers included Ríona Crowley, Niamh McAllen and Aishling McAllen.

O’Donovan Rossa have marked their first year in the top LGFA club grade by qualifying for a senior B county final.

Skibbereen was the venue for an all-West Cork semi-final with Kinsale in which Rossa’s ran out 4-10 to 2-5 winners.

Level at the break, Rossa’s were thankful to goalkeeper Tara O’Regan for producing some excellent saves during the opening half.

Goals proved the difference with the hosts’ Fionnuala O’Driscoll (2), Éabha O’Donovan and Ellen Healy finding the net. O’Donovan Rossa’s other scores included Laura O’Mahony, Orla McCarthy and Mallaidh O’Neill. Ger Tyner and Caoimhe Horgan raised green flags for a battling Kinsale.

West Cork club Castlehaven has retained its Cork LGFA senior status thanks to a comprehensive relegation play-off win over Bride Rovers.

MTU Cork was the venue for last Friday’s clash in which the Haven found the net three times in the opening half.

Castlehaven added three more green flags after the break to run out convincing 6-10 to 1-5 winners. Niamh O Sullivan (2-1), Amy McCarthy (1-4), Gráinne O’Sullivan (1-3), Ellen Connolly (1-2) and Noreen O’Sullivan (1-0) were on target for the winners.