Cork ladies football: Draws made for U21 grades as Mourneabbey bid to retain A title
Mourneabbey players and mentors celebrate their LGFA U21 county final win over Glanmire.
THE draws for the 2023 Cork LGFA U21 Championships have thrown up some intriguing contests with Mourneabbey facing serious challengers for their U21 A county title.
All four Cork LGFA U21 championship draws took place last week. 2022 county A champions Mourneabbey will be looking to secure a second title in as many years but it will be far from straightforward.
The North Cork club produced a scintillating display to see off Glanmire in last year’s decider.
A brace of Katie O’Toole goals helped Mourneabbey secure a 3-10 to 3-8 victory at MTU.
Lucy Williamson was the winners’ other goal scorer on an afternoon Megan Sheehan, Lucy Greene and Ava Fitzgerald netted for a battling Glanmire.
This season, Mourneabbey will need to be at their best to overcome Aghada in a first round tie if they are to secure another meeting with rivals Glanmire.
Last year’s U21 B county champions Naomh Abán take on Éire Óg in the other semi-final.
The Ballyvourney club’s adult team enjoyed a marvellous run all the way to last year’s Currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Football Junior final. Galway’s Salthill-Knocknacarra proved too strong, edging a tight game 1-7 to 0-4, at Fethard in late December.
Some members of that Naomh Abán junior county and provincial championship winning panel will be involved at U21 this year. An interesting encounter with an equally talented Éire Óg team is anticipated.
2023’s U21 B county championship contains 10 clubs and, unsurprisingly, is a tough championship to call.
Last year’s runners-up, O’Donovan Rossa, will be bolstered by additions from their U16 panel and face Fermoy in a first round clash.
Should the West Cork club prevail, they will host the winners of a second opening round game between Valley Rovers and Nemo Rangers in the quarter-finals.
The latter defeated Bantry Blues, Bishopstown, Bandon and Castlehaven to win last year’s U21 C grade and are a team on the rise.
Elsewhere in the U21 B championship, a quarter-final meeting between 2022’s semi-finalists Dohenys and quarter-finalists Kinsale should make for a terrific West Cork derby.
Erins Own take on Bride Rovers and St Val’s entertain Clonakilty in the other last-eight encounters.
Castlehaven and Bandon reached last year’s U21 C county semi-finals and will meet in the preliminary round of 2023 championship.
The Haven were eventually defeated 4-8 to 1-11 by Nemo in last year’s U21 C county decider but are hopeful of going one better provided they firstly overcome an always difficult opponent in Bandon.
Carrigaline was another club that enjoyed a productive run in last year’s U21 C championship, reaching the semi-finals stage. A preliminary round victory over Kilshannig would cement a quarter-final berth away to either Dromtarriffe or Mallow.
In the same competition, Watergrasshill and Douglas received byes into the quarter-finals and will face one another for a place in the last four.
It is fantastic to see 17 clubs - an increase of 9 from 2022 - competing in this season’s Cork LGFA U21 D Championship, further underlining the sport’s growing popularity.
Killavullen and Ibane Ladies fell at the penultimate hurdle in last year’s U21 D grade. Both clubs begin this year’s tournament eager to improve with the former taking on Lisgoold and Ibane tasked with an equally difficult tie against Macroom.
West Cork club Ilen Rovers are another welcome addition to the grade but face an onerous task away to Abhainn Dalla. Gabriel Rangers await the winners of the U21 D’s solitary preliminary round tie between Carrigtwohill and Rosscarbery Ladies.
This year’s Cork LGFA U21 county championship preliminary and first round ties are currently pencilled in to be played on the first weekend of March.
Aghada v Mourneabbey.
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