Superb fightback earns Munster final spot for St Oliver Plunkett's 

While the general mood around Cork football may be quite low at the moment, St Oliver Plunkett’s provided some cheer as they produced a great comeback to reach the final of the Munster JBFC.

Trailing by 2-2 to 0-0 against Kerry side Lispole after just six minutes of Sunday’s semi-final, the Ahiohill side came back strongly to win by 3-15 to 1-11 and set up a meeting in the decider with Tipperary side Shannon Rovers.

It means that, of the four provincial club football competitions for the 2023-24 campaign, three Cork sides – Castlehaven at senior, Cill na Martra at intermediate and now Plunkett’s – beat their Kerry counterparts.

Knockaderry of Limerick are running the junior B competition but their grounds are under development and so neighbouring Castletown-Ballyagran have made their facilities available this year.

Having beaten Erin’s Own of Waterford in the quarter-final in Ballyagran, Plunkett’s made the same trip on Sunday, knowing that a stiff challenge awaited them.

That was made clear as Seán Ó Cinnéide had the ball in the net for Lispole inside the opening minute and then Marc Ó Mannín raised another green flag. Plunkett’s didn’t panic, however, and after Mike Keohane got them off the mark with a free in the seventh minute, they were back to within two points, 2-6 to 0-10, at half-time.

Early in the second half, Lispole had a chance to push further ahead but Plunkett’s goalkeeper Brian Walsh made a great save. Buoyed by that, Plunkett’s pushed on and were ahead for the first time thanks to an Owen McCarthy point.

Goals from Roy O’Driscoll and then Seán O’Donovan solidified the advantage and a mean defence frustrated the Lispole attack. An injury time goal from Conor McCarthy made the game safe for Plunkett’s. They will be back in Ballyagran next Sunday for the final against Shannon Rovers, which has a 2pm throw-in.

Also on Sunday, Cork are back in Allianz Hurling League action, taking on Waterford at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 3.45pm.

The Rebels are still seeking their first points in Group A, having lost to Clare and Kilkenny in the opening two games. Davy Fitzgerald’s Waterford side won their opening match away to Offaly but were beaten by Clare in Walsh Park last Sunday week.

The game will be preceded by a meeting of the counties’ U20 sides.

Meanwhile, Tracey Kennedy will this weekend aim to become the first Cork woman to serve on the GAA’s management committee.

At this weekend’s annual Congress, the Killeagh native is running for one of two trustee roles (formally known as representative of Congress). The trustees, who are elected for three years, sit on the GAA’s management committee – effectively the governing body – and, due to gender quotas now in place that stipulate that the committee must be at least 40 percent female, one of the trustees must be female.

Kennedy, who served as Cork county board chairperson (2018-20), vice-chairperson (2015-17) and PRO (2012-14), has sat on Central Council for the past three years. Also vying for the role is Kerry native Joan Henchy, representing New York.