Castlehaven ladies footballers won't fear anyone in the senior grade

2023 looks like being another productive year for West Cork senior and intermediate clubs in the Cork LGFA championships.

There is only one place to start in terms of possible West Cork headline-grabbers ahead of the next year’s club campaign.

All eyes will be on newly crowned intermediate county champions Castlehaven following their promotion to Cork LGFA’s top tier.

The Union Hall-Castletownshend club’s rise through the junior club ranks culminated in an IFC county final victory over Glanmire this past season.

Based on recent successful intermediate and junior campaigns, Dinny Cahalane’s side looks tailor-made for the senior ranks.

Castlehaven’s potential SFC matchups against the likes of Mourneabbey, Éire Óg, Aghada, Bride Rovers and West Cork rivals Clonakilty and Kinsale should make for fascinating viewing.

The Haven underlined their credentials by overcoming Clon 1-13 to 1-12 in the West Cork Division 1 final last August.

Despite missing some regular starters, Mairead O’Driscoll’s eight points coupled with a Niamh O’Sullivan goal and an Emma O’Callaghan penalty save demonstrated why Castlehaven will not fear anyone in the senior grade this coming year.

As for Clonakilty, the Brewery Town are also recent intermediate county winners and now firmly established in Cork LGFA’s top tier.

A frustrating 2022 saw Clon register one SFC Group 2 victory against Inch Rovers before suffering narrow losses to Aghada, Bride Rovers and St Val’s.

Martina O’Brien’s two-game suspension midway through the championship was noteworthy for a Clonakilty team that rebounded in the Senior B competition.

A big win over Valley Rovers was followed by a hard-earned 2-9 to 1-8 semi-final defeat of Kinsale to qualify for the senior B decider. Fermoy proved too strong in the final however, running out 1-16 to 1-13 winners but the core of Clonakilty’s team is expected back in 2023.

Millie Condon, Katie O’Driscoll, Siofra Pattwell, Ciara Ryan, Sinead O’Donovan, Moira Barrett, Ruth Shanley Siobhan Callanan and recently retired inter-county shot-stopper Martina O’Brien will be eager to improve Clonakilty’s fortunes over the next twelve months.

Kinsale’s hopes of repeating their previous year’s trip to the Cork LGFA senior semi-finals were dashed after finishing third behind eventual county champions Mourneabbey and runners-up Éire Óg in Group 1.

There was no shame in losing to the county’s top two ranked senior sides and Group 1 victories over Fermoy and Valley Rovers underlined Kinsale’s ability to mix it at the top level.

Although they failed to lift this year’s senior B title, Kinsale’s underage section remains vibrant as evidenced by their Drinagh Co-Op West Cork LGFA U15 A championship success and minor A runners-up finish. The future is bright for Kinsale LGFA who will be able to call upon Orla Finn, Sadhbh O’Leary, Caoimhe Horgan, Faye Ahern and Aoife Keating again next term. West Cork interest in the 2023 Cork LGFA intermediate championship will focus on Valley Rovers and Rosscarbery’s fortunes.

A transitional Valleys setup lost their senior status following a relegation play-off loss at the hands of Inch Rovers. 5-11 to 4-7. Eimear Kiely, Michelle O’Regan, Daire Kiely and Laoise Collins featured prominently in Rovers’ play-off loss but those players plus plenty of emerging talent from the Brinny club’s underage ranks suggest Rovers will be in the mix for promotion again.

IMPORTANT

Rosscarbery registered an important victory over fellow West Cork rivals Bantry Blues in last year’s intermediate championship. That 0-11 to 0-3 success maintained Ross’ intermediate status but subsequent losses to Glanmire and Castlehaven (county semi-final) ended the former’s campaign.

Ciara Hourihane, Sarah Hayes, Kellianne French, Brid Collins and Nadine Hayes were on the scoresheet during Rosscarbery’s intermediate championship odyssey who, much like Valley Rovers, are looking to the future by strengthening their underage setup.

A Cork LGFA minor B2 county final appearance represents a timely boost for a Rosscarbery club hoping Caroline Beamish, Kellianne French, Eimear McCarthy, Maeve Kingston, Ciara Hourihane and Etaoin Hayes can make the step up to the adult ranks next year.

Bantry Blues’ time as an intermediate club ended with relegation to the junior A ranks. Donoughmore edged a play-off 1-3 to 0-4 to send the Blues down.

Despite that disappointment, Emma Spillane, Aoife Kingston, Zara Barry, Laura O’Sullivan, Cliodhna O’Shea, and Caitlin O’Mahony (if all are available) will relish enticing West Cork championship derbies next year.

O’Donovan Rossa and Dohenys as well as local rivals Beara could provide Bantry Blues with some intriguing matchups in an exciting looking 2023 junior A county football tournament.