Éire Óg take Cork LGFA senior A crown after overcoming Aghada in final replay
CHAMPIONS: Eire Og celebrate their win. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Éire Óg are the new Credit Unions Cork LGFA senior A county champions after overcoming titleholders Aghada in Saturday’s replayed final.
The heartbreak of dealing with four consecutive senior A finals losses is no more.
Éire Óg are Cork senior A county champions. The winners’ long-suffering players, mentors and supporters celebrated at the final whistle in MTU Cork.
Who could blame them?
Every hug, slap on the back and tear told a story. Memories of defeats to Mourneabbey (2021, 2022 and 2023) and Aghada (2024) have been replaced by scenes of unbridled joy.
As expected, Aghada did not relinquish their title without a fight.
Having drawn with Éire Óg the previous Sunday, the defending champions took their opponents to extra-time for the third final in a row.
Yet, no points from play in the second half and just one score in extra-time proved fatal.
A physical, hard-hitting encounter kept both physios busy throughout the hour.
Aghada’s Abigail Ring split the posts in the replay’s first attack. Their opponent’s response was immediate. Lisa Murphy got on the end of a pitch-long move and found the bottom corner inside 2 minutes.
Hannah Looney and Rachel Leahy white flags reduced the deficit to make it 1-0 to 0-3.
Yet, the defending champions would not score again for a full 18 minutes.
Éire Óg’s Ruby Halligan made three superb stops in the drawn final and was on hand to deny Kaitlin Smith. Emma Cleary scored prior to another Halligan save thwarting Yvonne Burgoyne and another certain goal.
The Ovens club kept pressing with a converted Laura Cleary free stretching their lead to four.
Aghada are not county champions for nothing and finally found the net after 24 minutes. Brianna Smith slalomed through for a desperately needed goal.
The sides changed ends tied at 1-4 apiece following Sally McAllister’s terrific long-range effort.
A tense second half produced six scores.
The champions’ Kaitlin Smith did crash an effort off the crossbar but Aghada were thankful for three Abigail Ring frees.
Éire Óg went 20 minutes without a score until Laura Cleary, Orlaith Cahalane and Lisa Young efforts made it 1-7 each at the final whistle.
Éire Óg gained the upper hand in the first period of extra-time as Sadbh McGoldrick and Emma Cleary scored in quick succession.
Róisín Phelan and Orlatih Cahalane scored at either end to leave the Ovens club 1-10 to 1-8 ahead at the final changeover.
Rachel Leahy’s yellow card was the final blow for a battling Aghada as Isobel Sheehan and Órlaith Cremin points confirmed victory for an overjoyed Éire Óg.
Peter McGoldrick’s side will represent Cork in the Munster LGFA senior A championship away to Kerry champions, Comeragh Rangers, next weekend.
That’s for another day as some well deserved celebrations are in order first.
: L Murphy 1-1, E Cleary 0-3, L Cleary (0-1f), Ó Cremain 0-2 each, S Cronin, O Cahalane, S McGoldrick, I Sheehan 0-1 each.
: A Ring 0-4 (0-3f), B Smith 1-0, H Looney, R Leahy, S McAllister, R Phelan 0-1 each.
R Halligan; R Sheehan, J O’Gorman (captain), I Sheehan; A Hayes, M Cahalane, E Crowley; S McGoldrick, S Cronin; E Cleary, O Cahalane, Ó Cremin; L Cleary, L Murphy, A Rodgers.
G Young for A Rodgers (42), K Cahalane for E Crowley (53), D Walsh for A Hayes (69), M McGoldrick for L Murphy (78), E Healy for Ó Cremin (78).
S Walsh; K O’Farrell, S McAllister, A Cooper; M McRae, S Leahy, R Leahy; R Phelan (captain), H Looney; Y Burgoyne, K Smith, A Coughlan; A Ring, C Walsh, B Smith.
: A Smith for Y Burgoyne (41), B McGrath for C Walsh (52), L Linehan for R Phelan (78), C Walsh for A Coughlan (78).
Justin Murphy (Grange).
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