Éire Óg finally turn the corner and reach their destination
Sisters Kate, Orlaith, and Meabh Cahalane of Eire Og, after the win against Aghada. Pic: Jim Coughlan.
Éire Óg are Credit Unions Cork LGFA senior A county champions for the first time 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’s long-suffering players, mentors and supporters celebrated at the final whistle in MTU Cork and 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) replaced by scenes of unbridled joy.
“There’s never any fear of them,” Éire Óg manager Peter McGoldrick said of his players.
“They just turn a corner and go again. This win is great for the club and we have come a long way in 20 years.
“I am thinking of all the managers who came close in the last couple of years. We were the ones just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.”
As expected, Aghada did not relinquish their title without a fight.
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 afternoon.
Aghada’s Abigail Ring split the posts in the replay’s first attack. Their opponent’s response was immediate. Lisa Murphy found the bottom corner inside 2 minutes.
Hannah Looney and Rachel Leahy reduced the deficit to make it 1-0 to 0-3. Yet, the defending champions would not score again for 18 minutes.
Éire Óg’s Ruby Halligan was on hand to deny Kaitlin Smith. Emma Cleary scored prior to another Halligan save thwarting Yvonne Burgoyne.
The Ovens club kept pressing with a Laura Cleary free stretching their lead to four.
Aghada are not county champions for nothing and found the net after 24 minutes as Brianna Smith slalomed through.
The sides changed ends tied at 1-4 apiece following Sally McAllister’s long-range effort.
A tense second half produced six scores in which the champions’ Kaitlin Smith did crash an effort off the crossbar. So, Aghada were thankful for Abigail Ring’s three frees.
Éire Óg went 20 minutes without a score until Laura Cleary, Orlaith Cahalane and a late Lisa Murphy equaliser made it 1-7 each at the final whistle.
The eventual winners gained the upper hand in the first period of extra-time as Sadbh McGoldrick and Emma Cleary scored.
Róisín Phelan and Orlaith Cahalane raised white flags at either end to push the Ovens club 1-10 to 1-8 ahead.
Rachel Leahy’s yellow card was the final blow for Aghada as Isobel Sheehan and Órlaith Cremin points confirmed victory for an overjoyed Éire Óg.
L Murphy 1-1, E Cleary 0-3, L Cleary (0-1f), Ó Cremin 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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