Rosscarbery ladies football club is on the rise
The Rosscarbery ladies squad that reached the 2023 Cork LGFA Division 2 County League final and IFC county championship semi-finals.
ROSSCARBERY Ladies have made huge strides at minor, U21 and intermediate LGFA level over the past 12 months.
It has been a positive year for West Cork LGFA intermediate club Rosscarbery Ladies. The club’s U21s reached the last four of the U21D county championship back in April.
Wins over Carrigtwohill, Muintir Gabriels and Ballinhassig preceded a semi-final showdown with Lisgoold. Ross lost a cracking last-four encounter 3-11 to 4-7 before Lisgoold went on to claim the U21D trophy at the expense of Ibane Ladies.
U21s Kellianne French, Sandra O’Donoghue, Maeve Kingston, Mary Kate Hennessy, Ellen O’Hea and Bríd Collins regularly contributed to Rosscarbery’s scoresheet. Each of those emerging players would play a role in the West Cork club’s (adult) county league campaign.
Under the tutelage of manager Darragh O’Mahoney, Rosscarbery Ladies embarked on a terrific 2023 Division 2 county league odyssey. Seven wins and a solitary loss from their eight league outings saw Ross finish runners-up behind 2022 junior A county and Munster champions Naomh Abán.
The West Cork club took some notable scalps in what was a hotly-contested competition.
Donoughmore (2-13 to 1-7), Abhainn Dalla (1-11 to 0-7), Douglas (3-6 to 0-10) and West Cork rivals Dohenys (1-9 to 1-6) were overcome as Ross displayed impressive early season form. The West Cork club’s ascension to the top of the standings occurred following a fifth league win in six against eventual 2023 Cork LGFA senior champions Mourneabbey.
Ross edged a high-scoring affair, 6-8 to 5-10, a game in which Sandra O’Donoghue scored 4-6.
Darragh O’Mahoney’s side required victory over eventual 2023 county junior A and Munster champions, O’Donovan Rossa, to solidify a league final berth.
Rossa Park was the venue for a local derby in which Sandra O’Donoghue (0-7), Maire O’Brien (1-2) and Ciara Whooley (0-4) were instrumental in Ross’ 1-15 to 2-4 triumph.
Naomh Abán proved too strong in the Division 2 decider at the end of July, keeping their opponents at arm’s length to run out 3-9 to 0-7 winners.
Rosscarbery Ladies further underlined their championship credentials by pushing Castlehaven all the way in a cracking Drinagh Co-Op West Cork LGFA Division 1 final at Church Cross.
The Haven edged a close game 3-3 to 1-7 but Ross took heart from another impressive display against an opponent that would go on to claim the county senior B title. It was against that backdrop that Rosscarbery entered this year’s intermediate county championship in a positive mood.
Alas, Naomh Abán defeated the West Cork side in their group opener, 3-10 to 1-4, despite Sandra O’Donoghue (1-2), Maeve Kingston and Kelianne French (0-1 each) scores.
Admirably, Ross rebounded in style by seeing off Araglen Desmonds Buí 5-15 to 2-7 and progressed to the IFC county semi-finals.
The West Cork side were drawn against Glanmire, a club on a mission to end a run of three consecutive intermediate county final defeats.
Ross battled hard throughout but were unable to prevent a Glanmire team that went on to win the county and Munster IFC titles from winning 4-10 to 1-0.
Thankfully, 2023 ended with the Rosscarbery club getting their hands on some silverware thanks to a talented minor team’s efforts. Beara were Ross’ opponents in this month’s Cork LGFA minor C2 county final.
A high-scoring game saw the latter emerge 5-5 to 4-7 winners to claim the trophy. Elaine Hayes (2-1), Lauren O’Donovan (2-0), Orla Tobin (1-1), Kellianne French (0-2) and Ciara Hourihan (0-1) provided Rosscarbery’s scores to end the West Cork club’s season on a high note.
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