Aghada retain Cork Division 1 ladies football league title
Aghada's Roisin Phelan in action against Ali Hayes of Éire Óg. Phelan scored 1-4 for her side in their Cork Credit Unions Division One ladies football league final win over Mourneabbey. Picture: Jim Coughlan
Aghada retained their Cork Credit Unions Division One ladies football league crown after a hard-fought win over Mourneabbey at MTU on Sunday.
There was never going to be much between these sides, but when you can spring someone like Emma Farmer from the bench, it’s always a great help.
She came on to score three second-half points to help secure the title. The former Cork star was one of several in that position to shine on the day.
Roisin Phelan and Sarah Leahy were among others to impress for the winners. On the opposite side, Doireann O’Sullivan and Eimear Meaney were among those who played well for the losers, all showing why they impressed in the Rebel red over the years.
It’s an impressive league record for Aghada as they are now undefeated across two campaigns, never an easy feat with players missing at different times for various reasons.
They started the brighter of the two sides with Lauren Linehan opening the scoring and Mary Leahy adding a goal to put them 1-1 to no score in front after three minutes.
Doireann O’Sullivan pointed for Mourneabbey, with Abigail Ring replying for Aghada. Credit must go to Ring, who lined out with her club less than 24 hours after coming on for Cork and scoring a goal in their loss to Dublin.
Mourneabbey were then awarded a penalty for a foul on O’Sullivan, and she picked herself up to slot home, to make it 1-2 to 1-1.
She added a point to equalise between two goal chances for Aghada, with Leahy and Phelan going close.
With 15 minutes gone, Mourneabbey were awarded a second penalty, but this time Sarah Walsh saved O’Sullivan’s effort.
Ring and Linehan pointed for Aghada to put them two up again, before Rachel Murphy and O’Sullivan pointed to level it, 1-4 apiece.
Late in the first-half Aghada were then awarded a penalty, which Phelan scored, and she added a point from a free, to see her side lead by 2-5 to 1-4 at half-time.
She scored the first point of the second half to put them further ahead, before Deirdre Cronin goaled for Mourneabbey, to make it 2-6 to 2-4.
A point from Roisin O’Sullivan, followed by three from Doireann O’Sullivan, saw Mourneabbey lead by 2-8 to 2-7 with 45 minutes played.
But Aghada responded in style with Farmer equalising and Phelan putting them back in front. Farmer hit two more, either side of a Doireann O’Sullivan score, to make it 2-11 to 2-9 as time ran out on Mourneabbey, as Aghada retained their title after an entertaining game.
In the Cork Credit Unions Division Two final, Éire Óg has a 2-15 to 2-2 win over Inch Rovers.
Aoibhinn Goulding and Meabh McGoldrick got the goals for the winners, with Annie Walsh and Anne Marie O’Connor finding the back of the net for Inch.
In the Division Three decider, Tadhg MacCarthaigh got the better of Bandon, with St Peter’s beating Ballinhassig in the Division Five final.
Ilen Rovers defeated St Colman’s in the Division Six final by 6-17 to 1-13, and Dripsey won the Division Eight decider by 2-10 to 0-5.
R Phelan 1-3 (1-0 pen, 1f), M Leahy 1-0, E Farmer 0-3, L Linehan, A Ring 0-2 each.
D O’Sullivan 1-7 (1-0 pen, 2f), D Cronin 1-0, R Murphy, R O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
S Walsh; J Conroy, S McAllister, Y Burgoyne; M Collins, K O’Farrell, A Smith; R Phelan, S Leahy; M Leahy, C Walsh, L Conroy; L Linehan, A Ring, E Cronin.
E Farmer for E Cronin (35), M Wallace for L Conroy (49), R Ryan for Y Burgoyne (57), K Crowley for L Linehan (58).
M O’Sullivan; G Cronin, A O’Sullivan, S Thornhill; R Breen, E Meaney, B O’Sullivan; R Murphy, K Williamson; S Finnegan, R O’Sullivan, N O’Sullivan; G Cooney, D O’Sullivan, D Cronin.
M Kelleher for K Williamson (22 inj), A O’Connell for G Cooney (43), C O’Callaghan for D Cronin (55).
Deirdre Cronin.
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