Juliet on fire as Donaghmore expose Rockchapel

Donoughmore 2-12 Rockchapel 0-9.

Make no mistake about it Donoughmore Championships ambitions,
are back on track after a comprehensive win, over Rockchapel in
Boherbue on Monday evening. In the first round they suffered a
shock defeat to debutants Mourneabbey, but they were back to their
swashbuckling best, for this quarter final encounter.

Played in ideal conditions, on an excellently organised promotion
by the local club, the opening half provided the big crowd, with
excellent entertainment and end to end football. Donoughmore were
quick off the blocks, with Juliet Murphy laying down and early
marker, which was to break the hearts of the Rockchpel girls,
long before the end. Juliet has played many fine games with club
and Co, but the general consensus after the game was this was
the most compete performance, ever witnessed on a football field.

This superb athlete was everywhere, roaming from her centre field
slot right back to the heart of the defence and back up to the
front line when the need arose. Indeed her exploits on the scoring
stakes bears testimony to this, as she finished up with 1-8. The
Rockchapel cause was not helped by the fact that her Co midfield
partner Norita Kelly, was very limited in her movement, having
retired at half time in the All-Ireland Semi against Laois with
a knee injury and while she lined out at full forward, her movement
and scoring power was very limited.

All that much said, Rockchapel fought back from an early 3 point
deficit to narrow the gap to a point by the end of the first quarter.
They then suffered a major blow when a long free from Juliet was
parried under the bar by Rockchapels keeper Kathy Forrest and
the ball crept into the net. Mind you, Kathy made ample amends
for that lapse by making some outstanding saves including one
from a late penalty, from Rena Buckley.

At the short whistle Donoughmore were that goal ahead, 1-6 to
0-6 and we looked forward to a cracking 2nd half. Never Materialised.
The anticipated thriller, we had anticipated, never materialised
in the 2nd half, While Rockchapel who had 8 of the Cork Senior
panel on view they ran out of puff and Donoughmore upped the ante.
I suppose it was a bit much to turn out for a vital knock out
match, 2 days after an All-Ireland Semi-final win. The defining
score of the half came when Aisling Barrett latched on to a breaking
ball and slid the ball to the net. Rockchapel never recovered
from this blow they did press forward on a number of occasions
but found the Donoughmore defence especially Emer Walsh Rena Buckley
and Vera Sheehan in superb form.

While Donoughmore scoring exploits were provided by Juliet, Aisling
Barrett, and Ann Marie O’Shea, all the forwards moved with a fluency
and purpose, that the Rock girls could not match and that too
was a huge contributory factor in the decline of the Rockchapel
challenge. The message emerged loud and clear the Mossy and his
crew will be the team to beat again in the Championship and let
nobody be in doubt of that.

Donoughmore Tracy Rodgers, Emer Walsh, Rena Buckley, Sarah O’Connor,
Vera Sheehan, Rose O’Mahony, Linda Barrett, Gemma O’Connor, Juliet
Murphy, 1-8 Aisling Barrett, 1-1 Aisling O’Connor, Ann Marie O’Shea,
0-2 Gemma O’Connor 0-1, Ruth Ann Buckley, Louise Murphy, Rose
Cogan, Catriona O’Connell, Catriona Moran, Edel O’Sullivan, Orla
McSweeny Aisling Greene, Aoife O’Connor, Frances O’Brien, Yvonne
Twomey, Noelle Buckley, Mairead Healy

Rockchapel; Kathy Forrest, Mairead McCarthy, Catriona Kelly, Muireann
Stack, Norma Kelly, Brid Stack, Sinead O’Reilly, Norita Kelly,
0-1Geraldine O’Flynn, 0-2 Martina Kelly, Mairead Kelly, 0-2 Regina
Curtin, Grace McNamara, Deirdre O’Reilly, 0-3 Carmel O’Reilly.
0-1 Deirdre O’Sullivn, Shauna Kelly, Sarah O’Keefe, Catriona Casey,
Aisling O’Keefe, Katie Murphy, Marie O’Connor.

Co Under 12 Draws. A Grade Competition.

A Liscarroll V Midleton winners play Boherbue

B St Vals v Bride Rovers.

C. Mourenabbey V Beara.

D Kinsale V Donoughmore

B Grade.

A Inch V Kilshannig.

B Gabriel Rangers V Naomh Aban or Rockban.

C Valley Rovers V Glanworth.

D St Colman’s V Eire Og

C Grade

A Naomh Aban V Rockban losers v Rosscarbery.

B Clonakilty V Banteer

C Carrigaline V Lisgoold.

D Dromtariffe V Fermoy.

D Grade.

A St Vals B v Cilmin.

B St Michaels V Carrigtwohill

C Dromina V Glanmire.

D Newmarket V Coursey Rovers.

lst Round to be completed on or before September 2nd